Strategies for Succeeding in the Fantasy Premier League 2025-26, as Explained by Professionals
The Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season is about to begin, and four seasoned analysts - Pras, Holly Shand, FPL Heisenberg, and Gianni Buttice - have provided valuable advice to help navigate the competitive landscape.
To improve your FPL performance with a long-term strategy, balance planning ahead with flexibility. Create a solid backbone of your team based on fixtures and form, but be ready to adapt quickly to injuries, form changes, and fixture swings. Avoid rigid transfer plans; adjust your squad when significant opportunities or problems arise.
Strategic premium player selection involves identifying key players who consistently deliver high points, especially in pivotal positions. Prioritize forwards priced around £7.5 million as flexible options to upgrade or downgrade later. Invest in premium players who take set pieces, penalties, or have high Expected Goals (xG) since they have greater scoring potential.
Recognize and admit mistakes promptly, as stubbornness can hinder progress. Regularly review your decisions and be willing to make changes if players underperform or circumstances shift.
Be cautious with transfers to avoid unnecessary points hits. Prioritize transfers that significantly improve your squad based on fixture difficulty, player form, and injuries. Use transfer flexibility thoughtfully by saving free transfers when possible to build value and squad balance over time.
Prioritize players with set-piece responsibilities—these players tend to generate more assists and goals, increasing their point returns. Track which players have reliable free-kick or penalty duties through trusted sources.
Stay updated with the Premier League by monitoring injury news, rotations, tactical changes, and fixture postponements from reliable sources or expert insight. This enables you to make thoughtful, informed decisions rather than reactive or impulsive ones.
Understanding and using Expected Goals (xG) metrics helps evaluate player scoring opportunities beyond just actual goals. Players with high xG are more likely to score, making them favorable picks for your squad.
Adapt to new rules and changes in FPL each season, including any altered scoring systems or transfer allowances, to optimize your strategy from the start.
Optimizing resources on defense means selecting good-value defenders in the £5.0-5.5 million range who offer clean sheets and attacking threat without consuming excessive budget, freeing funds for premium midfielders and forwards.
Finally, focus on your own team and plan rather than chasing others' strategies or popular picks. Trust your research, remain disciplined, and refine your approach as the season progresses.
By applying these principles—long-term planning with flexibility, strategic premium and set-piece player selection, cautious transfers, staying informed, and understanding expected goals—you can improve your FPL results sustainably throughout the season.
Max Littleproud, who had a remarkable finish of fifth in the world while winning the BBC Sport FPL league last season, offered unique perspectives. He emphasized the importance of watching games to understand player performance, as he did last season. Max also suggested minimizing investment in defensive players and focusing on affordable options that can still earn clean sheets while taking advantage of the new points system.
Max Littleproud, Holly Shand, FPL Heisenberg, and Gianni Buttice all agree on the importance of recognizing and admitting mistakes in the game. Heisenberg further encourages focusing on maximizing one's own points instead of constantly comparing against others in mini-leagues.
Gianni also advises paying attention to adjustments in the scoring system, particularly regarding defensive contributions and budget defenders and midfielders. Holly recommends balancing the number of premium players at the start of the season and having premium options in each position to allow for flexible transfers.
Pras highlights that reliable players in FPL, such as Bruno Fernandes, often outperform flashier ones due to their consistent game time and set-piece responsibilities. Max suggests relying on intuition for selections instead of obsessing over statistics.
Achieving a top-10k finish in the FPL is becoming more challenging due to an increasing number of managers participating. With these expert tips in mind, you're well-equipped to tackle the competitive landscape and improve your FPL performance this season.
In the heat of European football leagues, prioritize selecting key players in the Premier League who consistently deliver high points, especially those responsible for set pieces or who have a high Expected Goals (xG) rating.
To sustain success throughout the FPL season, be cautious with transfers, prioritizing strategic moves that optimize squad balance and adhere to the new rules or changes.
