Marc Guéhi is the standout value pick for GW36. At £5.1m with an xP of 9.36, he leads all defenders and all budget-friendly options on 1.83 xP per £m. That is elite efficiency for a player still priced in the mid-budget bracket, and it makes him the clearest enabler if you want points without sacrificing cash for premium attackers.
What stands out this week is how heavily the best value pool is concentrated around Manchester City and Crystal Palace assets. That gives managers a clear route, attack the highest xP-per-£m names, then use the savings to support premium captaincy or a stronger bench.
Top value by position
Goalkeepers
Marcus Bettinelli tops the goalkeeper list at £3.8m, with 6.15 xP and 1.62 xP per £m. The obvious caveat is minutes risk, but purely on value metrics he leads the position. Among more realistic starters, Dean Henderson looks excellent at £5.1m, posting 7.96 xP and 1.56 xP per £m. If you want playable keeper points rather than pure bench value, Henderson is the stronger FPL option.
Defenders
This is the best budget position for GW36. Guéhi leads, but O’Reilly is not far behind at £5.2m, 9.04 xP, and 1.74 xP per £m. Matheus N. also rates strongly at £5.3m with 8.79 xP and 1.66 xP per £m. If you need a cheaper route, Chris Richards at £4.4m offers 6.78 xP and 1.54 xP per £m, which is excellent for a fourth or fifth defender. Lacroix, at £5.2m and 7.40 xP, is solid rather than spectacular.
Midfielders
The top midfield value is Reijnders, priced at £5.0m with 6.25 xP and 1.25 xP per £m. That is a useful number in a position where budget options often struggle for reliability. Cherki is next on 7.55 xP at £6.6m, giving 1.14 xP per £m, while Semenyo matches that efficiency with 9.24 xP at £8.1m. McAidoo is the extreme cheap enabler at £4.5m, with 4.78 xP and 1.06 xP per £m.
Forwards
Budget forwards remain thin. Marsh leads the position at just £4.4m, with 4.55 xP and 1.03 xP per £m. Casey is similar at £4.5m and 1.01 xP per £m. The interesting comparison is that Haaland, despite costing £14.6m, still returns 15.01 xP and 1.03 xP per £m, matching Marsh on value while blowing him away on raw projection.
Squad-building takeaways
- Prioritise defender value. Guéhi, O’Reilly and Richards are where the best budget efficiency sits for GW36.
- Use goalkeeper as a savings slot carefully. Bettinelli has the best value number, but Henderson is the safer path for actual starts and strong xP.
- Do not force a cheap forward. Marsh and Casey are acceptable bench enablers, but the position lacks upside. It may be smarter to save money in defence or midfield instead.
- Budget picks should serve premium structure. With cheap defenders and workable midfield enablers available, it is easier to fund a high-ceiling asset like Haaland without gutting the rest of the squad.
If you are looking for the cleanest GW36 value route, start with Guéhi, consider Henderson for stability, and use one of the cheaper midfielders or forwards only if your structure really needs the cash.