Fantasy Premier League: Five FPL differentials to consider | OneFootball

The 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season begins tonight with the usual suspects dominating FPL ownership percentages.

Mohamed Salah sits at 53.9% ownership as of now, while Erling Haaland commands healthy backing from FPL managers. However, some of the most rewarding FPL campaigns come from identifying differential players who can deliver exceptional returns while owned by fewer than 10% of managers.

With over 11.5 million people participating in last season’s Fantasy Premier League – the highest in the game’s 23-year history – finding these hidden gems becomes increasingly crucial for climbing the rankings. Here are five compelling differential options that could provide the edge needed to separate your team from the template-following masses.

Fantasy Premier League Differntials: Players under 10% ownership in FPL

Jean-Phillipe Mateta – Crystal Palace, £7.5m (9.1%)

Gameweek one fixture for Chelsea has perhaps put off FPL players. The Frenchman has been in good form during pre-season, scoring five times. Mateta has netted 30 league goals over the last two campaigns for the Eagles and should have a share of penalties.

Murillo – Nottingham Forest, £5.5m (6.5%)

Murillo has less than 7% ownership despite being part of one of the division’s best defences last season. Should be a beneficiary of the defensive-contribution scoring system, ranking third in the Premier League last season.

Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth, £7m (5.2%)

Another with a tough opening fixture but Bournemouth have a good run after Gameweek One. Semenyo scored 11 league goals and added five assists last season.

Donyell Malen – Aston Villa, 2.3% (£5.5m)

The signing of Evann Guessand could impact his role but Malen has impressed in pre-season. Could be an option for the early weeks of the season. He’s scored twice and provided three assists during Villa’s summer schedule.

Georginio Rutter – Brighton, 1.2% (£6m)

Listed as a midfielder, the Frenchman has played predominantly at centre-forward for Brighton in pre-season.

The departure of Joao Pedro could see his role increase and perhaps include penalties. He was involved in eight goals in 19 league starts during an impressive but injury-hit debut season with the Seagulls.

FPL Tips: Find the right team balance

While these differential options offer significant upside potential, careful squad construction remains paramount.

The 2024/25 season demonstrated the importance of backing proven performers, with Mohamed Salah’s record-breaking 344-point haul reward for his high ownership.

However, the managers who achieved significant rank improvements often did so by identifying under-owned gems who delivered consistent returns while flying under the radar.

Each of these five differential options possesses genuine Premier League quality and favourable underlying metrics. These players provide fascinating risk-reward offers that could prove to be crucial during a long season for managers trying to distinguish their teams from the template-heavy masses.

Read – Fantasy Premier League: The best captains in FPL Gameweek 1

See more – Fantasy Premier League: The best FPL team names for 2025/26

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