Spend where the points are
Most of the big hauls in FPL come from attacking players: goal-scoring midfielders and forwards who take penalties and play every minute. That's why most strong squads put a large share of the budget into two or three premium attackers.
Goalkeepers and the fourth or fifth defender rarely decide a gameweek. Many managers spend as little as possible there and use the savings up front.
The three price bands
- Premiums: the most expensive players in the game. Pick the ones who start every week, take set pieces and have good fixtures. These are your usual captains.
- Mid-priced players: the engine of a good squad. Look for players who have moved into a more attacking role, or who play for a team on an easy run.
- Budget enablers: the cheapest players who still start regularly. A cheap defender who plays 90 minutes on a solid team is worth more than an expensive one who is rotated.
Bench: cheap but playing
Your bench only scores when a starter misses out or you play Bench Boost. That makes it a good place to save money. Choose cheap players who are likely to start, so auto-substitutions actually give you points. A bench full of players who never play is money and points wasted.
Don't forget defensive points
Defenders and defensive midfielders can now earn 2 points for defensive contributions (10 or more clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles for defenders, 12 or more including recoveries for midfielders and forwards). Busy centre-backs on mid-table teams can be good value even without many clean sheets. See how FPL scoring works.
Keep a little flexibility
- Leave a small amount in the bank, or pick players you could easily swap for a premium later.
- Avoid three players from one team unless they're all nailed starters with good fixtures. It limits your transfers later.
- Balance teams by fixtures. Use the fixture grid so your players don't all have hard matches in the same week.
Last updated October 2026.