Fantasy Premier League Differentials Ahead Of Game Week 1 | OneFootball

Good morning, and welcome to my first article for Attacking Footy! I’m delighted to be joining the team and looking forward to sharing my FPL thoughts throughout the season.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Aaron, and you can find me on X (formerly Twitter) at @fplviking_.

With Gameweek 1 fast approaching, there’s one question on every FPL manager’s mind: how can I get an early edge? In my first article, I’ll be looking at some of the best differential picks who could help your squad stand out from the crowd and, hopefully, get your season off to a flying start.

Rayan Cherki – Manchester City

Rayan Cherki is currently selected by just 7.8% of FPL managers ahead of Gameweek 1. There has not been the usual level of hype surrounding Manchester City as potential title challengers this season, and because of that, I think several of their Fantasy assets may be flying under the radar.

Their opening run of fixtures certainly catches the eye. City face AFC Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Manchester United and Sunderland in their first five matches, giving Cherki an opportunity to make an early impression.

With relatively low ownership and a favourable-looking schedule, he could be one of the more interesting Manchester City differentials to consider from the outset.

Ismaila Sarr – Crystal Palace

Like Sunderland, expectations surrounding Crystal Palace appear relatively modest heading into the new season. However, that does not mean their players should be completely overlooked from an FPL perspective.

One Palace player I am currently considering is Ismaïla Sarr.

Their opening schedule is not necessarily the easiest, with their most attractive fixture coming against Ipswich Town in Gameweek 4. Before then, they face reasonable-looking matches against Everton and Fulham in Gameweeks 1 and 3, with the considerably tougher prospect of Manchester City sandwiched in between.

It may require a little patience, but Sarr’s low ownership makes him an intriguing option for managers looking to move away from the more popular midfield picks.

Sandro Tonali – Tottenham Hotspur

Sandro Tonali makes this list partly because I am fascinated to see how Tottenham perform under Roberto De Zerbi this season.

We were given a glimpse of what Spurs could look like under De Zerbi towards the end of last season, but having a full campaign to implement his ideas should give us a much clearer picture. That makes Tottenham’s midfield particularly interesting from a Fantasy perspective.

Tonali could become an important part of that midfield and, if he can add attacking returns to his game, he may emerge as an early-season differential.

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Tottenham have a green fixture against Newcastle United in Gameweek 2, although their surrounding matches against Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Everton are rated as trickier encounters.

He is perhaps one of the more speculative names on this list, but certainly one worth keeping an eye on.

Rayan – AFC Bournemouth

Rayan is another player whose name I have heard mentioned regularly during the build-up to the new FPL season.

The Brazilian midfielder impressed last season, finishing the campaign with 67 Fantasy points, yet he remains selected by only 2.8% of managers ahead of the Gameweek 1 deadline.

That low ownership certainly makes him interesting, although Bournemouth’s early schedule may temper expectations somewhat. Four of their first five fixtures come against Manchester City, Everton, Newcastle United and Brentford.

For that reason, Rayan may not necessarily be someone I rush to include from Gameweek 1. However, he is firmly on my watchlist and could become a very interesting differential once Bournemouth’s fixtures begin to improve.

Luke O’Nien – Sunderland

Sunderland may not immediately spring to mind when putting together your Fantasy squad, particularly with the added demands of European football this season. However, at this early stage of the campaign, there could still be value in considering some of their lower-owned options.

One of those is Luke O’Nien, who is currently selected by just 3.5% of FPL managers.

Looking at the Fixture Difficulty Rating for Sunderland’s opening four matches, there is certainly some encouragement. They have two green fixtures against Ipswich Town and Fulham, alongside a more neutral fixture against Brentford. The obvious challenge comes against defending champions Arsenal.

O’Nien may not be a long-term option for many managers, but he could prove to be a useful early-season differential.

Conclusion

There you have it, my first article of the season for Attacking Football.

I’m looking forward to contributing at least one article each week throughout the campaign, covering FPL picks, differentials and plenty more along the way.

As a small aside, I will also be fundraising for my local club, Wexford FC, throughout the season. If you would like to get involved or find out more, you can do so here.

So, I’ll leave you with one question ahead of the weekend: which, if any, of these five differentials will make your Fantasy Premier League squad before the Gameweek 1 deadline?

Let me know over on X, and best of luck for the new season!