Building a strong Fantasy Premier League squad is not only about selecting the highest-scoring players.
Managers need value at several different price points to create a balanced squad within the £100.0m budget.
Here are some of the most interesting premium, mid-priced and budget options available for the 2026/27 season.
Premium players
Erling Haaland, £15.5m
Haaland is the most expensive player in FPL history.
He scored 27 goals and recorded eight assists last season, finishing as the highest-scoring player with 239 points.
His biggest advantage is captaincy. Manchester City have several favourable home fixtures early in the season, making Haaland one of the safest options for the captain’s armband.
The concern is squad structure. Selecting him leaves only £84.5m for the remaining 14 players.
Verdict: Premium captaincy option and the safest expensive forward.
Bruno Fernandes, £12.0m
Fernandes finished only four points behind Haaland last season.
He produced nine goals and 24 assists and became particularly productive after Manchester United’s managerial change.
United begin with matches against promoted Hull City and Ipswich Town, giving Fernandes immediate captaincy potential.
Verdict: Strong Haaland alternative or second premium.
Cole Palmer, £9.5m
Palmer has dropped in price after a disappointing and injury-affected season.
His previous two campaigns demonstrated that he is capable of exceeding 200 points. A full pre-season and a central attacking role could make £9.5m excellent value.
Managers should monitor Chelsea’s formation and whether Palmer retains penalties.
Verdict: High-upside premium midfielder at a reduced price.
Alexander Isak, £9.0m
Isak enters the season at a significantly lower price following an injury-hit campaign.
If he becomes Liverpool’s regular central forward and earns penalty responsibility, he could provide outstanding value.
Fitness remains the main concern.
Verdict: Potential premium bargain if fully fit and starting.
Upper mid-priced options
Igor Thiago, £8.0m
Thiago scored 22 goals last season and finished as Haaland’s closest Golden Boot rival.
He is expected to remain a central figure in Brentford’s attack and may continue taking penalties.
The higher price removes some of last season’s value, but his goal threat remains strong.
Verdict: Proven mid-priced forward with reliable minutes.
Junior Kroupi, £7.5m
Kroupi has been reclassified as a midfielder after scoring 13 goals last season.
Midfielder classification gives him an additional point per goal and potential clean-sheet points.
His role as a number 10 makes him an interesting alternative to traditional wide midfielders.
Verdict: High-upside midfielder, but monitor minutes and Bournemouth’s system.
Mid-priced options
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, £6.5m
Dewsbury-Hall combined goals, assists, defensive contributions and bonus points last season.
He produced eight goals and seven assists while averaging five points per start.
That range of returns makes him one of the most balanced midfielders below £7.0m.
Verdict: One of the strongest all-round mid-priced midfielders.
William Osula, £6.0m
Osula finished last season strongly after earning regular starts for Newcastle.
He scored five goals across the club’s final seven matches and could become a useful budget forward if he keeps his position.
Competition for minutes remains important.
Verdict: Monitor Newcastle’s starting striker during pre-season.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, £6.0m
Calvert-Lewin scored 14 goals last season and remains Leeds United’s main penalty taker.
Regular minutes and penalties provide multiple routes to points.
His injury history and Leeds’ fixtures should still be monitored.
Verdict: Potential long-term budget forward rather than a short-term punt.
Budget midfielders
Ethan Ampadu, £5.5m
Ampadu is not selected for explosive attacking returns.
His appeal comes from regular minutes and defensive contribution points. He recorded one of the strongest defensive contribution totals among midfielders last season.
He may be useful as a fifth midfielder who can provide steady points from the bench.
Verdict: Reliable squad option with a limited attacking ceiling.
Budget defenders
Tyrick Mitchell, £4.5m
Mitchell recorded more points than every other defender priced below £5.0m last season.
His appeal depends on whether Crystal Palace continue using a wing-back system under their new manager.
An advanced position would improve his attacking potential.
Verdict: Strong value if his role remains attacking.
Bobby Thomas, £4.0m
Thomas produced goals and assists from centre-back during Coventry City’s promotion campaign.
He could also benefit from defensive contribution points because promoted defenders may be required to make more defensive actions.
Hughes averaged a high number of defensive actions in the Championship.
His attacking potential appears limited, but regular starts and defensive contributions could make him a useful substitute.
Verdict: One of the strongest potential £4.0m bench options.
Budget goalkeeper
Antonin Kinsky, £4.5m
Kinsky could become an attractive goalkeeper if he starts regularly for Tottenham.
The club showed improved defensive numbers after their managerial change last season.
Managers must confirm that he is the first-choice goalkeeper before selecting him.
Verdict: Strong value candidate, but only with secure minutes.
How to use price points
Do not build a squad containing only individually attractive players.
Think about how easily each player can be replaced.
Useful price points provide multiple alternatives. For example, owning a £6.5m midfielder makes it easier to move to another emerging option in the same bracket.
Try to include:
One or two premium captaincy options
Several players at flexible mid-range prices
At least one playable budget substitute
Defenders with multiple routes to points
A goalkeeper with secure minutes
OneFPL verdict
The most expensive player is not automatically the best value, and the cheapest player is not useful if they never play.
Build around expected minutes, role, fixtures and captaincy.
Use OneFPL’s Player Comparison tool to compare players within the same price bracket before finalising your Gameweek 1 squad.
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Prices and player availability can change. Check the official FPL game and OneFPL before confirming your final squad.
OneFPL is an independent Fantasy Premier League companion. OneFPL is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Premier League or Fantasy Premier League.
Best FPL PlayersFPL PricesBudget PlayersPremium PlayersFPL 2026/27
OneFPL analysis. OneFPL is an independent Fantasy Premier League companion and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Premier League or Fantasy Premier League.
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