Gameweek briefing

GW1 FPL Tips

Captain picks, best transfers, budget differentials, and fixture analysis - updated automatically.

Last updated: 28 Jul 2026, 13:46

Captain Picks

Gabriel (Arsenal) tops our captain picks for GW1 with 5 projected points.

#1
Gabriel
Arsenal
Buy
14.6 pts (next 4 GWs)
5 pts(GW1)
#2
Raya
Arsenal
Buy
14.1 pts (next 4 GWs)
4.9 pts(GW1)
#3
Gibbs-White
Nott'm Forest
Buy
13.7 pts (next 4 GWs)
4.3 pts(GW1)

Best Transfer Targets

Top 10 transfers ranked by value score (projected points per million).

#PlayerTeamPosPriceProj PtsValueOwn%
1RayaArsenalKeeper6.0m4.90.8230.0%
2Van HeckeSpursDefender5.0m3.70.748.3%
3SenesiSpursDefender6.0m4.10.6811.5%
4LuckyLiverpoolDefender4.0m2.70.680.1%
5SouzaSpursDefender4.0m2.70.680.3%
6RowswellSpursDefender4.0m2.70.680.1%
7HincapieArsenalDefender5.5m3.60.655.2%
8JarosLiverpoolKeeper4.0m2.60.650.1%
9ByfieldSpursDefender4.0m2.60.650.1%
10RamsayLiverpoolDefender4.0m2.60.650.2%

Budget Differentials

Top picks under 6.5m with under 10% ownership - high upside, low risk.

Van Hecke
SpursDefender5.0m
3.7 pts (GW1)8.3% owned
Hincapie
ArsenalDefender5.5m
3.6 pts (GW1)5.2% owned
Truffert
BournemouthDefender5.5m
3.4 pts (GW1)4.6% owned
M.Fernandes
SpursMidfielder6.0m
3.4 pts (GW1)4.6% owned
Milenković
Nott'm ForestDefender5.5m
3.1 pts (GW1)2.3% owned

Fixture Analysis (Next 4 GWs)

Easiest Runs

Man UtdHull City(A)Ipswich Town(H)Everton(A)
SunderlandIpswich Town(A)Fulham(H)Brentford(A)
BrentfordSpurs(H)Leeds(A)Sunderland(H)
LiverpoolNewcastle(A)Nott'm Forest(H)Ipswich Town(A)
Man CityBournemouth(H)Crystal Palace(A)Coventry City(H)

Hardest Runs

Coventry CityArsenal(A)Hull City(H)Man City(A)
BournemouthMan City(A)Everton(H)Newcastle(A)
NewcastleLiverpool(H)Spurs(A)Bournemouth(H)
Ipswich TownSunderland(H)Man Utd(A)Liverpool(H)
FulhamChelsea(H)Sunderland(A)Crystal Palace(H)

AI’s Optimal Squad for GW1

Optimal 3-4-3 squad - 41.3 projected points, 81.5m total cost.

PlayerTeamPosPriceProj Pts
RayaArsenalKeeper6.0m4.9
GabrielArsenalDefender8.0m5
SenesiSpursDefender6.0m4.1
VirgilLiverpoolDefender6.5m3.9
Gibbs-WhiteNott'm ForestMidfielder8.0m4.3
SakaArsenalMidfielder9.5m3.8
B.FernandesMan UtdMidfielder12.0m3.8
M.FernandesSpursMidfielder6.0m3.4
WatkinsAston VillaAttacker8.0m2.8
KalimuendoNott'm ForestAttacker5.5m2.7
RicharlisonSpursAttacker6.0m2.6

Put these tips into action

Plan your transfers, build your squad, or compare players head-to-head.

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Where these GW1 tips come from

Everything on this page is generated by the same model that powers the whole site: five-component Fantasy Ratings blended with expected goal involvement, projected over upcoming fixtures. Captain picks are ranked by projected points; transfer targets by value score (projected points per million); differentials are capped at £6.5m and 10% ownership. The page refreshes automatically as data changes - no hot takes, and the full methodology and three-season backtest are public on the methodology and accuracy pages.

Tips are a starting point, not a plan. To see what these picks mean for your squad - whether the move is worth a hit, this week or next - run the team planner on your own team.

Frequently asked questions

Who should I captain in GW1?
Gabriel (Arsenal) tops our GW1 captain picks with 5 projected points. The full top three, ranked by projected points, is above.
Best FPL transfers GW1?
Our top GW1 transfer targets by value score are Raya (Arsenal), Van Hecke (Spurs), Senesi (Spurs) - the full top ten with prices and projected points is above.
Best budget differentials for GW1?
Van Hecke (Spurs) leads our GW1 budget differentials at just 8.3% ownership. All picks are under £6.5m with under 10% ownership.