GW18 PREVIEW

FUTURE GW

Deadline: Tuesday 29 December at 18:00

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:De Cuyper is the standout with a projected 10.5 points.
  • Top Differential:Henderson is owned by only 0.5%, presenting huge rank gain potential.
  • Most Bought:The community is rushing to buy De Cuyper (525k transfers in).
  • Injury Warning:Watch out—Szoboszlai is currently flagged (75% chance) despite high ownership.
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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

    De Cuyper

    BHA · DEF · £5.1m · 36.3% owned
    10.5xPts
    @TOT
  2. 2

    Groß

    BHA · MID · £6.0m · 40.4% owned
    10.0xPts
    @TOT
  3. 3

    Henderson

    CHE · MID · £4.9m · 0.5% owned
    10.0xPts
    @IPS
  4. 4

    Dasilva

    COV · DEF · £4.0m · 1.0% owned
    10.0xPts
    BRE
  5. 5

    Semenyo

    MCI · MID · £8.3m · 13.9% owned
    10.0xPts
    @EVE
  6. 6

    Cunha

    MUN · MID · £7.9m · 6.5% owned
    10.0xPts
    SUN

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

    De Cuyper

    BHA · DEF · £5.1m · 36.3% owned
    +525K
    @TOT
  2. 2

    Groß

    BHA · MID · £6.0m · 40.4% owned
    +483K
    @TOT
  3. 3

    Cherki

    MCI · MID · £7.9m · 32.9% owned
    +470K
    @EVE
  4. 4

    João Pedro

    CHE · FWD · £7.8m · 70.3% owned
    +451K
    @IPS
  5. 5

    Rogers

    CHE · MID · £7.9m · 45.4% owned
    +314K
    @IPS
  6. 6

    Belloumi

    HUL · MID · £5.2m · 7.6% owned
    +177K
    LEE

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

    Henderson

    CHE · MID · £4.9m · 0.5% owned
    10.0 form
    @IPS
  2. 2

    Dasilva

    COV · DEF · £4.0m · 1.0% owned
    10.0 form
    BRE
  3. 3

    Cunha

    MUN · MID · £7.9m · 6.5% owned
    10.0 form
    SUN
  4. 4

    Manzambi

    AVL · MID · £5.9m · 1.2% owned
    9.0 form
    LIV
  5. 5

    Brobbey

    SUN · FWD · £5.7m · 5.1% owned
    8.5 form
    @MUN
  6. 6

    Buendía

    AVL · MID · £5.9m · 1.2% owned
    8.0 form
    LIV

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

  • N.Jackson
    AVL · £6.6m
    +£0.1m
  • Verbruggen
    BHA · £4.6m
    +£0.1m
  • De Cuyper
    BHA · £5.1m
    +£0.1m
  • Groß
    BHA · £6.0m
    +£0.1m
  • Kostoulas
    BHA · £5.7m
    +£0.1m
  • Vuskovic
    BHA · £5.1m
    +£0.1m

Injury & Availability Dangers

Highly owned (>5%) players at risk of not playing. Keep an eye on manager press conferences before the deadline.

  • SzoboszlaiDoubt — 75% chance

    Hamstring injury - 75% chance of playing

    26.9% owned
  • SchadeDoubt — 75% chance

    Shoulder injury - 75% chance of playing

    14.7% owned
  • IsakInjured

    Thigh injury - Unknown return date

    13.7% owned
  • GakpoInjured

    Ankle injury - Unknown return date

    7.4% owned
  • ShawDoubt — 75% chance

    Unspecified injury - 75% chance of playing

    6.6% owned
  • TzolisInjured

    Hamstring injury - Expected back 1 Nov

    6.2% owned

Best Budget Enablers (≤ £6.0m)

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

  • Dasilva
    DEF · £4.0m
    BRE
    Form 10.01.0% own4.2 PPG
  • De Cuyper
    DEF · £5.1m
    @TOT
    Form 10.536.3% own8.8 PPG
  • Henderson
    MID · £4.9m
    @IPS
    Form 10.00.5% own10.0 PPG
  • Groß
    MID · £6.0m
    @TOT
    Form 10.040.4% own8.8 PPG
  • Verbruggen
    GKP · £4.6m
    @TOT
    Form 7.522.0% own5.3 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: De Cuyper (10.5 xPts, 36.3% owned); Groß (10.0 xPts, 40.4% owned); Henderson (10.0 xPts, 0.5% owned).

What are the best FPL transfers for GW18?+

The most transferred-in players heading into GW18 are: De Cuyper (525K transfers in), Groß (483K transfers in), Cherki (470K transfers in).

What are the best FPL differentials for GW18?+

Top differentials (under 10% ownership) for GW18: Henderson (0.5% owned, form 10.0); Dasilva (1.0% owned, form 10.0); Cunha (6.5% owned, form 10.0).

When is the FPL GW18 deadline?+

The FPL Gameweek 18 deadline is Tuesday 29 December at 18:00 (UK time). All transfers and captain picks must be made before this time.