Is it time to move on from Cole Palmer? How do you replace Bukayo Saka? And the age-old question… Erling Haaland or Mohamed Salah?
There’s plenty to ponder for Fantasy Premier League players before gameweek three, but don’t fear – our Free Hit team is a fountain of inspiration.
It’s my final week filling in for regular BBC Sport FPL expert Thomas Woods and, after crunching the numbers, I’m confident this side will help me sign off on a high.
The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.
Don’t miss our FPL special week three Q&A with expert FPL Heisenberg live on the BBC Sport website at 15:30 BST on Friday, 29 August.
How did last week’s FPL team of the week do?
It was so good on paper but a blank from captain Erling Haaland – and Cole Palmer not even playing – gave the Free Hit team 48 points.
Last week I mentioned it was a 50-50 call between Jean-Philippe Mateta and Joao Pedro. I chose Mateta, who came back with two points. Pedro, who scored one and assisted two, would’ve got 15.
Never change Fantasy Premier League, never change.
Keeper and defence
Robert Sanchez, Chelsea, keeper, £5m – Fulham (h)
Chelsea stopper Sanchez is a solid pick to start. Fulham have failed to score in six of their past seven visits to Stamford Bridge, while Sanchez kept a clean sheet in Chelsea’s opener at home to Crystal Palace. He would have had another at West Ham in gameweek two but for Lucas Paqueta’s wonder strike in a 5-1 win for the Blues.
Marc Cucurella, Chelsea, defender, £6.1m – Fulham (h)
Cucurella is quickly becoming a FPL must-have. He was a performer in last week’s BBC Sport Free Hit team, claiming an assist for Chelsea’s opener. Expect more attacking contributions, and hopefully a clean sheet from him, this weekend.
Nikola Milenkovic, Nottingham Forest, defender, £5.5m – West Ham (h)
We’re turning to a favourite of last season with Forest’s ‘Mr Reliable’ – collector of a whopping 145 points in 2024-25. The centre-back has yet to get going FPL-wise this campaign but a home match against West Ham, who have scored one and conceded eight so far this season, looks appealing.
Sepp van den Berg, Brentford, defender, £4.5m – Sunderland (a)
Brentford centre-back Van den Berg is one of only eight players to have collected the maximum two defensive contribution points in both gameweeks this season. The Bees have kept two clean sheets in a week, including their cup win at Bournemouth, and will be expecting to make it three in a row as they travel to promoted Sunderland.
Midfielders
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, midfielder, £14.5m (captain) – Arsenal (h)
Salah will be our captain this weekend. Liverpool may have an incredibly tough home fixture against Arsenal, but so far this season Arne Slot’s gung-ho attacking approach has been paying off. Salah already has a goal and assist this term, plus he’s scored in three of his past four games against the Gunners.
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, midfielder, £9m – Burnley (h)
A Manchester United player in this week of all weeks? Setting their midweek misery to one side, the underlying numbers suggest Ruben Amorim’s side will do well at home to Burnley. If that’s the case, expect Fernandes to star. It’s true the Portuguese is playing deeper these days, but thanks to defensive contribution tallies he would still have got 12 points if he had scored his penalty at Fulham. Fernandes will probably stay on spot-kicks too after netting two in United’s shootout defeat by Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.
Harvey Barnes, Newcastle, midfielder, £6.5m – Leeds (a)
With an ownership of just 0.7%, winger Barnes is potentially a superb pick if you’re in need of a differential. Tricky matches away to Aston Villa and at home to Liverpool are a big reason why he’s yet to haul this season. But the Englishman has a better-looking fixture this weekend away to Leeds, who conceded five at Arsenal last time out. He’ll expect plenty of minutes, too, with team-mate Anthony Gordon serving a three-match suspension. Last season, Barnes had 14 goal contributions – despite starting only 17 of his 33 Premier League appearances.
Dango Ouattara, Brentford, midfielder, £6m – Sunderland (a)
Brentford already have a new cult hero in summer signing Ouattara, whose winner against Aston Villa helped him to a healthy 13 points last time out. The midfielder, who spent much of his debut practically playing as a centre forward, could be in for more contributions against newly promoted Sunderland on Saturday.
Forwards
Chris Wood, Nottingham Forest, forward, £7.7m – West Ham (h)
To the strikers, where it’s impossible to look past Chris Wood. The Forest talisman scored two goals in his side’s last home game against Brentford and will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing West Ham, who shipped five last week.
Joao Pedro, Chelsea, forward, £7.6m – Fulham (h)
I’m not making the same mistake with Joao Pedro this week. After his goal and two assists at West Ham, the Brazilian is up against a Fulham team who haven’t kept a clean sheet in either of their two matches this season. He’s in the team.
Jean-Philippe Mateta, Crystal Palace, forward, £7.5m – Aston Villa (a)
Mateta is a bolder choice. He hasn’t scored since the Community Shield, although he has come up against solid Chelsea and Nottingham Forest defences. Aston Villa away doesn’t appear to be as difficult a fixture as it was last season. The Villans were beaten by Brentford last week, and should really have lost their goalless opening-weekend draw to Newcastle. Unlike Newcastle, Palace have their talisman and he should do well on Sunday.
Subs’ bench
Martin Dubravka, Burnley, goalkeeper, £4m – Manchester United (a)
Pape Sarr, Tottenham, midfielder, £5m – Bournemouth (h)
Michael Keane, Everton, defender, £4.5m – Wolves (a)
Omar Alderete, Sunderland, defender, £4m – Brentford (h)
Team total cost: £97.4m