GW18 PREVIEW

FUTURE GW

Deadline: Wednesday 30 December at 18:30

Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 18 analysis: captain picks ranked by expected points, the most-transferred players, low-ownership differentials, and fixture difficulty for every team.

The GW18 TL;DR

  • Who to Captain:B.Fernandes is the standout with a projected 12.5 points.
  • Top Differential:Ajayi is owned by only 4.8%, presenting huge rank gain potential.
  • Most Bought:The community is rushing to buy Cherki (679k transfers in).
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Who Should I Captain in GW18?

Based on FPL's projected points model (xPts), form, fixture difficulty, and ownership risk. These are the mathematically best assets to hand the armband to.

  1. 1

    B.Fernandes

    MUN · MID · £12.0m · 47.5% owned
    12.5xPts
    SUN
  2. 2

    Cherki

    MCI · MID · £7.6m · 18.9% owned
    11.0xPts
    @EVE
  3. 3

    Palmer

    CHE · MID · £9.6m · 17.7% owned
    10.0xPts
    @IPS
  4. 4

    João Pedro

    CHE · FWD · £7.6m · 69.3% owned
    10.0xPts
    @IPS
  5. 5

    Ajayi

    HUL · DEF · £4.0m · 4.8% owned
    10.0xPts
    LEE
  6. 6

    M.Sangaré

    BRE · MID · £5.6m · 10.5% owned
    9.0xPts
    @COV

Which Players Are Most Transferred In?

Players the FPL community is buying right now — a strong signal of consensus value. Highly transferred players are also the most likely to rise in price before the deadline.

  1. 1

    Cherki

    MCI · MID · £7.6m · 18.9% owned
    +679K
    @EVE
  2. 2

    Wissa

    NEW · FWD · £6.1m · 7.0% owned
    +305K
    NFO
  3. 3

    Elanga

    NEW · MID · £6.1m · 5.3% owned
    +271K
    NFO
  4. 4

    De Cuyper

    BHA · DEF · £4.6m · 11.8% owned
    +265K
    @TOT
  5. 5

    Ajayi

    HUL · DEF · £4.0m · 4.8% owned
    +212K
    LEE
  6. 6

    Gvardiol

    MCI · DEF · £5.6m · 16.3% owned
    +210K
    @EVE

What Are The Best Differential Picks?

Low-ownership (<10%) players currently in strong form. Nailing a differential pick accelerates your overall rank gain since you aren't sharing the points with the masses.

  1. 1

    Ajayi

    HUL · DEF · £4.0m · 4.8% owned
    10.0 form
    LEE
  2. 2

    Tzolakis

    HUL · GKP · £4.5m · 4.9% owned
    10.0 form
    LEE
  3. 3

    Tarkowski

    EVE · DEF · £6.0m · 9.6% owned
    9.0 form
    MCI
  4. 4

    Egan

    HUL · DEF · £4.0m · 3.0% owned
    8.5 form
    LEE
  5. 5

    Stach

    LEE · MID · £6.0m · 2.8% owned
    8.5 form
    @HUL
  6. 6

    Gakpo

    LIV · MID · £7.0m · 7.2% owned
    8.5 form
    @AVL

GW18 Fixture Difficulty Ranking

FDR 1–2 = green (easy), 3 = amber (neutral), 4–5 = red (hard). Target defensive players from FDR 1–2 teams for reliable clean sheet potential.

BRE@ Coventry CityFDR 2
CHE@ Ipswich TownFDR 2
HULvs LeedsFDR 2
LEE@ Hull CityFDR 2
MUNvs SunderlandFDR 2
TOTvs BrightonFDR 2
ARS@ FulhamFDR 3
BOU@ Crystal PalaceFDR 3
BHA@ SpursFDR 3
COVvs BrentfordFDR 3
CRYvs BournemouthFDR 3
MCI@ EvertonFDR 3
NEWvs Nott'm ForestFDR 3
NFO@ NewcastleFDR 3
AVLvs LiverpoolFDR 4
EVEvs Man CityFDR 4
FULvs ArsenalFDR 4
IPSvs ChelseaFDR 4
LIV@ Aston VillaFDR 4
SUN@ Man UtdFDR 4

Who is Rising in Price?

Players who have increased in value this gameweek. If you plan to transfer them in, act fast to avoid being priced out.

  • Palmer
    CHE · £9.6m
    +£0.1m
  • Gvardiol
    MCI · £5.6m
    +£0.1m
  • Cherki
    MCI · £7.6m
    +£0.1m
  • Elanga
    NEW · £6.1m
    +£0.1m
  • Wissa
    NEW · £6.1m
    +£0.1m

Best Budget Enablers (≤ £6.0m)

High-value budget options delivering strong points per million (PPM) — essential for affording premium players in your squad.

  • Ajayi
    DEF · £4.0m
    LEE
    Form 10.04.8% own10.0 PPG
  • Tzolakis
    GKP · £4.5m
    LEE
    Form 10.04.9% own10.0 PPG
  • Egan
    DEF · £4.0m
    LEE
    Form 8.53.0% own8.5 PPG
  • Mendy
    DEF · £4.0m
    LEE
    Form 8.05.0% own8.0 PPG
  • De Cuyper
    DEF · £4.6m
    @TOT
    Form 8.511.8% own8.5 PPG

SEE HOW THESE PICKS FIT YOUR SQUAD

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who should I captain in FPL GW18?+

Top captain options for GW18 based on expected points and fixtures: B.Fernandes (12.5 xPts, 47.5% owned); Cherki (11.0 xPts, 18.9% owned); Palmer (10.0 xPts, 17.7% owned).

What are the best FPL transfers for GW18?+

The most transferred-in players heading into GW18 are: Cherki (679K transfers in), Wissa (305K transfers in), Elanga (271K transfers in).

What are the best FPL differentials for GW18?+

Top differentials (under 10% ownership) for GW18: Ajayi (4.8% owned, form 10.0); Tzolakis (4.9% owned, form 10.0); Tarkowski (9.6% owned, form 9.0).

When is the FPL GW18 deadline?+

The FPL Gameweek 18 deadline is Wednesday 30 December at 18:30 (UK time). All transfers and captain picks must be made before this time.