The top 7 most underrated EFL Championship players right now | OneFootball

FLW has looked at seven Championship players who don't always get the credit they deserve

The Championship season is nearing the crucial run-in period, with plenty of outcomes to be decided between now and the end of the regular 46-game campaign on May 2nd.

As always, the main 'pot of gold' for several second tier clubs at this moment in time are the riches and exposure granted by achieving promotion to the Premier League.

The promotion race has seen plenty of twists throughout the season so far, and due to the unpredictability of the Championship throughout history, many more cannot be ruled out at this stage, whilst there is still a remarkable ongoing battle when it comes to the sides who will finish in the play-off places.

Sheffield Wednesday have already had their fate sealed, as the Owls suffered the EFL's fastest-ever relegation to League One as a result of well-documented financial uncertainty and the docking of 18 points throughout the season, whilst the likes of Oxford United, Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion are three of the sides currently in a dogfight to ensure they keep themselves above water.

Throughout the campaign, as well as certain sides receiving plenty of plaudits for how they have proven doubters wrong consistently, several individuals have also been highlighted as a result.

Whether that comes in the form of managers, players or the models set out by ownership groups, the overall performance of some have reached the spotlight more often than not, both for good and bad reasons.

However, that has left some, perhaps, not receiving the flowers their contributions throughout the campaign have necessarily warranted, although some would argue that this has also allowed them to keep going under-the-radar when it comes to delivering consistent performance levels.

With that being said, there are numerous players who could fall into said bracket for one reason or another, and Football League World have picked out the top seven.

Regan Slater

Hull City have been the surprise package of this season under Sergej Jakirovic, with the Tigers overcoming several injury issues and a two-window transfer fee restriction to give themselves a first shot at the Premier League for nine years.

Whilst the likes of Oli McBurnie and Joe Gelhardt have received plenty of credit for their goals, one man who doesn't always get such plaudits outside of East Yorkshire is Regan Slater.

The central midfielder, who cost just £50,000 from Sheffield United in January 2022 after a previous loan, is enjoying his best season in black and amber, less than a year after he was the subject of criticism for a lack of consistency in 2024/25.

Slater's combativeness in the middle of the park has complimented the technical skills possessed by Amir Hadziahmetovic, whilst the 26-year-old has certainly added more goal contributions to his name, which included a stunning strike against Swansea City on January 24th.

Unsurprisingly, there is a strong clamour to see his contract extended sooner rather than later, as it expires on June 30th.

Joe Ward

Derby County's season has been mixed under John Eustace, but no one at Pride Park has doubted the consistency provided by Joe Ward.

Whilst the likes of Patrick Agyemang have grabbed the headlines in DE24, the former Peterborough United man has put an injury-hit last campaign behind him in some style with his dynamism and creativity on the right flank.

Capable of featuring at right-back or right midfield, the 30-year-old has already made it into double figures for goal contributions across all competitions, which is largely down to a stunning purple patch towards the end of 2025, where he posted one goal and seven assists in 10 appearances, with four of those assists coming in successive outings against Sheffield United, Hull, Blackburn Rovers and Watford.

Femi Azeez

Although Femi Azeez has started to become the subject of much wider praise away from just the Millwall fanbase, it's fair to say that this hasn't always been the case this season for the Lions winger.

After signing from Reading in August 2024, the 24-year-old is starting to make the £1m fee which the club parted with under Neil Harris feel like a bargain.

Azeez endured a difficult first season at The Den despite Millwall's late but failed bid for the top six, but he has certainly been Alex Neil's creator-in-chief this term in a side which isn't notorious for when it comes to hitting the back of the net.

The versatile attacker has enjoyed two fine purple patches this season in SE16, with the first of those coming in October as he netted four goals and posted a further assist in the space of a three-week period, before bursting into life once more at the turn of 2026, which included a stunning volley against Birmingham City on February 25th in a 3-0 rout.

As such, it is now clear in the eyes of many why his signature was courted by promotion rivals, Ipswich Town, in the dying hours of the winter transfer window.

Lloyd Jones

It has also been a mixed season for Charlton Athletic in what is the club's first season back in the Championship since 2020, with survival still the main target for Nathan Jones.

The Addicks have also not been known for their goalscoring prowess this term, with plenty of their wins coming through a one-goal margin and defensive solidity, and that has certainly been showcased by the performances of the Welshman's namesake, Lloyd Jones.

The 30-year-old was named in the League One Team of the Season last term and has continued his rich vein of form for the Reds this term, winning just shy of 500 ground and aerial battles against opposition forwards, whilst also helping his side keep over 10 clean sheets so far.

If Charlton are to survive, Jones' contributions will have been a key reason, and supporters will hope that he is tied down to a new contract, with his current deal expiring next summer.

Christian Walton

Ipswich Town's strength-in-depth has been well-documented this season, but the contributions made by Christian Walton cannot be underestimated if the Tractor Boys return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The 30-year-old only made two appearances during the club's 2023/24 promotion-winning season, but has stepped in since October after Alex Palmer suffered a serious calf issue.

Walton's first outing of the season saw him keep net for 66 minutes of the 3-0 defeat to Charlton on October 21st, but he has since proven his worth by already rising towards the top of the clean sheet stats after reaching the tally of 11 during Town's 3-0 success over Swansea at Portman Road on February 28th.

Matt Crooks

Up next is another Hull midfielder in the form of Matt Crooks, whose invaluable presence for the Tigers certainly got noticed during a brief period of absence in February before his rather fortuitous, yet crucial strike against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

The 32-year-old has become a seasoned campaigner at Championship level for the likes of Rotherham United and Middlesbrough over time, and his initial acquisition in January 2025 was key in retaining City's status in the division on goal difference last May.

However, in Jakirovic's system, Crooks has been seen as the 'glue' which links midfield and attack for Hull due to his ability to carry the ball forward, his technical attributes and overall physicality.

Now the aforementioned injury troubles seem behind him, it would be no surprise to see the midfielder continue to hold a key influence for City in their promotion bid.

Tommy Conway

Last, but by no means least on this list is Middlesbrough forward, Tommy Conway.

Despite not being the most prolific of goalscorers in the Championship this season, the ex-Bristol City man has certainly hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks under Kim Hellberg.

Whilst being the focal point in attack, Conway's ability to link play with several of the Reds' other attacking and creative outlets, such as Hayden Hackney and Morgan Whittaker, has been a key factor in the Teesside club's extremely prolific start to 2026 on the goalscoring front.

After hitting the 13-goal mark under Michael Carrick last season, there is still ample time for the Scotland international to reach double figures and help Premier League football return to the Riverside Stadium for the beginning of next season.