Top 3 picks
1. Erling Haaland is still the clear premium benchmark. At £14.7m, you are paying for the highest ceiling in the game, and the output backs it up: 219 points, 25 goals, 7 assists, 12 clean sheets and 38 bonus. Even with a relatively modest form of 5.5, he remains the most reliable elite forward because no other striker combines explosive captaincy appeal with that level of season-long production. His 63.7% ownership also matters. Going without him is not just a bet against points, it is a bet against the most damaging effective ownership player in FPL.
2. Hugo Ekitiké ranks as the standout alternative premium. At £9.0m, he is significantly cheaper than Haaland but has still delivered 125 points from 11 goals and 4 assists, plus 7 clean sheets and 22 bonus. That bonus total is especially encouraging because it suggests his returns are not hollow, he is turning productive matches into strong FPL scores. The concern is obvious, his current form is 0.0, which points to either a lull, missed games, or a reset in output. Even so, with 16.4% selection, he sits in the sweet spot between mainstream and differential. If you want a premium striker without committing Haaland money, Ekitiké is the best blend of price, points and upside.
3. Alexander Isak is more projection than proof right now, but the profile is still elite enough to keep him in this tier. He costs £10.3m, is selected by only 4.0%, and has managed just 40 points so far, with 3 goals, 1 assist, 1 clean sheet and 4 bonus. The headline issue is value, because those totals do not justify the price yet. Still, a form of 2.8 suggests there is at least some live output, and if minutes and role are secure, his ownership makes him the highest-upside differential among the premium forwards. He is a riskier pick than the two above, but one with the talent to climb quickly.
Honourable mentions
- No additional forwards make this elite premium cut on the current data. This is a notably thin top end market.
- Haaland is the set-and-forget premium if budget is no issue.
- Ekitiké is the best value route into the upper bracket.
- Isak is the swing pick for managers chasing rank with a low-owned forward.
Watch list
- Monitor form changes on Ekitiké. A current 0.0 form is impossible to ignore, so he needs immediate signs of minutes and returns before becoming a priority buy.
- Track Isak’s role and fitness closely. At £10.3m, he has to start converting promising underlying appeal into actual points.
- Watch for emerging mid-price forwards stepping up. Given how concentrated the premium market is, the next breakout striker could quickly become more relevant than a misfiring expensive option.
Verdict
Haaland is the best premium FPL forward this season, comfortably. The combination of 219 points, 25 goals, 7 assists and 38 bonus puts him in a different class, and his 63.7% ownership makes him the defining pick in the position. Ekitiké is the best non-Haaland premium because 125 points at £9.0m is strong value in this tier. Isak remains more of a watch-and-pounce option until the production catches up with the price. If you are picking one elite forward, it is Haaland. If you are picking two, Ekitiké is the next name in.