Bayer Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka has scored big in Fantasy terms already this season. - © Alexander Scheuber/Bundesliga

bundesliga

Granit Xhaka and the Bundesliga Fantasy Manager surprise players so far

11.09.2024

Harry Kane, Xavi and Jeremie Frimpong were among the top points scorers in the official Bundesliga Fantasy Manager game last term. Two matchdays into 2024/25, the Fantasy landscape is looking a little different...

Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz (789 points) and Alejandro Grimaldo (684pts) currently lead the way in Fantasy points so far, which is no great surprise as they're two of the defending champions' most dangerous and productive players. But after that, things get a little more interesting. bundesliga.com shines a light on some of the surprise big hitters...

Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim)
Position: Forward
Price: 10M
Points: 664

Kramarić scored a hat-trick against new boys Holstein Kiel on Matchday 1, contributing to a whopping 449-point return. He struck again in Hoffenheim's 3-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt, but still came away with a respectable 215 points - 29 more than a certain Mr. Kane.

Aside from goals, the Croatian snaffles up points for successful passes and ground challenges won: two big earners under the revamped scoring system. He's also half the price of Kane, and significantly cheaper than the likes of Victor Boniface (18M) and Loïs Openda (15M).

Watch: Relive Andrej Kramarić's hat-trick against Kiel

Mitchell Weiser (Werder Bremen)
Position: Defender
Price: 13M
Points: 583

Another player who's really benefitting from the points system overhaul is Werder Bremen's Weiser. The forward-thinking right-back collected 437 points on Matchday 1, including 230 for his attacking actions, as well as an impressive 168 combined for successful dribbles and won duels (ground and aerial).

Those final-third numbers dropped to zero in another Bremen draw last time out, but a healthy 120 points for dribbles and duels is not to be scoffed at. Signs are he'll provide very consistent returns, spiked with sporadic monster hauls.

Mitchell Weiser (l.) really puts himself about the pitch for Werder Bremen. - Getty Images

Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen)
Position: Midfielder
Price: 15M
Points: 545

Speaking of reliable, Xhaka's been raking in the points from the heart of the Leverkusen midfield. Although the reigning champions haven't been at their best - scraping past Borussia Mönchengladbach and throwing away a 2-0 lead in defeat to RB Leipzig - the midfield metronome has been ticking away with the precision of a Swiss clock.

Xhaka's already reached 112 points for duels and 179 for build-up play, which - together with the odd banger like on opening night - suggests he should be hovering around 200 for average points per game over the season.

Granit Xhaka is a midfield general with a wand of left foot. - DFL/ Getty Images/ Leonhard Simon

Lukas Kübler (Freiburg)
Position: Defender
Price: 7M
Points: 528

From one seasoned veteran to another, Lukas Kübler reportedly had young Bruno Ogbus snapping at his heels in the Freiburg right-back position on the eve of the campaign. A few weeks in, and it's hard to imagine anyone nudging the industrious defender out of the side.

Kübler registered a surprise brace against VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 1, but it's his work in the tackle that makes him such an attractive proposition in the long term. The 7M man followed up 96 points for ground and aerial duels won on the opening weekend with 120 in the same category in a 2-0 loss at Bayern. Talk about bang for your buck.

Watch: Lukas Kübler helped get Freiburg off to a flying start

Jonas Omlin (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Position: Goalkeeper
Price: 10M
Points: 522

Jonas Omlin might be considered a touch pricey in goalkeeper terms - especially for the shrewder Fantasy Managers out there - but he is currently outscoring all but six players in the game. Even without his 120 points for a late penalty save from Wirtz in the 3-2 loss to Leverkusen, the Swede would still be on 400-plus.

He made an additional seven saves worth 210 points in that game, as well as a further four that translated into 120 in the 2-0 win at Bochum. If you do fancy Gladbach for a renewed push at a top-seven finish this season, Omlin is a worthy consideration alongside outfield teammates Kevin Stöger and Tim Kleindienst.

Jonas Omlin is a commanding presence at the back for Borussia Mönchengladbach. - DFL

Five honorable mentions

Paul Wanner (Heidenheim/ Midfielder/ 8M/ 505 points)
Enzo Millot (VfB Stuttgart/ Midfielder/ 11M/ 494 points)
Nadiem Amiri (Mainz/ Midfielder/ 13M/ 489 points)
Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund/ Defender/ 14M/ 486 points)
Robin Zentner (Mainz/ Goalkeeper/ 8M/ 484 points)