Fantasy Premier League: Key Players to Consider for the Upcoming Season
Have you finalized your Fantasy Premier League team yet, or are you still making adjustments?
Regardless of your progress, you might want to consider adding some of these players to your lineup, as suggested by our Fantasy Premier League experts.
Here are eight players, aside from the top choices like Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland, that could contribute to a successful season.
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Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, Defender, £6m
Selecting defenders in FPL typically hinges on three factors: clean sheet potential, attacking threat, and consistent starting reliability. The new rules regarding defensive contribution points introduce an important fourth consideration.
Van Dijk is a regular starter, and Liverpool recorded the most clean sheets in the league last season. He also excels in earning defensive contribution points, having accumulated the highest total (22) among £6m defenders for the 2024-25 season.
In terms of attacking threat, Van Dijk is impressive as well; he ranked joint-top among defenders for headed attempts (21) and joint-sixth for shots in the box (23) last season.
He is an ideal 'set and forget' defender, allowing you to utilize free transfers elsewhere.
Dominic Solanke, Spurs, Striker, £7.5m
New Spurs manager Thomas Frank has a track record of positioning his leading striker for significant scoring opportunities. In recent seasons, Ivan Toney and Yoane Wissa scored 20 and 19 goals, respectively.
With Son Heung-min's departure creating a void in goal-scoring responsibilities—and possibly penalties—Solanke has a prime opportunity to step up. Additionally, he faces promoted Burnley in the opening game week.
However, keep an eye on Solanke's fitness after a 'minor' injury during pre-season. Frank mentioned that Solanke will "be available quite soon," but if he doesn’t start in Wednesday’s Super Cup, it might be wise to wait a couple of weeks before bringing him into your team.
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, Midfielder, £9m
Fernandes is an excellent option this season due to his consistent performance and durability; he rarely faces injury and often plays the full 90 minutes. Despite a challenging season for Manchester United last year, he managed to score eight goals and provide 12 assists, and he is expected to improve on those figures this campaign.
The Portuguese midfielder has multiple avenues for scoring points, including penalties, set-pieces, and open-play assists. Additionally, he earned 22 defensive contribution points last season, which is a valuable factor this year.
Fernandes has shown strong pre-season form, giving him a solid chance to start the season on a high note in game week one.
Iliman Ndiaye, Everton, Midfielder, £6.5m
Ndiaye is an exciting budget choice this season, aiming to surpass last year’s Premier League goal tally of nine.
Priced at £6.5m, he offers great value with Everton's favorable early fixtures. Five of their first seven matches present opportunities for attacking returns against Leeds, Brighton, Wolves, West Ham, and Crystal Palace.
Importantly, Ndiaye has been reclassified as a midfielder this season, but his role will primarily support the center-forward.
He is also responsible for penalties, which is crucial in FPL, and unlike many attacking midfielders, he contributes defensively as well.
Chris Wood, Nottingham Forest, Striker, £7.5m
Wood appears to be a great value option again this season, with Nottingham Forest facing favorable fixtures against Brentford, Crystal Palace, and West Ham.
With their promotion to the Europa League, Forest will not have midweek fixtures in August, and retaining Morgan Gibbs-White, one of their top creators, is a significant advantage.
Wood scored 20 goals last season and had a strong start to the campaign. A complete pre-season should benefit him after an injury hampered his performance in the latter stages of 2024-25.
Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, Midfielder, £7m
Rogers has seen a price increase this season but should still provide excellent value after accumulating 19 goal involvements last campaign.
He is a reliable player who frequently completes 90 minutes. Villa's appealing early fixtures span the opening eight game weeks.
However, monitor his fitness closely before the opening match against Newcastle United, as he sustained an ankle injury in a pre-season game.
Murillo, Nottingham Forest, Defender, £5.5m
Both Nottingham Forest center-backs are strong options this season, and despite a price rise to £5.5m, they are likely to reward owners early on with their favorable fixture schedule.
While Nikola Milenkovic has a higher ceiling due to his greater goal threat, Murillo offers a more stable option. The Brazilian excels in bonus points and defensive contributions, having the potential to earn additional points in over half of his games based on last season's performance.
Only a select few defenders in the league can match Murillo's combined totals for tackles, blocks, interceptions, and clearances.
Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, Midfielder, £8.5m
The German midfielder is now the chief creator at Liverpool and has impressed during pre-season, playing in a number 10 role. He has developed a strong partnership with Mohamed Salah and is involved in most set-pieces, excluding penalties.
Over the past two seasons in the Bundesliga, Wirtz has recorded an impressive 46 goal contributions (21 goals, 25 assists) in 63 matches and has similarly impressive stats in the Champions League and at the international level.
Premier League fans are fortunate to have him, as he is arguably the closest player to Kevin De Bruyne we have seen in England for some time. Expect elite-level output from Wirtz, who is priced at only £8.5m—considered to be £0.5m-£1m below his true value.