The Football Faithful
·7 August 2024
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Yahoo sportsThe Football Faithful
·7 August 2024
To win at Fantasy Premier League, you need firepower. You need forwards that are going to shoot you to glory.
Goals are the quickest route to points, so owning strikers that are going to consistently find the back of the net is crucial.
That may sound obvious, because it is, but picking the right ones in fantasy isn’t always so. That’s why we’ve put together a ranking of the best forwards to own ahead of the 2024/25 FPL season, to help you make the best choice possible.
5. Kai Havertz (£8.0m)
There were many contenders for this fifth spot, but ultimately Kai Havertz is too attractive an option not to include here.
The Arsenal playmaker didn’t look like a good fit in Mikel Arteta’s side when he first arrived from Chelsea last summer, but his move to centre-forward was a game changer. It’s a position he struggled to get to grips with at Stamford Bridge, but he went on to finish the season with 13 goals and 10 assists.
Havertz is likely to reprise that role again this term, and he could be the best route into the Gunners attack for FPL managers, particularly at £8.0m. Many will be priced out of owning Bukayo Saka (£10m), especially if you want to own Mo Salah (£12.5m) and/or Erling Haaland (more on him later) and the other midfield options aren’t as appealing as the German.
4. Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m)
The Fulham striker pips ahead of Havertz predominantly due to his low, low price. But Rodrigo Muniz also showed in the second half of last season that he is a Premier League-level striker, which is remarkable given he couldn’t break into the Middlesbrough team a couple of seasons ago.
The Brazilian came away with nine goals and an assist in 26 appearances (18 starts) last term, a decent return for someone who started the campaign as the third-choice centre-forward. His overall performance levels were excellent though – it just remains to be seen whether or not that was a flash in the pan.
Facing two promoted teams in the first three gameweeks, he’s worth a punt at just £6.0m.
3. Ollie Watkins (£9.0m)
Ollie Watkins balled out last season, putting up frankly ridiculous numbers. With 19 goals and 13 assists, only Cole Palmer managed more goal involvements (33).
The England striker overperformed in terms of expected goal involvements, which makes me wonder if his output will drop off, especially with all the extra games in the Champions League. But he remains one of the best picks in FPL in this writer’s opinion.
2. Erling Haaland (£15m)
That’s right: Erling Haaland is not the number one forward in FPL. Okay, before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at me, let me explain.
The price increase, which makes him the most expensive player in the game’s history, is justified. There isn’t a better forward in the Premier League, he scores goals for fun and will almost certainly top the scoring charts yet again.
One does start to consider whether the Norwegian is really worth all that money, though. Indeed, ‘only’ 40 percent of managers currently own him, whereas he was touching 90 percent last year.
Those going without Haaland may come to regret their decision, but fitting him into your team comes with a ton of sacrifices to the rest of the lineup.
1. Alexander Isak (£8.5m)
Arguably the best value player in FPL, Alexander Isak is a must-have for the start of the season. His 21 goals in 30 games speak for itself, and it doesn’t feel like he’s going to slow down in 2024/25.
The Sweden international had 40 big chances from 78 shots, meaning every other attempt is a big chance. That is a crazy statistic, and if it wasn’t for Haaland he would surely be the frontrunner for the Golden Boot award.
Newcastle United start off with a home game against newly-promoted Southampton, which is an excellent captaincy opportunity. Aside from Man City at St James’ Park in late September, their fixture list looks great until GW10, when they host Arsenal.
Honourable Mentions: Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m); Ivan Toney (£7.5m); Dominic Solanke (£7.5m); Nicolas Jackson (£7.5m); Matheus Cunha (£6.5m); Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6m); Joao Pedro (£5.5m).