Some fantasy football tips sound like common sense — but many managers don’t realize them. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to FPL, these practical ideas will help you gain the edge you need to finish in the top 5% globally.
Get ready to take your team to the next level!
1. You Can’t Have All the Top Players
At the start, your budget is limited to £100.0m. Trying to cram too many star players into your squad leaves you short on funds to complete a balanced 15-player team.
A smart approach is to pick 3 to 4 top players, then fill the rest with budget-friendly options:
- At least 2 budget defenders
- At least 2 budget midfielders
- and at least 1 budget forward
For goalkeepers, choose either one top keeper (like Ederson or Alisson, who rack up clean sheets) or two solid mid-table keepers to rotate based on fixtures and form.
By building this foundation, even if you don’t make major changes early on, you’ll already be ahead of many managers.
2. Choose Your Captain Wisely
The captain’s points count double, so picking the right captain each week is crucial. Limit your captaincy options to 3 or 4 reliable players.
Avoid switching captains every Gameweek or sticking blindly with the same captain all season — both can hurt your score.
Also, steer clear of inconsistent goalscorers like Pukki or Mitrović, who may occasionally deliver but often cause headaches.
Defenders rarely make good captains unless it’s a double Gameweek or they’re exceptionally attacking players, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold.
3. Don’t Transfer in Only Your Favorite Players
It’s tempting to fill your team with players from your favorite club, but personal bias can cost points.
If a rival team’s player is in form — think Salah, Haaland, or Kane — don’t hesitate to bring them in, even if you dislike their club.
Ignoring top performers based on personal preference puts you behind around 90% of other managers.
4. Stats Matter
Statistics aren’t everything, but they provide valuable insights.
Use the stats available on your FPL dashboard and follow resources like OfficialFPL on Twitter for expert analysis and unique data.
Their insights can uncover fantasy football ideas that aren’t obvious from just looking at fixtures or basic stats.
5. Use Your Wildcard Early if Needed
If your team isn’t clicking after the first few Gameweeks, don’t hesitate to use your first wildcard early to fix issues.
Holding onto it too long can allow problems to snowball. Remember, you get a second wildcard after January anyway.
This advice doesn’t apply to all chips — for example, save your Triple Captain for a double Gameweek for maximum effect.
The key is to use the wildcard when you really need it, even if that’s as early as Gameweek 2.
6. Don’t Overinvest in Defense
Defenders generally score fewer points than midfielders or forwards.
Focus your budget on attackers who generate goals and assists, since their points aren’t reduced by conceding goals.
Also, prefer defenders who offer attacking threat (crosses, set pieces, assists) rather than purely defensive ones.
7. Take Calculated Risks
Smart risks can pay off, especially when a player is in top form — fixture difficulty becomes less important.
Top players like Salah, Haaland, Kane, or De Bruyne can be captained against any team when they’re firing.
That said, don’t blindly captain a player like Mitrović against a strong defense like Manchester City.
Use logic over emotion when choosing who to trust with the captain’s armband.
8. Be a Good Trader
Always manage your team budget very well. You’ll be a good trader in FPL if you can take care of the following things:
- Use funds cleverly – Initial budget is always £100m, but the way you spend the budget on players will decide the future value of your team. The target is not only to increase the team value but also to score lots of points. And it is only possible with a mix of budget players, bargains, and top players on the team. Budget and bargain players are the ones who cost less but have the potential to score big.
- Keep the bench cost minimum – Don’t transfer in expensive players just to put them on the bench for the next game week. Make sure that your team is ready to fight the upcoming game week, not the next one. Only during periods like Christmas or season end, when there are double game weeks you can start buying players in advance so that you can line up a strong double game week team.
- Find bargains – keep an eye on in-form players. There are some players who score a lot during certain months e.g. Harry Kane starts scoring after 1st month of the league season or Son towards the end of the season. Keep an eye on those patterns and choose players for occasions. Also, you can target some players based on their upcoming fixtures, like keeping 3 to 5 upcoming games of your players in the sight.
9. Learn From the Experts
You can’t figure everything out on your own.
Follow official FPL channels like The Scout and their Twitter page for news, injury updates, and expert tips.
Their data-driven insights are invaluable for improving your team.
10. Use Bookies’ Odds to Your Advantage
Bookmakers analyze matches in depth — their betting markets reveal clues about players and teams.
If bookies highlight bets on a player scoring or keeping a clean sheet, that player is often worth considering.
However, be wary of obvious “traps” and always think critically before adding players based on odds.
For example, if many bets focus on a player scoring a hat-trick or a team scoring many goals, it’s a strong hint of their attacking potential.
Conclusion
Those are our Top 10 Fantasy Football Ideas! If you found this helpful, please share it on your social media and help fellow managers climb the ranks.