Updated 22 September 2026. This article originally covered Gameweek 1 traps. Five Gameweeks later, the risks are completely different.
The short answer
"Avoid" does not mean:
This player is bad.
It means:
The current transfer case contains a risk that managers may be underpricing.
For GW6 Wildcards, the biggest traps are:
| Trap | Why to think twice |
|---|---|
| João Pedro before fitness confirmation | Missed GW5 injured |
| Palmer before fitness confirmation | Withdrew from England injured |
| Buying DCL specifically for GW6 | Arsenal away + late England duty |
| Buying Brobbey only because of his hat-trick | Points chasing + international/Europa workload |
| Treating Kostoulas as automatically nailed | Young forward + European rotation |
| City supporting attackers without bench cover | PSG sits between GW6 and GW7 |
| Cheap Arsenal defender without start security | Price does not equal minutes |
| Triple Arsenal defence without considering concentration | One conceded goal hits three slots |
| Thursday-Europe wing-backs in a BB7 plan | Short turnaround |
| Dead £4.0m defenders | Saving £0.5m is useless if they do not play |
1. João Pedro — do not confuse ownership with fitness
João Pedro remains one of the highest-owned forwards.
He also missed GW5 with injury and withdrew from Brazil duty.
The three-week break gives him time to recover.
That is a reason to wait, not automatically buy him today.
Chelsea host Bournemouth in GW6.
If he returns to full training, he can quickly move off this list.
Wildcard status: WAIT FOR FITNESS.
Read the International Break Tracker.
Latest FPL news
2. Cole Palmer — premium price needs premium certainty
Palmer withdrew from England duty through injury.
Reduced international workload is not automatically positive when the reason is injury.
A premium slot should ideally give:
- strong start probability,
- captaincy potential,
- reliable minutes.
Palmer can deliver all three when healthy.
There is no need to lock the transfer before Chelsea confirm progress.
Wildcard status: WATCH.
3. Dominic Calvert-Lewin — good player, bad GW6 entry
DCL's underlying goal numbers are good.
The GW6 setup is not.
Leeds travel to Arsenal.
He can also remain with England through 6 October before Arsenal v Leeds kicks off at 12:30 BST on 10 October.
That creates:
- difficult opponent,
- short turnaround,
- international workload.
Owners can hold.
New buyers can wait.
Wildcard status: HOLD > BUY.
4. Brian Brobbey — do not buy the hat-trick
Brobbey scored a GW5 hat-trick against Manchester City.
That is a major positive signal.
It is not three future goals.
Managers buying now need to check:
- Sunderland starting security,
- Netherlands minutes through 4 October,
- Europa League rotation,
- fixture quality,
- whether his shot volume remains strong.
Sunderland play in Europe on Thursday 15 October, then visit Bournemouth.
Wildcard status: WATCH/BUY only if the role survives the break.
5. Kostoulas — value is real, minutes still matter
Kostoulas scored against Arsenal and has become a major transfer target.
At his price, the appeal is obvious.
But a budget forward only works when expected minutes are strong enough.
Brighton also begin Conference League football immediately after GW6.
Young forwards can be exposed to:
- managed starts,
- 60-minute substitutions,
- Europe/league rotation.
Wildcard status: strong option, but do not call him nailed yet.
Compare him in Best Budget FPL Forwards.
6. Manchester City supporting attackers — bench cover matters
Haaland has the safest City attacking role.
The players behind him have more competition.
Cherki has started each of the last four Gameweeks and is in excellent form.
That is real evidence.
But City's schedule is:
Liverpool → PSG → Ipswich
inside seven days.
This is not "avoid Cherki".
It is:
Do not build a Wildcard with a rotation-prone City attacker plus a dead bench and assume every league start is guaranteed.
Read European Rotation Guide.
7. Ezri Konsa — cheap Arsenal shirt does not equal nailed
Konsa's Arsenal price makes him extremely tempting.
Current OneFPL data shows his opening league minutes have not matched Raya, Gabriel or the safest Arsenal routes.
A cheap Arsenal defender would be outstanding value if he starts consistently.
That "if" is the whole transfer.
Champions League football also begins immediately after GW6.
Wildcard status: wait for clearer team news.
Read Best Arsenal Triple-Up.
8. Triple Arsenal defence — concentration can be the trap
Arsenal remain one of the best defences to own.
The risk is putting:
Raya + Gabriel + Calafiori
into one clean-sheet basket.
Brighton's 3-0 win in GW5 showed what happens when the clean sheet fails.
You can still triple Arsenal.
But compare:
three defenders
with
Saka + two defensive routes.
The second structure gives more ways to score points.
9. Thursday-Europe wing-backs on Bench Boost
Brighton, Palace, Sunderland and Bournemouth all play in UEFA competition on Thursday 15 October.
They then return to league action at the weekend.
That matters for high-running roles such as:
- De Cuyper,
- Mitchell,
- attacking full-backs/wing-backs,
- wide attackers.
A normal squad can absorb one benching.
A Bench Boost needs all four bench players to contribute.
If you plan BB7, do not overload the squad with Thursday-Europe rotation risk.
Read Bench Boost Strategy.
10. Dead £4.0m defenders
The minimum price creates one of the oldest FPL traps.
Managers see:
£4.0m
and assume:
value.
But a player who does not start has almost no weekly value.
Luke O'Nien is a current example.
He was a valid GW1 option but lost his league starting role afterwards.
The new £4.0m guide instead prefers currently useful routes such as:
- Leif Davis,
- Bobby Thomas,
- Ryan Giles,
- Jay Dasilva,
- Issa Diop.
Read Best £4.0m FPL Defenders.
Bonus trap: buying every player who rose in price
Price rises can create urgency.
They can also create bad transfers.
The fact that Groß, Schade, Hall, De Cuyper and Kostoulas are being bought does not mean your squad needs all five.
Ask:
Would I make this transfer if prices were frozen tonight?
If the answer is no, the move is probably being driven by fear rather than expected points.
Bonus trap: selling a strong player because of one fixture
The opposite mistake is common too.
Examples include:
- Haaland at Liverpool,
- DCL at Arsenal,
- Alisson against City.
If the player has secure minutes, strong medium-term fixtures and a good role, one difficult Gameweek can often be held through.
Wildcard decisions should target GW6–GW10, not only GW6.
The OneFPL trap test
Before adding a player, ask:
- Is he fit?
- Does he start?
- Does he usually reach 60?
- Is the current return repeatable?
- Is the fixture good enough?
- Is European rotation relevant?
- Is international workload relevant?
- Does the price improve the full squad?
- Would I buy him if ownership were 2%?
- Would I still want him after GW6?
If four or more answers create doubt, wait.
Players who are not traps just because they are popular
Pascal Groß
Huge transfer numbers, but role + set pieces + no international duty support the move.
Lewis Hall
Popular because Newcastle's fixtures and his attacking role are genuinely appealing.
Saka
Premium price, but GW6-GW10 captain rotation makes him structurally useful.
Popularity itself is not a reason to avoid.
Safer alternatives
Use:
OneFPL verdict
The biggest GW6 trap is not one player.
It is certainty that does not exist yet.
We still have international matches, injuries, price changes, European workload and club training.
Buy when the evidence is good.
Do not buy the story before the evidence arrives.
FAQ
Who should I avoid on a GW6 Wildcard?
Avoid players whose fitness or starting role is unclear, and avoid building too much rotation risk into the bench.
Is João Pedro a sell?
Not automatically. The issue is fitness, not player quality. Wait for Chelsea updates.
Is Brobbey a trap after his hat-trick?
Not necessarily. The trap is buying only because of the hat-trick without confirming his role and workload.
Is Kostoulas a bad pick?
No. He can be excellent value if his starts are secure.
Should I avoid European players?
No. Avoid rotation risk that is not compensated by enough upside.
Sources
- Premier League — FPL Team of the Season after five Gameweeks
- Premier League — October fixtures
- OneFPL Player Lab
Refresh this page again after the final international matches and GW6 press conferences.
