West Brom have enjoyed a highly encouraging start to the season under Slaven Bilic, with the Baggies suffering just one defeat in their opening 16 Championship matches leaving them top of the league heading into the weekend.

Bilic’s side have produced a number of excellent team performances so far this term, and they have also been able to show great character and team spirit to secure points from losing positions, which suggests they could well have what it takes to go all the way this term.

The Baggies have at times relied on the individual brilliance of some of their most influential players during the first few months of the campaign, which is something that any side who hopes to earn promotion from the Championship needs to do throughout the season.

With that in mind we take a look at the SEVEN best performing players for West Brom so far this season, according to Whoscored’s rankings…

Nathan Ferguson has enjoyed an excellent breakthrough campaign at the Hawthorns this season, with the 19-year-old excelling for Bilic’s side having been converted from a centre-back to a player capable of operating well in both full-back positions so far this term.

The promising defender has averaged a 6.84 player rating from Whosocred throughout the opening months of the season, which highlights a remarkable level of consistency considering this is his first real season playing in the Baggies’ first team.

Ferguson’s form could well see him attract the attentions of suitors in January and West Brom will be desperate to keep hold of him as they look to sustain their promotion push.

Semi Ajayi is another player in West Brom’s back line who has enjoyed a really strong start to the season, having made the move from relegated Rotherham United in the summer, and he has helped the Baggies become a much more solid unit, especially on their travels than they were last term.

In the absence of the injured Ahmed Hegazi, Ajayi took his chance to establish himself as an integral part of West Brom’s defence alongside Kyle Bartley, and the defender has also added two important goals against Fulham and Huddersfield Town which helped Bilic’s side pick up some vital points.

Ajayi has averaged a 6.87 rating so far this season according to whoscored, and that shows just how quickly he has settled in and become a key part of the Baggies’ promotion push.

Another one of West Brom’s summer additions to have hit the ground running so far this campaign is right-back Darnell Furlong, who has produced some solid defensive displays down the right-hand side of the pitch to help make the Baggies harder to breakdown.

Furlong arrived in the summer from Queens Park Rangers, and he appears to have been an astute signing by Bilic, with his energy enabling him to get up and down the pitch in support of Matt Phillips down the right-hand side of the Baggies’ attack.

The defender has averaged an impressive 7.01 rating by whoscored, and he has already shown that he can perform to a consistently high level for West Brom, and if he maintains his form then the Baggies will have every chance of securing promotion.

Bartley has really come into his own so far this season in what is his second full campaign at the Hawthorns, with the centre-back having been used in a back-three which does not suit his game last term preventing him from showing his best form.

The 28-year-old has formed a real promising partnership with Ajayi at the heart of the Baggies defence and has averaged a 7.06 rating from whoscored so far this campaign for the Baggies.

One player who has been key to West Brom’s fine play in the attacking third has been winger Matt Phillips, who has found a real level of consistency in his performances so far this season, with Bilic showing he can get the best out of the attacker.

Phillips has registered six goals and one assist in 14 Championship appearances so far this campaign, and that has been instrumental in helping the Baggies secure vital wins in tight matches – and of he can continue to perform at his current level then the Bagiies have a real chance of promotion.

The winger has averaged a 7.07 rating according to whoscored, and that shows just how key his form is to the Baggies’ hopes of going one better than last season under Bilic.

Another player who has been influential to the Baggies going forwards has been Grady Diangana, who has been an impressive performer since arriving at the Hawthorns on a season-long loan from West Ham United in the summer.

Diangana has registered four goals and four assists so far this season, which have helped West Brom pick up some vital extra points, and he has also helped to drive Bilic's side up the field with his dribbling ability enabling him to create space for their other attacking players.

West Brom will need Diangana to keep performing at the levels he has reached so far this term, which has seen him avaerage an impressive 7.26 rating from whoscored, and if he can he could help fire the Baggies to the Premier League.

West Brom's most influential player so far this season has been Mathues Pereira, who has been a revalation at the Hawthorns sonce arriving in the summer, with his excellent technical ability helping to set the tempo in the attacking third for the Baggies.

Pereira has been West Brom's main source of creation, registering six assists so far this campaign and that has been crucial in helping the Baggies break down organised defences.

The attacker has also added three goals as well, and averaged an highly impressive 7.30 rating from whoscored, and if he can continue to produce this level of form then the Baggies must do all they can to sign him on a perment basis.