With the season starting later this evening, FPL managers are still frantically trying to sort their 15 man squads out for the season ahead (well, 8-10 weeks until we all wildcard again anyway). So I’m going to try and help by noting down my top two picks for each team, plus honorable mentions that are a little more differential.
Arsenal
Jesus – It is an obvious pick to start off here given he’s owned by 70% of the game but Gabriel Jesus offers incredible value at £8m and has been on fire during pre-season. He’s added something extra to the Arsenal attack, not only with his pressing but also with his movement, so he’s an absolute cert in my team and should certainly be one you consider.
Saka – Following a fantastic season last year, the young Englishman will look to continue and improve on that this term. At just £8m, he’s a great option in midfield and would already be in most of our teams if his Brazilian team-mate wasn’t the same price. Could be on penalties, so worth keeping an eye on.
Honourable mention – Odegaard. One to watch this season. Is already linking up incredibly well with Jesus and has been getting more involved in and around the penalty area in pre-season, taking more shots than he was looking to do last season. Will be in most teams at one point or another this season, I’m certain of that, especially at just £6.5m.
Aston Villa
Watkins – The young Englishman had a decent 21/22 and I expect him to continue that this season too. His underlying stats were pretty decent and has a promising first three games of the season. Following that, his fixtures turn nasty but once that run is over and his fixtures turn again, he could be a very good option given that he’s £7.5m and should play most games,
Cash – At £5m, he could be a very good price if Aston Villa can tighten up at the back (which could be a possibility with the signing of Diego Carlos). His marauding runs forward will certainly continue this season and could be a better alternative to Trippier, who is the same price.
Honourable mention – Bailey. Has looked very threatening during pre-season and has started the majority of games. Surely will have impressed Gerrard now that he’s fully fit following his injury so must be in with a shout of playing more often than not. At £5m, he’s a steal if he keeps his spot.
Bournemouth
Solanke – Absolutely smashed it in the Championship last season and while I don’t expect him to hit anywhere near those heights in the Premier League, he does know where the goal is. He won’t score many but he’s probably the best option for the Cherries. You’d probably have to be a little desperate to bring him in, unless it’s a blank gameweek or they double, but he might surprise me.
Stanislas – Proven in the Premier League unlike his aforementioned team-mate. While I’m highly unlikely to go anywhere near the Bournemouth team this season, Junior Stanislas at least will play more often than not and will pick up the occasional goal or assist.
Honourable mention – Anthony. He was one of Bournemouth’s most creative players in the Championship last season and if he gets regular starts, he’d be very good value at £5.5m.
Brentford
Toney – Again, a highly obvious pick but I still think he’s a good option for this season. I was hesitant to pick him given that Eriksen has left for pastures new but he played well at the start of the season when the Dane wasn’t at the club so there’s no reason why he can’t do the same again. Especially with the busy Mbuemo and Wissa alongside him.
Wissa – I really rate Wissa. He came on strong towards the middle and end of last season and deserves to be starting this season. Very reasonably priced at £5.5m too and I think I would prefer him over Mbuemo if I had to have one of them. Brentford’s fixtures are reasonable at the start of the season before we all wildcard so there are worse picks than him.
Honourable mention – Damsgaard. Brentford are being linked with the Dane, who did very well at last year’s Euros. Has certainly peaked my interest, so will be one to watch if the transfer is completed. Would make Toney and the other attacking players more appealing too.
Brighton
Trossard – I expect the winger to have another good season following his strong finish to the end of 21/22. He’s very reasonably priced at £6.5m and with the addition of Undav, he might finally have someone to put away the chances he creates or indeed set him for his own attempts too.
Undav – Brighton’s main signing is certainly one on my watchlist especially from Gameweek 2 onwards. He comes with a very strong pedigree from his time in Belgium, scoring 35 goals from 51 appearances. While it might not be the strongest league, he obviously knows where the goal is.
Honourable mention – Lamptey. If fit, he is a very good option. Highly likely to pick up the occasional assist and normally does well with bonus points too. For £4.5m, he’s great value for a player that you’re not always going to play but will expect reasonable points when you do.
Chelsea
Mount – The Englishman is currently in my team and is not looking particularly likely to leave any time soon (unless I chicken out and somehow get Son/Kane in). He had an excellent season last year and he’s well equipped to do it again. He’s on set pieces and will be expecting to hit at least 10 goals again this season. A great option.
Sterling – He’ll be looking to prove people wrong and show exactly what he’s capable of. While he left City on good terms, he’ll be keen to show Pep what he let go. Decent early fixtures for Chelsea mean he’s an exceptional differential, even if he’s at the difficult price of £10m.
Honourable mention – Cucurella. While it’s not announced as of writing, it seems like the move will be confirmed soon. If so, he’ll be a great option at just £5m in that Chelsea defence. He showed his qualities at Brighton and those will only improve amongst the talent at Stamford Bridge.
Crystal Palace
Eze – I’m expecting big things from Eze this season. He looked so good in fits and starts last season and with another season under his belt he could be a great differential. He’s very fairly priced and once Crystal Palace get the first couple of games out of the way, their fixtures are pretty good.
Zaha – The Ivorian has looked so good in pre-season and is one of the most in-form players. He’ll still be on some set pieces and is the Eagles’ key player. While their start isn’t great, he could well be a great option a few weeks into the season.
Honourable mention – Olise. Yet another talented winger at the club and one that could be held back by rotation risks. But he showed his class like season and will be one to watch. If he becomes a regular starter, he could be a very good cheap option for your midfield when Neto’s fixtures turn.
Everton
DCL – While the unlucky Englishman is currently suffering with an injury/slight knock, he will make for a great option if he gets back to the form that he showed in the 20/21 season. He knows where the goal is and is well-equipped to bag at least 10-15 goals this season if he can get the service.
Mykolenko – If Everton continue to play with two wing-backs, the Ukranian may well turn into an excellent option. He was playing well in that position towards the end of last season and was only beaten by four other defenders for attempts on goal.
Honourable mention – Iwobi. He’s incredibly flexible in regards to his positioning and Lampard seems to like him. He performed well when the Toffees needed him to last season and was a pivotal reason for them staying up. He’s certainly a talented player but never really shown in for long periods. Maybe this is the season?
Fulham
Mitrovic – It goes without saying; anyone that scores the amount of goals he did last season deserves to be considered for our teams. We’ve all been burned by him before but let’s not kid ourselves, we’ll probably pick him again at some point, right? The team seems to be built around him so he could be a worthwhile pick when their fixtures improve.
Wilson – Another player that has played in the Premier League before but never really been given the chance to shine. Offering great delivery from set pieces and has an eye for goal. Might be worth a punt at some point – I’m certainly considering him as someone to be added to my watchlist.
Honourable mention – Pereira. He’s an obvious pick given how cheap he is and how well he’s owned but there’s a reason for that. He’s been taking corners in pre-season and has already registered some assists. Plus, he’s playing as a 10 and he’s only £4.5m!
Leeds
Bamford – The Englishman is currently in my team and may well stay there by the deadline. He’s looked good and fresh in pre-season and while Leeds have lost Raphinha, they’ve bought sensibly and players like Aaronson will be looking to provide Bamford with plenty of assists. If he can stay fit (that’s a big if), he could be an absolute steal and a true maverick pick!
Aaronson – I’ve already mentioned him but Aaronson looks to be a very talented player and has impressed massively in pre-season. Plenty of assists and looks really sharp. If he takes to the Premier League quickly, he could offer great value.
Honourable mention – Rodrigo. Priced at just £6m and now classed as a midfielder, Rodrigo is another that has serious potential to be a great differential. Again, he’s looked fresh and confident in pre-season and has it in him to be in and amongst the goals at Elland Road this season.
Leicester
Vardy – He’s always a decent option in FPL and I don’t see that changing this season. While I don’t think that Leicester are going to have a good season, if you ever needed to pick someone from the Foxes, you could do much worse than Vardy. Plus, he’ll need to score goals to get the goals bonus to pay the legal fees for his wife!
Barnes – It was a toss up between him and Maddison for the second spot but with the rumours about the ex-Norwich man heading to Tyneside, I’ve plumped for Barnes. A very talented player who can score bucket loads of FPL points if he stays fit. Takes plenty of shots but isn’t selfish and lays off chances for team-mates too.
Honourable mention – Daka. While Vardy will play most games, Daka will get plenty of minutes, especially given the five subs. He showed his potential last season and he’ll be given more chances to show it this year. A talented and pacey finisher who is priced affordably.
Liverpool
Salah – Do I even need to write anything else? The best ever FPL player and will be up there for most points again this season. If you don’t have him, I fear you will regret it, regardless of who you can afford without him.
Robertson – While I’ve got Trent in my team, mainly due to FOMO, I really believe that the Scot could outscore his English team-mate this season. Just as threatening as Trent in his delivery and actually gets into the box a little more. If you ended up plumping for him over Trent, I think the difference in points between the two will be marginal, in either direction so even if you make the wrong decision in hindsight, you’re not likely to be punished too heavily.
Honourable mention – Nunez. The new signing has had a mixed pre-season but will have taken confidence from his goal in the Community Shield against Man City. Looked threatening and will get plenty of chances in that Liverpool team. A decent forward option at £9m.
Manchester United
Fernandes – Flattered to deceive last season but I have a feeling that he’ll be back to his best again this time around. Especially if Ronaldo leaves. He has the talent and the pedigree so could be a very differential option, although his price point is challenging. One to watch though.
Sancho – I’m expecting him to have a much better season in 22/23. He showed his talent and his potential towards the end of last season and if he can continue to improve, he’ll end up in many people’s teams at one point or another at just £7.5m.
Honourable mention – Martial. A huge punt but it could pay off if Ronaldo does leave, as you’d assume the Frenchman would be played up front. Very reasonably priced at just £7m. A true wait-and-see.
Manchester City
KDB – The Belgian finished the season incredibly and has already looked very threatening in pre-season too. With the arrival of Haaland, he’s now got a strong focal point to aim for so I expect him to be City’s highest scoring player in FPL yet again. While I expect Haaland to do well, I don’t think he’ll be either the top, or second-highest FPL point scorer for City.
Cancelo – Actually underperformed last season according to his underlying stats if you can believe it. So if he plays to his potential, he could score even higher this season. An absolute certainty in any FPL player’s team and will be tasked with crossing more for Haaland too, increasing his assist potential.
Honourable mention – Foden. I fully expect him to have an incredible season and will definitely be in my team at one point or another. I was tempted to put Alvarez in this spot but I’m not certain he’ll start many PL games in his first season in England.
Newcastle
Wilson – If he stays fit, which arguably is a massive if, Wilson could well have a cracking season. Playing for a much-improved Newcastle side, he’ll be given plenty of chances to score and has the pedigree to do just that. Showed it in glimpses last season too.
Trippier – Another player that needs to stay fit as long as possible. On set-pieces and is playing in a defence that will be much-improved, especially with the signings of Pope and Botman. Will get the odd goal and is great value at just £5m. Decent initial fixtures too.
Honourable mention – Maddison. He might not be there yet but there are strong rumours about him leaving the King Power for St James’ Park and if he does, he’ll be an excellent option for FPL players eyeing up Magpies players.
Nottingham Forest
Awoniyi – Scored 21 goals in the Bundesliga last season so certainly has the pedigree. Whether he’ll be able to do the same for Nottingham Forest upon their return to the Premier League remains to be seen but he’s decent value at £6m.
Johnson – The exciting winger looks a promising option and is priced the same as his aforementioned team-mate. Did well in the Championship and if he takes the step-up well, could be a good option for FPL players wanting differentials.
Honourable mention – Williams. The ex-Liverpool full-back is priced at just £4m and is highly likely to play. Looks threatening going forward so has the potential to get occasional assists. A good and cost effective option at just £4m.
Southampton
Ward-Prowse – A fairly boring pick and not someone I’ll probably ever go with but he regularly and consistently scores FPL points making him good value. On set-pieces and will score the occasional goal from a free-kick. I expect Southampton to struggle this season but if you want a Saint, he’d be the one to go with.
Walker-Peters – The attacking full-back will look to continue his decent form from last season. I don’t expect him to keep many clean sheets in that team but he has the potential to score occasional assists and maybe the odd goal. It’s a stretch but he’d be my second pick from the Saints.
Honourable mention – Lavia. The young Belgian arrives from City and has looked promising in pre-season. Very reasonably priced and could be worth a punt if and when they have a good fixture run.
Tottenham
Kane – He finished the season so strongly and has been in incredible form in pre-season. In a Spurs side that has bought well in the transfer window, he’ll be the main focal point of the attack and will score heavily once again.
Son – It’s hard to look at Spurs and not just pick the two best players so Son also makes the list. It’s a shame he’s £12m but I totally understand why. He had a great 21/22 and I fully expect him to hit those heights again this season.
Honourable mention – Romero. Very reasonably priced at £5m and looked good in the underlying stats towards the end of last season. I fully expect Spurs to keep plenty of clean sheets this season and he should play more often than other more exciting picks like Perisic and Doherty.
West Ham
Bowen – They don’t have the greatest of opening fixtures but once that’s over and done with, he could be a great option, even at £8.5m. I expect him to do very well again this season, perhaps not as well as last year but still someone with strong potential for points.
Fornals – Bowen’s midfield colleague, Fornals, is another good value option if you want a differential and much cheaper alternative to the Englishman. On some set-pieces and looked threatening at times last season. Has the potential to score decently for his price.
Honourable mention – Scamacca. The new signing has a good pedigree of scoring goals and will look to take the load off Antonio’s shoulders. Might take some time to settle into the Premier League but will be worth keeping an eye on.
Wolves
Neto – Yes, I know. He’s incredibly template but that is for a reason! He looked to be back to his best once he’d fully recovered from his injury and Wolves have some great fixtures to start. Potentially incredible value at just £5.5m.
Jiminez – Currently injured so certainly not one for an immediate transfer but he’s got the proven Premier League pedigree. Knows where the goal is and could easily reach 10-15 goals this season. Wait for him to get fully fit and then consider him if their fixtures are strong.
Honourable mention – Jonny. While I’m not certain how many clean sheets Wolves will get, I expect Jonny to get a few attacking returns if he can stay fit for long periods. Has proven it in the past and this season could be no different.
FPL Maverick 