Updated 19 September 2026 after Brentford 3-0 Chelsea.
The old post-GW1 ranking is no longer enough.
Brentford now have five league matches of evidence and several credible FPL routes.
Updated ranking
| Rank | Player | Main case |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Schade | Best established attacking output |
| 2 | Jaidon Anthony | Fresh Chelsea goal |
| 3 | Igor Thiago | Central striker + penalty evidence |
| 4 | Mamadou Sangaré | DefCon/value route |
| 5 | Michael Kayode | Budget defender upside |
| 6 | Caoimhín Kelleher | Goalkeeper route |
1. Schade
Schade stays No.1 despite blanking against Chelsea.
Before GW5 he had:
- regular starts;
- three league goals;
- a Bournemouth brace.
One blank should not erase that evidence.
Read Kevin Schade FPL.
Latest FPL news
2. Anthony
Anthony scored against Chelsea.
That moves him much closer to Schade.
The next question is start security.
If Anthony matches Schade for starts and remains similarly priced, this becomes a genuine choice.
Read Anthony vs Schade vs Ouattara.
3. Igor Thiago
Thiago now has a Premier League goal and penalty evidence.
The problem is price.
Managers can often access Brentford attack through a midfielder for less.
Thiago therefore needs clearly stronger goal expectation.
Read Igor Thiago FPL.
4. Sangaré
Sangaré remains a role/value pick.
His appeal comes from:
- defensive contributions;
- minutes;
- budget structure;
- occasional attacking involvement.
He is useful for deeper squads.
5. Kayode
Kayode combines:
- budget price;
- attacking full-back potential;
- clean sheets.
But Brentford's current strongest FPL case is the attack, so he ranks lower.
6. Kelleher
Kelleher offers a stable goalkeeper route.
Wildcard managers should judge him across 5–8 Gameweeks rather than one clean sheet.
Carvalho?
Scored from the bench.
Still a minutes question.
He becomes interesting only if league starts rise.
Ouattara?
Talent remains.
But Schade and Anthony currently have stronger competitive evidence.
GW6 at Aston Villa
Brentford travel to Villa.
That is not an automatic triple-up fixture.
The right international-break strategy is to identify one best Brentford route.
Best asset by need
Mid-price midfielder: Schade.
Alternative midfielder: Anthony.
Forward: Thiago.
DefCon/value: Sangaré.
Defender: Kayode.
Goalkeeper: Kelleher.
OneFPL verdict
Schade still narrowly leads on established output.
Anthony is now a serious challenger.
Thiago has moved back into the conversation.
Use Player Lab Compare before transferring.
What should Wildcard managers do?
Do not build a Brentford triple-up from one result.
Aston Villa away in GW6 is a very different problem from Chelsea at home.
The better approach is to choose the Brentford asset that solves your squad need:
- Schade or Anthony if you need a mid-price midfielder;
- Thiago if your forward structure has enough budget;
- Sangaré if you want a cheaper midfielder with DefCon potential;
- Kayode if your defence needs a playable budget starter.
This keeps the squad diversified.
What would change this ranking?
The ranking can change quickly if the international break gives us new information.
Move Anthony above Schade if:
- he keeps starting;
- his shot volume remains strong;
- Schade's minutes fall.
Move Thiago higher if:
- penalties are reconfirmed;
- he produces strong shot volume;
- he stays close to 90 minutes.
Move Kayode higher if Brentford's defensive numbers improve and his attacking involvement stays strong.
That is why this article should be updated after the break rather than replaced.
