Top of the list
1. Haaland
Haaland is still the default captaincy anchor and the clearest template pick in the game. At £14.7m with 219 points and a massive 63.7% selection, his ownership alone shapes rank swings every week. The output is exactly what you pay for, 25 goals, 7 assists, 38 bonus, and 2773 minutes. Even a relatively modest 5.5 form is enough to keep him locked in because his ceiling is unmatched. If you go without, you are betting against the most heavily owned premium in FPL.
2. Semenyo
Semenyo looks like the classic high-owned mid-price midfielder who has simply delivered too much to ignore. He sits on 183 points at £8.1m, with 15 goals and 6 assists, plus 2908 minutes that point to reliable starts. The 48.9% selection tells you managers trust the season-long body of work more than the recent dip to 2.2 form. That low form is the only real concern, but at this price and ownership, he remains a shield pick as much as an attacking one.
3. B.Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes is here because of elite all-round consistency. 209 points for £10.4m is strong enough already, but 8 goals and 21 assists is what makes him such a reliable FPL asset. He has added 37 bonus across 2795 minutes, which shows how often he is central to everything good. With 47.4% selection and 5.0 form, he is not just popular, he is one of the safest routes into sustained returns. He may not match Haaland for explosive captaincy value, but as a season keeper he is right near the top.
Strong contenders
4. Gabriel
Gabriel gives you exactly what managers want from a premium defender, clean-sheet security and real attacking threat. He has 191 points at £7.2m, with 16 clean sheets, 3 goals, 5 assists, and 27 bonus. At 44.9% owned, he is close to essential among defenders.
5. João Pedro
João Pedro has been one of the best-value forwards in the game. For £7.5m he has produced 174 points, with 15 goals and 9 assists. The current 2.5 form cools the hype a bit, but 39.0% selection says managers still see him as a dependable third forward or even better.
6. Raya
Raya is the template goalkeeper because the clean-sheet volume is elite. 17 clean sheets, 147 points, and 3150 minutes at just £6.1m is excellent stability. His 35.3% ownership makes him the set-and-forget keeper many squads are built around.
7. Thiago
Thiago is arguably the most interesting forward in this tier. He has 175 points from 22 goals and only 1 assist, which tells you exactly where his value comes from. At £7.3m, 32.8% owned, and carrying 5.5 form, he is a serious challenger to the more established template forwards.
Watch list
- 8. Guéhi, £5.1m, 162 points, 6.8 form, and 32.7% ownership, standout value if you want a cheaper defender with momentum.
- 9. Virgil, £6.1m, 157 points, offers dependable starts, some goal threat, and enough clean-sheet upside to stay relevant.
- 10-12, not listed here, are likely to be the fringe template names, useful for structure but not yet as close to essential as the names above.
Verdict
Overall winner: Haaland. The combination of 219 points, 63.7% ownership, and captaincy threat keeps him above everyone else.
Best-value pick: Thiago. At £7.3m for 175 points and 22 goals, he offers premium-level output for a mid-price fee.
Sleeper pick: Guéhi. A defender at £5.1m with 162 points and 6.8 form is more than bench-fodder, he is a legitimate starter with upside.