Fantasy Premier League 2023: Key Picks for Each Club

The Fantasy Premier League season kicks off on Friday 21 August, and the tinkering has already started. To cut through the noise, four seasoned FPL minds – Pras, FPL Heisenberg, Gianni Buttice and Holly Shand – have gone through all 20 clubs to pick out three things for each: the talisman you build around, the differential you brag about, and the trap you swerve.

Below is the landscape, club by club.

Arsenal

Talisman: Gabriel (£8m, defender)
Pras is unequivocal: the Brazil centre-back is the premium route into the champions’ defence. Top-scoring defender last season with 209 points, Gabriel is expensive but dependable. If you want Arsenal clean sheets and defcon points without the roulette, you pay up.

Differential: Ben White (£5.5m, defender)
With Jurrien Timber still sidelined, White offers attacking threat from right-back and a clear path to minutes. He may not be a “lock all season” type, but as an opening pick he ticks a lot of boxes.

Avoid: Christos Tzolis (£6.5m, midfielder)
The talent is obvious, and pre-season goals have drawn attention, yet Mikel Arteta’s rotation on the left wing is ruthless. With another winger potentially arriving, regular starts for the Greece international look fragile.

Aston Villa

Talisman: Ollie Watkins (£8m, forward)
A £1m price drop and still Villa’s main man. Holly points out he’s averaged 16 league goals over his last four seasons and could now be on penalties with Youri Tielemans at Manchester United. The departure of Morgan Rogers only sharpens his importance.

Differential: Matty Cash (£4.5m, defender)
Nine clean sheets last term and a right-back who loves to get forward. Cash, in around 8% of teams, produced three goals and three assists, with 30 shots and 30 key passes. The routes to points are clear.

Avoid: Alejandro Garnacho (£6m, midfielder)
On loan from Chelsea and attractively priced, but Emi Buendia stands in his way. One goal and four assists from 1,261 minutes last season isn’t enough to justify the risk when steadier options exist at £6m.

Bournemouth

Talisman: Marcus Tavernier (£6m, midfielder)
Gianni notes Bournemouth’s strength is collective, but Tavernier is the creative hub and set-piece threat. Eleven attacking returns last season and penalty duty when Justin Kluivert isn’t on the pitch keep him central to their attack.

Differential: Adrien Truffert (£5.5m, defender)
Just 5% owned, yet he was Bournemouth’s second-highest FPL scorer with 165 points. The left-back drifts into advanced areas, offers open-play goal and assist threat, and picks up defensive and bonus points. An all-action pick.

Avoid: Evanilson (£6m, forward)
Six goals in 32 league games and stiff competition at the £6m price point. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Igor Jesus and Brian Brobbey available, Gianni sees little reason to gamble here.

Brentford

Talisman: Igor Thiago (£8m, forward)
Heisenberg calls him the clear talisman. Twenty-two league goals, 181 FPL points and a hefty price rise reflect Brentford’s reliance. The question is value at £8m, not role. He profiles as a streaky scorer who can explode against weaker sides.

Differential: Dango Ouattara (£6.5m, midfielder)
More than five points per start last season and four double-digit hauls. At £6.5m with low ownership, Ouattara doesn’t need to be elite to offer strong value – and those who back him early could be well rewarded.

Avoid: Callum Wilson (£5.5m, forward)
A past FPL favourite, but with Thiago leading the line and other options like Ouattara or Kevin Schade available centrally, Wilson’s minutes look sporadic at best.

Brighton

Talisman: Pascal Gross (£5.5m, midfielder)
Pras goes for security. Gross is on all set-pieces, including penalties, and churns out steady returns. At £5.5m he’s also a handy enabler, freeing funds for big hitters elsewhere.

Differential: Luka Vuskovic (£5m, defender)
The new centre-back from Spurs should see regular minutes and taps into Brighton’s solid base. Ten clean sheets last season, with only six teams bettering that, give him a platform for defcon and clean-sheet points.

Avoid: Georginio Rutter (£5.5m, forward)
Reclassified as a forward, Rutter now gets fewer points per goal and faces competition from Charalampos Kostoulas. His minutes and upside both take a hit.

Chelsea

Talisman: Joao Pedro (£7.5m, forward)
Cole Palmer may be the priciest Blue, but Joao Pedro is the crowd favourite, owned by more than half of FPL managers. Fifteen goals, nine assists last season, plus a summer off and a pre-season hat-trick. Everything points to a fast start.

Differential: Levi Colwill (£5m, defender)
A full £1m cheaper than Maxence Lacroix, Colwill offers a budget way into Chelsea’s back line. Injury ruined his last campaign, yet his style suits the defcon scoring, and a home tie with promoted Hull in Gameweek 4 stands out.

Avoid: Enzo Fernandez (£7m, midfielder)
Impressive World Cup, but he ended it with a red card and now sits in transfer limbo. Strong rumours of a summer move and a late return before GW1 make him an unnecessary early risk.

Coventry

Talisman: Haji Wright (£5.5m, forward)
Gianni highlights the USA forward’s 17 Championship goals as Coventry’s main attacking pillar. Those planning a bench boost in Gameweek 2 will notice his home fixture against Hull, though his frequent substitutions around 70–80 minutes are a caveat.

Talisman (alt): Carl Rushworth (£4.5m, goalkeeper)
At just 1% ownership, Rushworth is an option for managers rotating two cheap keepers. He pairs neatly with Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m).

Avoid: Milan van Ewijk (£4m, defender)
Fifteen percent ownership, eight assists in the Championship and plenty of hype, but Gianni prefers cheaper, lower-owned alternatives such as Bobby Thomas, who should collect defcon points more consistently.

Crystal Palace

Talisman: Ismaila Sarr (£6.5m, midfielder)
Heisenberg sees Sarr as central to Palace’s attack. High shot volume, big chances and some penalty potential when Jean-Philippe Mateta is off the pitch. At £6.5m he might be slightly underpriced if he keeps hoovering up attacking transitions.

Differential: Daniel Munoz (£5.5m, defender)
One of the league’s most attacking defenders under Oliver Glasner, Munoz offers points from everywhere: clean sheets, assists, goals, defcon. The big question is whether Pierre Sage continues that licence. Even with transfer rumours swirling, he looks strong wherever he lands in the Premier League.

Avoid: Jorgen Strand Larsen (£6m, forward)
A capable centre-forward, but if Mateta is first choice, the Norwegian’s minutes shrink. At £6m, guaranteed 90-minute strikers like Calvert-Lewin look far safer.

Everton

Talisman: James Tarkowski (£6m, defender)
Pras describes him as fixture-proof. Fifth-highest scoring defender last season with 170 points, Tarkowski racks up defcon regardless of opponent. Pick him, start him, forget him.

Differential: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£6.5m, midfielder)
Eight goals and seven assists last season, plus some set-piece duty. Dewsbury-Hall is well-placed to remain central to Everton’s attacking play and quietly rack up returns.

Avoid: Beto (£5.5m, forward)
Minutes are shared with Thierno Barry, and Everton’s attack is hardly prolific. Nine goals from 17 starts last season isn’t bad, but Pras would rather see managers find the extra £0.5m for a more secure striker.

Fulham

Talisman: Rodrigo Muniz (£5.5m, forward)
With Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez gone, options are thin. Muniz is one of Fulham’s priciest assets but managed just one goal and one assist from 10 starts last season. Gonzalo Garcia, £0.5m dearer, adds competition up front.

Differential: Antonee Robinson (£4.5m, defender)
Ten assists the season before last, quieter in 2025–26, but still dangerous. Fulham kept nine clean sheets, and there’s even an outside chance he steps up for penalties after departures from Craven Cottage.

Avoid: Sander Berge (£5m, midfielder)
Three assists and five defcon hauls from 34 starts for 91 points. Steady but unspectacular, and with constant transfer links away from Fulham, he’s a risky inclusion for Gameweek 1.

Hull City

Talisman: Oli McBurnie (£5.5m, forward)
Heisenberg flags him as interesting rather than essential. Seventeen goals and eight assists in the Championship, including the stoppage-time play-off winner that sealed promotion. Yet he still prefers spending a bit more on Calvert-Lewin or Brobbey and is avoiding Hull assets to start.

Differential: Ryan Giles (£4m, defender)
Eight assists in the promotion push and attacking intent from left-back. The problems? Matty Targett may share minutes and Hull’s clean-sheet prospects look thin.

Avoid: Liam Millar (£5m, midfielder)
In truth, almost any Hull player could sit here. Limited attacking opportunities and scarce clean sheets make their squad unattractive early on. If forced into a cheap Hull midfielder, Heisenberg would rather save £0.5m and go for Regan Slater at £4.5m.

Ipswich Town

Talisman: Emersonn (£5.5m, forward)
A club-record signing from Toulouse when he arrived, Emersonn is expected to lead the line under Gary O’Neil. The Brazilian could quickly become the focal point of Ipswich’s attack.

Differential: Daizen Maeda (£5.5m, midfielder)
Listed as a midfielder but operating as a wide forward, Maeda is just 0.4% owned. Fifty goals in 149 Scottish Premiership games and a standout World Cup for Japan mark him as one to watch amid a revamped Ipswich frontline.

Avoid: Chuba Akpom (£5m, forward)
Familiar name, limited role. Gianni expects him to be an impact substitute, not a starter, which kills his FPL appeal.

Leeds United

Talisman: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6m, forward)
Fourteen goals and two assists last season and now priced to tempt. Backed by roughly a quarter of managers, he stayed fit across 35 appearances in his debut season at the club and has penalties. That’s why he dominates the budget forward conversation.

Differential: Harry Wilson (£6.5m, midfielder)
Nineteen goal involvements last season – 10 goals, nine assists – and part of a strong summer recruitment drive. If he nails down a spot and set-pieces, he could rival Calvert-Lewin despite the extra £0.5m.

Avoid: Jaka Bijol (£5m, defender)
Leeds managed eight clean sheets last season and have added James Trafford in goal, but there’s cheaper access. Joe Rodon at £4.5m, with 20 defcon points last season, looks the smarter play.

Liverpool

Talisman: Dominik Szoboszlai (£7m, midfielder)
Pras sees him as the standout Liverpool pick. Reliable minutes, set-piece involvement and strong all-round output explain why nearly half of managers already own him.

Differential: Florian Wirtz (£7.5m, midfielder)
Under Andoni Iraola, Wirtz should operate closer to goal. With his creative quality, improving on last season’s five goals and four assists feels a realistic expectation.

Avoid: Jeremy Jacquet (£5m, defender)
Returning from a long-term injury, short on pre-season minutes and behind Ronald Araujo after his loan arrival. All signs point to a cautious integration.

Manchester City

Talisman: Erling Haaland (£15.5m, striker)
Record-breaking price, still the most-owned player in the game. His minutes against Bournemouth in GW1 are uncertain after limited pre-season, but with Crystal Palace and Coventry to follow, going without him is a bold – some would say reckless – move.

Differential: Phil Foden (£7m, midfielder)
A full pre-season and likely starter against Bournemouth, Foden sits at just 7% ownership. The ceiling is huge, but one poor display and Pep Guardiola’s depth could see him rotated.

Avoid: Marc Guehi (£6m, defender)
Fourth most popular defender, yet not assured of a starting spot under Enzo Maresca. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, both at £5.5m, have drawn more praise from the new boss and compete directly with him.

Manchester United

Talisman: Bruno Fernandes (£12m, midfielder)
Heisenberg’s words are backed by numbers: 235 points last season, 24 assists, set-pieces, penalties and bonus magnetism. The price is steep, but Hull and Ipswich in the first two weeks make him a prime captaincy candidate.

Differential: Matheus Cunha (£8m, midfielder)
Currently in 12.7% of teams versus Bryan Mbeumo’s 23.9%, Cunha ended last season with four goals and an assist in his final seven matches. His ability to play across the front line boosts his threat, though it also opens the door to some rotation.

Avoid: Benjamin Sesko (£7m, forward)
Eleven goals in his first Premier League season show the talent. The problem remains minutes, especially with Champions League fixtures crowding the schedule. With Fernandes and Cunha offering clearer pathways into the attack, Sesko is one to watch, not one to start with.

Newcastle United

Talisman: Nick Woltemade (£6m, forward)
A turbulent summer, key exits and a new manager leave Woltemade as Newcastle’s main FPL hope. Eight goals and four assists from 24 starts last season give him a platform, though he must hold off Yoane Wissa for minutes.

Differential: Malick Thiaw (£5m, defender)
Seven clean sheets last season wasn’t up to Newcastle’s usual defensive standards, yet Thiaw still emerged as their top-scoring defender. Four goals, plus defcon points in 12 games, show why he can justify the £5m tag if he repeats that output.

Avoid: Lewis Hall (£5m, defender)
Three goal involvements and a scoring profile that didn’t suit the matrix. He also trails Thiaw by 47 points from last season and has been linked with a move away from St James’ Park, making him an easy pass early on.

Nottingham Forest

Talisman: Morgan Gibbs-White (£8m, midfielder)
Forest’s creative heartbeat and leading scorer last season, Gibbs-White now moves into Oliver Glasner’s left-sided No 10 role. The question is not his importance, but whether he can match the 15 goals and four assists that made him the third-highest scoring FPL midfielder in 25–26.

Differential: Neco Williams (£5m, defender)
Wing-back in Glasner’s system, strong defcon numbers and some set-pieces. The comparison to Daniel Munoz under the same coach last season is deliberate. Williams could be a bargain if Forest click.

Avoid: Chris Wood (£6m, striker)
At 34 and coming off an injury-hit season, Wood now faces competition from in-form Igor Jesus (£6m). That combination makes his minutes too uncertain.

Sunderland

Talisman: Enzo Le Fee (£6m, midfielder)
Five goals, six assists and defcon contributions in his first Premier League campaign. At £6m, Le Fee offers price, security of minutes and multiple scoring avenues, potentially including penalties. Among several exciting Sunderland attackers, he looks the most consistent.

Differential: Granit Xhaka (£5.5m, midfielder)
One goal, six assists and 26 defcon points from 32 starts. Not explosive, but extremely reliable. Sunderland’s opening run – Ipswich away, Fulham at home – gives him a real chance to start strongly.

Avoid: Wilson Isidor (£5.5m, forward)
Tempting price, but stuck behind Brian Brobbey in the central striker pecking order. With so many other budget forwards available, there’s no need to force this punt.

Tottenham Hotspur

Talisman: Pedro Porro (£5.5m, defender)
Gianni labels him Spurs’ closest thing to a talisman. Their highest-owned asset, standout performer last season and fresh from an excellent World Cup for Spain, Porro will be hugely popular for GW1.

Dominic Solanke (£6m) and James Maddison (£6.5m) could become bargains later, but their injury records make them wait-and-see options for now.

Differential: Mathys Tel (£6m, midfielder)
Under 0.5% owned, Tel has won over Roberto De Zerbi. He ended last season in form, operating high and wide on the left, and underlined his threat with a 30-yard free-kick in pre-season against Sydney FC.

Avoid: Marcos Senesi (£6m, defender)
A star for Bournemouth last season, but now a straightforward avoid. De Zerbi’s tactical plans at Spurs remain unclear and, with strong depth at centre-back, Senesi is at real risk of rotation.

The templates are set. The talismans are obvious, the differentials are lurking, and the traps are already baited. With the deadline looming on 21 August, the only real question is which risks you’re prepared to live with.