Top of the list
1. Haaland is still the clear benchmark. The Manchester City forward has delivered 25 goals, 7 assists and 219 points in 2773 minutes, with a huge 38 bonus points on top. At £14.7m and 63.7% selected, he is expensive and highly owned, but the numbers justify it. No one in this list matches his combination of volume, reliability and ceiling. Even with a modest 5.5 form, he remains the safest captaincy level scorer in the game.
2. Thiago has been one of the season’s standout value scorers. The Brentford forward sits on 22 goals and 175 points for just £7.3m, despite contributing only 1 assist. That tells you how goal dependent he is, but also how clinical his season has been. His 3012 minutes suggest elite durability, and 22 bonus shows he is not just getting tap-ins, he is winning matches. Compared to premium forwards, Thiago offers near-elite output at a mid-price cost.
3. Semenyo is the most interesting name in the top three because he brings forward-like scoring from midfield. At £8.1m, the Manchester City midfielder has produced 15 goals, 6 assists and 183 points in 2908 minutes. That is a very strong return profile for a midfielder, especially when paired with 17 bonus and 10 clean sheets. The concern is the recent dip, with just 2.2 form, but position alone keeps him highly relevant. A midfielder matching many forwards for goals is always worth serious attention.
Strong contenders
4. João Pedro has quietly put together one of the most complete forward seasons in the game. The Chelsea striker has 15 goals, 9 assists and 174 points at £7.5m. His 30 bonus is particularly impressive and hints at a broader all-round game than most forwards in this range. With only 2478 minutes, his output per minute also stands out.
5. Gyökeres looks like a classic upside pick. The Arsenal forward has 14 goals in only 2103 minutes, with a strong 5.8 form and just 14.4% ownership. At £8.9m, he is not cheap enough to be an easy punt, but the scoring rate suggests there could still be more to come.
6. Gibbs-White is arguably the hottest differential in the entire list. The Nottingham Forest midfielder has 13 goals, 4 assists and 172 points for £7.7m, but the headline number is his 9.8 form. With only 10.3% selected, he is the type of pick that can move rank quickly if this run continues.
7. Welbeck rounds out the strong contenders as a budget forward with real substance. At just £6.3m, he has scored 13 goals and reached 121 points in 2052 minutes. He is not as explosive as the names above him, but he has clearly offered stable returns for managers looking to save funds up front.
Watch list
- 8. Calvert-Lewin, 12 goals and 126 points for £5.8m, excellent budget value if you can accept a lower ceiling.
- 9. Kroupi.Jr, 12 goals in only 1438 minutes at £4.6m, the cheapest pure upside option here.
- 10. Watkins, 11 goals, 3 assists, 130 points, solid but not dominant for £8.8m.
- 11. Ekitiké, 11 goals and 4 assists in just 1797 minutes, but the current 0.0 form is a major red flag.
- 12. Šeško, 11 goals in 1630 minutes for £7.3m, efficient enough to monitor if minutes rise.
Verdict
Overall winner: Haaland. The combination of 25 goals, 219 points and 38 bonus keeps him top. He is expensive, but still the most authoritative scorer in FPL.
Best-value pick: Thiago. Getting 22 goals and 175 points for £7.3m is elite value, especially with over 3000 minutes of trust behind it.
Sleeper pick: Gibbs-White. A midfielder with 13 goals, 172 points and a massive 9.8 form at only 10.3% ownership is exactly the kind of late-season differential serious managers should be eyeing.