Two gameweeks are in the bank, which means every form figure below is built on a tiny sample. Treat these numbers as early signals worth watching rather than settled trends, but they are still the most current data we have heading into GW3.
Form risers: buy candidates
Bruno Fernandes (MUN, £12.0m) leads the pack with a form score of 12.5, and he is already owned by 48.5% of managers. At that price he is a premium pick, but the early returns back up the ownership.
Cherki (MCI, £7.7m) has posted a 11.0 form figure and sits at 29.2% selected. That is a strong start for a player at his price point and one worth tracking for a bigger price rise if it continues.
Ajayi (HUL, £4.1m) and Tzolakis (HUL, £4.6m) both show a form score of 10.0, yet ownership is low at 9.2% and 7.7% respectively. Two gameweeks is not much to go on, but budget options with numbers like these are worth a second look for anyone needing to free up funds elsewhere.
João Pedro (CHE, £7.7m) also has a form score of 10.0 and is already heavily owned at 69.4%. With that level of ownership, he looks like a template pick rather than a hidden gem at this stage.
Form fallers: sell candidates
On the other side, a handful of moderately owned players have struggled through the opening two gameweeks. Brobbey (SUN, £5.9m) has a form score of 2.0 and is owned by 9.4% of managers. James (CHE, £5.5m) is even lower at 0.5, with 8.1% ownership still attached to him.
Donnarumma (MCI, £5.5m) sits at a 1.5 form score with 8.0% ownership, while Van Hecke (TOT, £4.9m) shows 1.0 and is held by 7.4% of squads. Cash (AVL, £4.5m) rounds out the group with a 0.5 form score and 7.1% ownership.
None of these are catastrophic red flags on their own given the sample size, but each is a candidate managers holding them should monitor closely before committing another gameweek of squad space.
Fade or hold: the dilemmas
João Pedro is the clearest case. A 10.0 form score is eye catching, but with 69.4% ownership already, the upside of bringing him in now is limited compared to those who already have him. The question is whether to fade a player this popular or accept he is now essentially a squad staple.
Cash presents the opposite dilemma. At 7.1% ownership and a 0.5 form score, he is not a widely held asset, but for those who do have him, two poor gameweeks from a low base is not necessarily a reason to panic sell just yet, especially with so little of the season played.
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