The ‘X-Factor’ is a term often used to describe what individual players might bring to the table at each club ahead of a fantasy football campaign. Every club needs a player who can produce something special – somebody who will put paying bums on seats. It could be a new signing, of which big things are expected, or a rookie who is expected to have a breakthrough year.

They may or may not have an inflated salary level, depending on previous experience and the game operators assessment of their potential. If they are available on the cheap then they could be like gold-dust for aspiring fantasy football managers. If they are expensive and you choose to accommodate them in your roster then they will need to deliver, otherwise your chances of success are likely to be severely diminished.

They receive the ‘X-Factor’ tag because they have skills that set them apart their team-mates. Simply put, they have talent which is usually richly rewarded by scoring systems common at most fantasy football sites. They are likely to be offensive players who can not only score goals but also chip in with assists, two areas that contribute greatly to a player’s fantasy points per game expectation.

They might also be flair players who are expected to take a significant number of those crucial final third set-pieces – penalties, direct free kicks and corner kicks, inflating their scoring potential even further.

Part of the fun for fantasy football managers, especially in season-long variations of the games, is trying to work out who these players will be and how will they fare, when putting together a roster at the start of each competition. If you get it right and select players who produce the ‘X-Factor’ you might put yourself bang in contention, in your chosen league.