Sky Sports pundit David Prutton goes higher, lower or freeze in our exclusive 'Play Your Sky Bet Championship Right' feature.
The former Leeds and Nottingham Forest midfielder is a member of the Sky Sports team covering the EFL and he joined us during the latest international break to give his verdict on the Sky Bet Championship season so far.
Two of the current top three are backed for automatic promotion, one of the sides in the relegation zone is tipped to secure a top half finish and the fight for survival is just too close to call except for one club.
Read on to get the verdict from David on all 24 clubs in the Sky Bet Championship. We take inspiration from classic gameshow Play Your Cards Right to give the EFL expert the option to go higher, lower or freeze the clubs in the current section of the league they find themselves in ...
1. Huddersfield - Lower
I would love Huddersfield to stay in the mix for automatic promotion purely because of how David Wagner is going about his job. He's getting a lot out of his experienced players and the youngsters on loan like Kasey Palmer from Chelsea have been impressive as well. I think they may drop out of the top two but a top-six finish looks perfectly within their remit. There's a vibe of Leicester from last season about them as they've bounced straight back every time they've suffered a defeat. There are no expectations at the club whatsoever and they should be in absolute dreamland with a finish in the play-offs. That unknown element should see them stay with the front-runners.
2. Norwich - Freeze
Norwich aren't making as many headlines as Newcastle but they should get the job done by the end of the season. They really missed Timm Klose in the defeat at Newcastle (the Canaries lost 4-3 on September 28) but he came back against Wolves and everything that came towards them was repelled. The only question mark for me is the heavy reliance on Cameron Jerome to get all the goals. However, it just seems that the great quality of keeping a team together that has gone up and down over the last couple of seasons will serve them well. Alex Neil deserves credit for taking a really balanced approach. He doesn't get excited about anything!
3. Newcastle - Higher, right to the top
Newcastle have to be going up automatically. The investment that has been put into the squad and putting the right manager in place means that they really should have enough. Things seem to have settled down and I think they spent their money really well. It's obviously speculating to accumulate but if they get promoted it will be happy days all around! Newcastle have to at least finish in the top two and winning the title would do wonders for their ego as a club. The 4-3 win over Norwich shows that they are a team who can use the pressure at St James' Park really well now. At the start of the season, when they lost to Huddersfield, there was a suggestion that they may have been shrinking under the pressure of their own fans but that's not the case anymore. Rafael Benitez, like Alex Neil, has been really balanced and pragmatic in his work and he showed in the comments before the win at Rotherham that he isn't too big for his boots.
4. Brighton - Freeze
Another play-off finish looks in store. The win at Sheffield Wednesday was impressive and the recruitment of striker Glenn Murray to offer something a bit different to Tomer Hemed and Sam Baldock was wise. The experience of being in the play-offs last season should help them and top-six is a must. Last season's experience (where Brighton missed out on automatic promotion by drawing at Middlesbrough on the final day) should have them ready for the run-in and it would be amazing if it was a similar situation again in May!
5. Bristol City - Freeze, just about!
Bristol City have been great so far. They've shown a real fortitude this season but they are definitely reliant on Tammy Abraham up front. I saw them at Sheffield Wednesday (the Robins were beaten 3-2 by the Owls on September 13) and it was a wonderful game, unless you were Lee Johnson as Bristol City lost! They've traditionally been seen in recent seasons as a team who can drop into League One but the set-up is completely different now with a superb stadium there. I think Johnson has done a great job and they will be one of the teams in the play-off battle at the finish. There will be pressure though from the clubs currently in mid-table.
6. Birmingham - Lower, just about!
Gary Rowett has built a really good reputation over the last couple of seasons and he'll be desperate to take his team into the top six. He was vocal about how they tailed away at the end of last season by failing to take advantage of a good start. Clayton Donaldson is a really good striker who can lead the line and bringing Lukas Jutkiewicz in from Burnley as well was sensible. I think they'll be in the mix with Bristol City and others for a play-off finish but the pressure from other clubs will be really tough.
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7. Brentford - Freeze
Dean Smith has taken a while to get things exactly how he wants and he always has to be wary of players coming in and out of the club. They are judged by finishing in the play-offs a couple of seasons ago as their benchmark but the squad has completely changed now and the pressure from clubs chasing for a play-off place with bigger budgets will be intense.
8. Reading - Freeze but in the mix
Jaap Stam has made a pretty good start as an unknown manager but the expectations don't appear to be as intense on him as others in the division. They've had a few up and down results but you could say that about any of the teams in the middle of the Championship! Reading should be aiming for the play-offs and it will be a great achievement if they do get there.
9. Sheffield Wednesday - Higher
Wednesday should get in the play-offs. The team on paper is as good as any in the division with plenty of experience after getting to the play-off final last season. Gary Hooper hasn't hit his best goalscoring form yet but he can and the Fernando Forestieri saga from earlier in the season seems to have been resolved after he tried to get a move away from the club. We'll now start to see them gel a bit more and they showed good battling qualities when winning 1-0 at Blackburn a couple of weeks. Top-six is the bottom line that they've got to hit.
10. Barnsley - Freeze
Barnsley have been great. Recent results have dropped off but that's only a reflection of how fantastic they were at the start of the season. There are players of genuine quality in that squad with Conor Hourihane, Adam Hammill, Tom Bradshaw and Marley Watkins being joined by Adam Armstrong. You have to wonder when Armstrong will get his chance at Newcastle after he showed he can score goals last season too for Coventry. Paul Heckingbottom's record is sensational and any team that comes up has to consolidate first with anything after that a bonus. They might think a little bit about the top-six as well because of their two recent appearances at Wembley (winning the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and League One play-off final at the end of last season). It's a great story and well deserved. They've got a chance to remain in the top half with the firepower that they've got.
11. Leeds - Freeze
Everything's changed in recent weeks so Leeds are going to win the league! Chris Wood is offering more to the team thanks to Pablo Hernandez and Hadi Sacko and he seems to have much more confidence at the head of the attack. Bringing in Pontus Jansson alongside Kyle Bartley in the centre of defence was a good move to tighten things up and Garry Monk's style is now starting to come through. Leeds fans would have been delighted with 11th at this international break if you'd offered them it a few weeks ago and now the noise around the club seems to have died down thanks to the recent wins. Historically they've got to be looking at the top six but performances from recent years make another mid-table finish much more likely. Owner Massimo Cellino has been off the wall you could say but it wouldn't surprise me if he made money available to spend if Leeds are in the shake-up when January arrives.
12. Wolves - Higher
Wolves' new signings like Ivan Cavaleiro need time to bed in. Cavaleiro looks like he'll be a good striker for them if he takes a more central role. Walter Zenga needs time to work out his squad as they've been so inconsistent so far this season. The players that have come in are from top clubs in Europe but they need time to get used to the physical and mental side of the Championship. The likes of Dave Edwards, Danny Batth and Dominic Iorfa should help though as they've been around the league for a long time. I do think Zenga is great though. He's moody when they lose, happy when they win and his interview after losing at home to Norwich on Sky Sports contained a few looks that could kill! They'll give Zenga a good run at it as he was appointed as soon as the takeover went through and there should be interesting times ahead.
13. QPR - Freeze
It's hard to see anything other than a mid-table finish for QPR. They've missed the goals of Charlie Austin since he joined Southampton and it's taking Conor Washington time to get up and running. I thought he'd make the step up quicker as he wants to learn and improve but sometimes it takes a while. Sebastian Polter seems to have run out of goals and they are a real hit-and-miss side. It will be tough for boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as the tables they are dining at for players has changed because you can't keep that level of spending going. QPR's ambitions will be higher than Wolves and Barnsley, but they haven't been able to sustain their positive start.
14. Fulham - Freeze
It was frightening the amount of goals that Fulham lost when Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele left the club. They've been up against it in the last couple of seasons and the team has completely changed from the one that went down apart from Scott Parker. They are in a similar state to QPR as recent Premier League attendees but all the teams above them seem better equipped at this moment in time to challenge. Replacing McCormack and Dembele is a massive challenge and they wouldn't be on your coupon to gatecrash the top six.
15. Burton - Lower
Burton have made the Pirelli Stadium a real fortress this season. They've stepped up well from League One and really sensible signings like Chris O'Grady and Jackson Irvine have made a big difference. It's been a transition from when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was in charge and Nigel Clough is benefiting from the solid foundations put in place by several previous managers. Anything after consolidation would be wonderful and I think their home form will be just about what sees them through. Sheffield Wednesday and Derby have both lost at Burton and nobody is turning up and rolling them over. They'll finish a little lower than where they are now but there's a feel-good factor at the club that helps as everyone will be ecstatic if they are in the Championship again next season.
16. Ipswich - Freeze
The fans seem to be a little bit restless at Ipswich. Mick McCarthy has done wonders there as people understand just how hard it is if you don't have the budget that other managers have available. Daryl Murphy was a real talisman for them and it's going to be tough but they are a good team with goodsolid pros. Mick's name still gets linked with other jobs and I think that shows the respect that he's held in because of the work he's done in his managerial career.
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17. Preston - Lower
Preston have recovered from a pretty poor start. The target has to be another season of consolidation after staying up last time out and this is a big test for Simon Grayson. His managerial career has been fantastic in terms of getting out of League One but clubs he's been at seem to get worried about going to the next level after a couple of seasons in the Championship. That's just what happens with raised expectations and a 'better calibre' of players available to sign. It's a chance for Simon to enhance his reputation as anything after mid-table would be fantastic. I think they'll just about be safe as he gets his team set up strongly.
18. Nottingham Forest - Lower, but just a little bit
Losing Oliver Burke (to Red Bull Leipzig at the end of the transfer window) was a huge blow and they are a club that has been treading water for as long as you can remember. They've gone through lots of managers and all of them have had the same outcome. I'd like to think that the experience of previously slipping to League One will keep enough people at the club aware of the consequences of relegation. They've got players on good wages and hopefully my former club should just about have enough.
19. Aston Villa - Higher
Roberto Di Matteo has just gone and they shouldn't be where they are in the league in a million years. But they deserve to be in this division and there's no real sympathy for them because of how badly the club has been run over a number of seasons. The money spent on new players has been phenomenal but they seem to be a team of individuals still. There are fantastic players on the teamsheet all through the XI but the rudimentary errors in the defeat at Preston at the weekend were appalling. The new owner's plan to make Villa the 'biggest in the world' certainly hasn't got off to a good start! The atmosphere at the club has to change and its imperative they get things sorted during the international break. Villa should be in the top six with the players that they've got and the rest of the season depends on the new manager coming in and how long they get to make things right.
20. Derby - Higher
The turnover of players at Derby has been strange. Chris Martin (who joined Fulham at the end of the transfer window) will get you goals so you have to wonder why he's gone. Jeff Hendrick went too (to Burnley) but I think it was the right time for him to leave as he was too much a part of the furniture and wasn't getting the respect that he deserved. Nigel Pearson is now suspended as manager and you have to think that his time in charge of the club is over. On paper, like Villa, it's a wonderful team but it's different out on the pitch. The aim for Derby had to be top six with an eye on the top two but that's proving not to be the case. It's great to have aims but they aren't coming to fruition!
21. Wigan - Freeze but with worries
Wigan, like the other two promoted clubs, have to be targeting consolidation and you can't compare it to when they were in the Premier League previously. Gary Caldwell will be given time and he'll get another couple of seasons if he keeps the club in the division. I think they've got enough about them to maintain their Championship status and finishing 21st would be job done! It will be tough though as you can see from the quality of teams just above them.
22. Blackburn - Higher if potential reached
Blackburn are a funny one. I've seen them a couple of times this season and some of the __football that they've played has been fantastic. They look very slick in their style but Owen Coyle is still climbing the wall to get the fans onside. The transfer window shutting has stopped speculation over a number of players' futures and they've had to pull together. I've been entertained when watching Blackburn but I've watched Aston Villa and Derby and thought they'll never score another goal. The problem though is how poor they've been at defending and a balance needs to be found. You can see from going through these sides just how tough it is to call the relegation fight.
23. Cardiff - Higher, a lot, lot higher!
Neil Warnock will be fantastic for Cardiff. It's unfortunate that fine margins have cost Paul Trollope but that's how tough __football is. They are a decent outside bet for the top 10 - you can get 5/1 with Sky Bet for Cardiff to finish in the top half - as the job that Warnock did in charge of Rotherham last season was unbelievable. He's got more time at Cardiff and he will love the attention that comes from being in charge of such a big club.
24. Rotherham - Freeze
It's tough for Rotherham. Individual mistakes keep costing them after expectations were raised thanks to that incredible run at the end of last season under Neil Warnock. Alan Stubbs seems to be pulling his hair out and it looks a hell of a task with the strength of the division. Rotherham proved last season that they can secure survival but it will be tough. The likes of Blackburn, Wigan, Forest and Preston will be scrapping it out as well and there are sure to be changes in manager and players from plenty of the clubs needing to make sure of their place in the Championship.