Quick answer
Haaland is the premium captaincy anchor, while Thiago, Gyökeres, Isak, João Pedro, and the budget forwards create different routes through the price structure. Choose by expected minutes, penalty and set-piece role, fixtures, and how much premium midfield you want—not by name value alone.
The forward line drives your captaincy decisions. Goals score highest, penalties provide safety, and Erling Haaland's price shapes your entire £100m budget allocations.
Erling Haaland (£15.5m)
At £15.5m, Erling Haaland is the most expensive player in FPL history. Expect over 75% ownership in Gameweek 1. Three Golden Boots, 27 goals in 2025-26, and home games against promoted sides under Enzo Maresca make him nearly impossible to ignore.
Owning Haaland forces you to find cheap starting forwards and budget midfielders. The rest of your squad structure depends on managing these lower price points cleanly.
The Haaland Financial Constraint
£15.5m Record PriceHaaland Template Structure
Requires budget defenders (£4.0m) and DefCon midfielders (£5.0m).
Isak Differential Structure
Frees £6.5m to upgrade midfield to Fernandes + Palmer.
Alexander Isak (£9.0m)
Alexander Isak (£9.0m) is the primary alternative. At full fitness in Newcastle's central attack under Matthias Jaissle, Isak matches Haaland's goals-per-90 output.
Fitness remains his main risk; Isak has yet to complete a full Premier League campaign without injury absences. At £9.0m, choosing him over Haaland frees £6.5m for midfield premiums, but requires accepting his rotation and injury history.
“Isak's ceiling matches Haaland when fit. His injury history determines whether you can rely on him week to week.”
Mid-Price Options (£7.5m to £8.0m)
Igor Thiago (£8.0m, Brentford)
Thiago scored 22 Premier League goals last season, including eight penalties.
The Thiago Floor
Eight scored penalties provide a point floor regardless of Brentford's match outcomes. Primary penalty duty makes him the leading mid-price selection.
Thiago takes penalties, leads Brentford's attack, and provides a stable secondary striker slot at £8.0m.
Viktor Gyökeres (£7.5m, Arsenal)
Gyökeres scored 14 league goals during his debut season at Arsenal. In his second year, he understands Arteta's system and leads the line for a title contender.
Champions League rotation is the primary caveat. While minutes may be managed around European fixtures, £7.5m offers affordable access to Arsenal's attack.
João Pedro (£7.5m, Chelsea)
João Pedro delivered 15 Premier League goals last year. Under Xabi Alonso, Chelsea's attack adds Morgan Rogers (£117m), creating competition for central starting roles.
Budget Forwards (£6.0m)
Most templates run Haaland, one mid-pricer, and one £6.0m forward to free funds.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds, £6.0m) leads this group. He takes penalties for Leeds, starts consistently, and provides cheap starter minutes.
Igor Jesus (£6.0m) offers higher variance. Good pre-season form makes him an interesting differential, though starting minutes remain unconfirmed.
Brian Brobbey (Sunderland, £6.0m) gained starting minutes late last season. Sunderland's Europa League schedule will test squad depth, but Brobbey provides strong physical output when starting.
Budget Forward Selection
Haaland owners need Calvert-Lewin for guaranteed starting minutes and low cost. Non-Haaland managers can gamble on Jesus or Brobbey for upside.
Squad Templates
The standard Gameweek 1 setup pairs Haaland with Thiago and Calvert-Lewin. This structure locks in a captaincy anchor, penalty duties, and a £6.0m starter that frees budget for high-end midfielders.
The main draft choices come down to Isak versus Gyökeres, and tracking João Pedro's position in Alonso's line-up during pre-season.
Sources and evidence boundary
Check current prices and player positions in the Fantasy Premier League game and the Premier League's key-player price analysis. The forward combinations, role judgements, and squad templates are FootieGuide editorial analysis; penalties, starts, injuries, and prices must be rechecked before the deadline.