Gameweek 2 has given us plenty to think about. We’ve already seen early price rises, some surprise performances, and a number of popular picks who’ve started slowly. As we head into Gameweek 3, the big question is who to bring in, who to hold, and who to move on. Let’s break it down.

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Forwards Around £7.5m: Pedro, Wood, or Mateta?

A lot of managers are hunting for a forward in the £7.5m bracket. The three names leading the conversation are João Pedro (7.6m), Chris Wood (7.7m), and Jean-Philippe Mateta (7.5m).

João Pedro

Pedro absolutely smashed it in Gameweek 2 with three attacking returns. But let’s not forget how Gameweek 1 looked: hooked on 72 minutes, no returns. His minutes are the main concern.

• If Cole Palmer is out for an extended period, Pedro becomes a much stronger pick. He could play in the number 10 role, remain first-choice striker, and maybe even get penalties.
• If Palmer is fine, Pedro is still decent, but expect the odd frustrating early sub.

Chelsea’s fixtures are fine, not great. United away in GW5 and Liverpool at home in GW7 could be tricky, but Liverpool’s defense currently looks open.

Chris Wood

Wood looks appealing, especially if you’re considering a Free Hit in GW4.

• GW3: West Ham (H) – excellent.
• GW4: Arsenal (A) – can be avoided with a Free Hit.
• GW5: Burnley (A).
• GW6: Sunderland (H).

Those four look brilliant. Minutes seem secure for now, but with Europe coming, his long-term game time might be tested.

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Mateta is quietly the cheapest of the three and arguably has the best run of fixtures if you’re looking beyond the next four.

• GW3: Villa (A).
• GW4: West Ham (A).
• GW5: Bournemouth (H).
• GW7: Everton (A).

• Both Mateta and Wood are on penalties. The question marks lie with Palace’s attack after losing Eze, but the fixtures are kind.

Verdict:

• Short-term: Chris Wood edges it.
• Longer-term: Mateta looks safer.
• João Pedro could become the standout if Palmer is sidelined, but otherwise he feels riskier than his ownership suggests.

Who’s the best forward pick?

– If Palmer is out: João Pedro shoots up the rankings.
– Planning FH in GW4? Wood.
– FH in GW6? Mateta.
– Unsure? All 3 are viable. You might even consider 2 of them long-term.— We Play FPL (@WePlayFPL) August 26, 2025

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Midfield Dilemmas: Bowen and Wirtz

Two popular names who haven’t delivered yet: Jarrod Bowen (7.9m) and Florian Wirtz (8.4m).

Jarrod Bowen

• Two blanks to start, price drop already.
• Fixtures: Forest (A), Spurs (H), Palace (H).
• Not sparkling form-wise, but he always plays 90 minutes and has been consistent in past seasons.

If you want to move him on, that’s fine. But he’s not a “must sell.” Only move him if you’ve got a second free transfer or a stronger priority like replacing an injured player.

Florian Wirtz

A lot of hype pre-season, but no goals or assists yet. He doesn’t look especially threatening around the penalty area either.

• Fixtures: Arsenal (H), Burnley (A), Everton (H).
• His minutes are safe, and a benching in GW3 seems unlikely despite speculation.

Like Bowen, he’s not an urgent sell, but patience is wearing thin. The Arsenal fixture is tough, but selling before Burnley (A) feels risky.

Verdict: Both Bowen and Wirtz are holds if you have fires elsewhere. If you’re restructuring or chasing form, moving them is reasonable.

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Midfield Replacements: Who to Buy

If you are selling Wirtz, Palmer, or Saka, here are some strong options:

Around £8.0 – 7.0m

• Cunha (8.0m)  Excellent one-week punt vs Burnley (H). Could even be a cheeky captain shout. But beware: Man City (A) and Chelsea (H) follow.
• Semenyo (7.2m)  Always shoots, plays close to 90 minutes, and has a strong run of fixtures. Could be a “buy and hold” until your Wildcard.
• Morgan Rogers (7.0m)  Fixtures are good, but he’s wide rather than central. Hold if you already own him, but buying now feels less appealing than cheaper options.

Around £6.5 – 6.6m

• Sarr (6.5m)  Nailed, good fixtures, huge differential under 5% ownership.
• Kudus (6.6m)  Very popular, safe for minutes right now, and Spurs have good fixtures. Only slight worry is whether Spurs sign another winger.

Budget Options

• Tielemans (6.0m)  Always starts, steady but not explosive. Safer as a filler, but Sarr and Kudus look more exciting.
• Reijnders (5.7m)  A Manchester City attacker for under £6m. Inconsistent but the price is too good to ignore.

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Spurs Attackers: Which One?

Spurs are flying under Thomas Frank and many managers are eyeing up their attackers.

• Kudus (6.6m): The standout pick. Minutes look strong, and he’s central to their attack.
• Brennan Johnson (7.0m): Gets great chances but minutes are less secure. A new signing could reduce his starts.
• Richarlison (6.7m): Currently starting as number nine, but Solanke will threaten his spot long term.

Verdict: Kudus is the one.

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Final Thoughts

• Forwards: Wood for the short term, Mateta for the longer run. Pedro if Palmer is out.
• Midfielders: Bowen and Wirtz aren’t urgent sells, but plenty of exciting options are emerging. Sarr and Kudus stand out.

This is one of those weeks where patience could pay off. But if you’re itching to make a move, the £6.5–7.5m midfield bracket is where the real value lies.

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Download the We Play FPL app for transfer planning, player comparisons, and points predictions to give yourself the best chance of climbing the ranks.

May your arrows be green. Happy managing!

Gameweek 1 is always chaos. Plans get ripped up, bandwagons appear, and patience gets tested right away. So, the big question now is: should you transfer a player out in Gameweek 2?

The short answer: maybe. But it really depends on why you want to move them on. Let’s break it down.

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When It Makes Sense to Sell a Player Early

I can think of three main reasons managers transfer a player out this week:

1. Unexpected minutes: you thought your player was nailed, but they didn’t start or got hooked early.
2. Poor performance (player or team): they looked bad, or their team did.
3. A shiny alternative looks better: someone else caught your eye in Gameweek 1.

Let’s dig into each one.

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1. Lower Than Expected Minutes

If your player didn’t get the minutes you expected, ask yourself: did you see this coming?

• If they were a known rotation risk before Gameweek 1, then nothing has changed. Be patient.
• If you genuinely thought they’d be nailed, but they didn’t start, that’s different. Your assumption was wrong.

For example, Omar Marmoush is a problem. He didn’t start, and when he came on, he looked poor. His system fit is questionable, and he’s competing with Erling Haaland. That’s not what you want from an 8.5m asset. In his case, moving to someone like Tijani Reijnders, Antoine Semenyo, or even Morgan Rogers makes sense.

But if your player came off early for tactical reasons, like Strand Larsen when his team was struggling, that’s explainable. Don’t be too hasty.

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2. Poor Team or Player Performance

We saw some shocking results in Gameweek 1. West Ham losing 3–0 to Sunderland was the big one. Many of us owned Jarrod Bowen or Niclas Füllkrug for that exact fixture.

• Bowen: Proven FPL gold. He’s been involved in over 40% of West Ham’s goals in recent seasons. Yes, the Hammers looked poor, but I don’t think this is panic time. Label this as a possible transfer, you could do it, but there’s no rush.
• Füllkrug: Different story. He’s not proven in the Premier League, and his FPL ceiling looks low. Selling him is more justified, but I wouldn’t say it’s urgent either. If you move him, know where you’re going—maybe to Thiago(on penalties) or a punt on Mayenda, but the fixtures suggest waiting until Gameweek 3 is smarter.

Elsewhere, Iliman Ndiaye blanked for Everton, but he played 90 minutes and is on penalties. That’s not a sell for me yet, especially with decent fixtures.

And remember: not every poor Gameweek 1 is representative. Last season, people jumped on Zirkzee after a goal off the bench, but it wasn’t a sign of things to come. Don’t fall into the same trap this year.

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3. An Alternative Looks Better

This is the trickiest one. You might be tempted by a new star like Reijnders or Semenyo, but ask yourself:

• Did you want them before Gameweek 1?
• Are they nailed for minutes?
• Was their performance sustainable, not just a one-off?

If all three are true, then go for it. If not, one good game shouldn’t rewrite your preseason thinking.

Take João Pedro, for example. His minutes were never going to be 90 each week, but at 7.5m he’s still value. Moving him to Evanilson could work, but Pedro isn’t a must-sell.

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The 8.5 Million Assets: Wirtz vs Marmoush

• Florian Wirtz: Keep. He looked excellent in Liverpool’s 4–0 win, taking set pieces and linking play beautifully. The returns will come.
• Omar Marmoush: Sell if you want. He’s not nailed, doesn’t suit the system, and you don’t pay 8.5m for a bench risk.

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Cole Palmer: On Thin Ice

Palmer is the trickiest call of the lot.

• The good: on penalties, massive ceiling, capable of explosive hauls.
• The bad: poor form carried over from last season, looked flat in Gameweek 1, and Chelsea’s fixtures toughen after West Ham in gameweek 2.

I’d give him two more weeks. But if he’s still blanking by Gameweek 4, it’s time to move on.

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Pedro Porro: Start or Bench?

Porro is one of the best long-term defensive assets in the game, but away to Manchester City in Gameweek 2 is brutal. Numbers suggest that Spurs have only a 10% clean sheet chance.

If you’ve got a decent bench, I’d sit him. If not, don’t panic, he could still nick an attacking return.

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Don’t Waste Chips in Gameweek 2

Some are considering Free Hit or Bench Boost this week. I’d strongly advise against it.

• Free Hit: only helps for one week, and you get your “bad” team back. If your squad really is that bad, just Wildcard later with a bit more information.
• Bench Boost: benches like Dubravka, Esteve, Guiu, and Porro are relying on low-probability outcomes. You’ll likely get 4 to 10 points. Save it for a better chance.

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Final Thoughts

Gameweek 2 is not the time to panic. Transfers this week should be made for clear, justified reasons: unexpected benchings, genuinely poor assets, or moving to someone you already rated highly pre-season.

Download the We Play FPL app to take your decision-making to the next level. Compare players, plan transfers, and get accurate points predictions—all in one place.

May your arrows be green. Happy managing!

The 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season kicked off with a bang. We had explosive hauls, gut-wrenching heartbreaks, and the usual dose of VAR controversy to keep us on our toes. Managers are already moving fast in the transfer market. Let’s break it all down, from standout performers to early transfer trends, and look ahead to Gameweek 2.

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The Stars of Gameweek 1

It was Sunderland who stole the show on their Premier League return, beating West Ham 3-0 in front of a rocking home crowd. Centre-back Dan Ballard topped the FPL charts with 17 points, thanks to a goal, clean sheet, bonus points, and hitting the new defensive contributions threshold. At just £4.5m, he’s already looking like a gift from the FPL gods.

Elsewhere, it was the weekend of the braces. Antoine Semenyo scored twice against Liverpool, becoming one of the first price risers of the season. He was joined by Erling Haaland, Richarlison, and Chris Wood in the two-goal club.

• Haaland: Topped the table for xG (2.01) with three big chances – no surprise, business as usual.
• Wood: Two shots, two goals. Classic Chris Wood efficiency.
• Richarlison: Bagged a brace against Burnley, including an overhead kick. His gametime could come under threat once Solanke regains fitness, but he’s made his case.

Other haulers included Tijjani Reijnders (10 points), Hugo Ekitike (11), and Mohammed Kudus (10) , all popular picks who delivered right away.

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When FPL Dreams Turn Sour

Not everyone started with fireworks. Aston Villa’s attack was flat, posting the lowest xG (0.2) of any team this weekend. Ollie Watkins, highly backed after a strong pre-season, was starved of chances as Villa failed to impress against Newcastle.

Defensively, Villa owners were hit even harder. Ezri Konsa (20% ownership) saw red after hauling down Anthony Gordon, ending on just 3 points and now suspended for Gameweek 2.

Meanwhile, Matt Doherty of Wolves recorded the first negative score of the season. A yellow card and four goals conceded left him on -1. Ouch.

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Heartbreakers & Late Wipeouts

Gameweek 1 also brought familiar pain for FPL managers.

• Eberechi Eze thought he had scored a free-kick at Stamford Bridge, only for VAR to rule it out due to Guehi’s positioning in the wall. Classic early-season heartbreak.
• Forest defenders were cruising to a clean sheet until a 78th-minute Brentford penalty wiped it away.
• Brighton defenders suffered even worse, conceding in the 96th minute against Fulham.
• And to twist the knife, Bruno Fernandes fell just one defensive contribution short of extra points.

These moments remind us why FPL can be as brutal as it is beautiful.

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Things You Might Have Missed

Gameweek 1 had a few sneaky details that slipped under the radar:

• Anthony Gordon led the league with 7 shots, playing up front in Isak’s absence.
• Virgil van Dijk hit a ridiculous 21 defensive contributions – more than double the threshold.
• Rayan Aït-Nouri played a hybrid CB role vs City and snuck extra defensive points.
• Spurs creativity was on display: Kudus and Pedro Porro ranked among the top four for crosses.
• Promoted Sunderland only managed 0.7 xG despite scoring three – their finishing clinical, but sustainability a concern.

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Transfer Trends

The biggest story of the week is Tijjani Reijnders. Over 700k managers have brought him in already, sending his price up to £5.6m with ownership reaching 27% so far.

The Dutchman’s popularity has triggered a reshuffle across squads. Here’s who’s making way:

• Florian Wirtz → The biggest casualty, sold by over 330k managers after blanking.
• Elliot Anderson → Despite better xGI than Reijnders, he’s being binned by Reijnders buyers. Could be a move managers regret.
• Omar Marmoush → Victim of Pep roulette, but owners are rolling the dice on another City mid instead.
• Even Cole Palmer is being sold by some! Despite his ownership above 60% and a home fixture next, panic has crept in.

Reijnders looks like a strong enabler, but there are shades of a knee-jerk here.

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Form Forwards

Both Richarlison and Wood are hot transfer targets.

Statistically, Richarlison edges it with more shots, more shots in the box, and higher xG. His ceiling looks higher, but Solanke’s return may complicate his minutes. Wood, meanwhile, is nailed and clinical. With both Spurs and Forest sitting top for attack difficulty ratings over the next six fixtures, managers can’t go too wrong with either.

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Looking Ahead to Gameweek 2

• Sunderland assets like Ballard are already proving value, though sustainability is a question.
• Villa attackers have excellent fixtures despite a poor opening. Patience with Watkins could pay off.
• Anthony Gordon is a genuine out-of-position gem if Isak remains sidelined.
• Richarlison vs Wood is shaping up to be the big budget forward debate of the week.

Transfers are flying, but remember: one week doesn’t define a season. Sometimes the best move is no move at all.

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Final Thoughts

Gameweek 1 reminded us of everything we love (and hate) about FPL. Haulers came through, heartbreakers crushed us, and the transfer market is already buzzing with knee-jerks. But if there’s one truth in FPL, it’s this: staying patient often pays.

Now it’s time to get ahead of the pack. Download the We Play FPL app today, track transfers, plan your moves, compare players, and get AI-powered predictions to keep your team one step ahead.

May your arrows be green. Happy managing!