In this article, we will pick the best FPL team for Gameweek 1. Obviously we will have to stay in the constraints on the £100m budget. This may be useful for those who are planning an early wildcard or if you play for the weekly and/or monthly prizes. I will explain my picks starting from the goalkeeper, and also briefly touch on my bench picks.

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The Starting XI

Alex McCarthy (£4.5m) – Southampton

Fixture: Crystal Palace (a)
Ownership: 19.5%

I have gone for Alex McCarthy in between the sticks simply because he has the best fixture from the £4.5m goalkeepers and also comes out top points scorer in our Prediction Tool from the £4.5m keepers. Crystal Palace scored the least amount of home goals (15) last season and haven’t done much to bolster their attack in the transfer window. Their number one striker is Jordan Ayew (£6.0m) who doesn’t really strike fear into the heart of any defenders and their back-up is Christian Benteke (£5.5m) who has only managed seven goals in the last three seasons. The Saints shot-stopper had a good season last year picking up seven clean sheets in only 28 games, averaging 3.71 points per game.

Best FPL Team Gameweek 1

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Trent Alexander Arnold (£7.5m) – Liverpool

Fixture: Leeds United (H)
Ownership: 53.9%

No surprises here. One of the best fantasy football players in the game and with a nice game at home to Leeds United he is a must-have. As we have seen in the last few seasons he is capable of some monster scores and is currently the most owned player in the game. With four goals, 15 assist, and 14 clean sheets last season he finished as the highest-scoring defender (210 points) and fourth highest overall. Liverpool come into Gameweek one with the highest chance of a clean sheet at 47% according to bookmakers. When you add in the chances of Trent’s attacking returns he is just too dangerous to go without.

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Virgil Van Dijk (£6.5m) – Liverpool

Fixture: Leeds United (H)
Ownership: 25.2%

I have opted for Virgil Van Dijk over his team Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) simply due to price. He only finished three points behind Robertson last season (178 points) despite the Scotsman registering two goals and 12 assists, to Virgil’s five goals and two assists. This was due to the fact the Dutchman played 309 more minutes than him and getting two more clean sheets. He played in every single league game last season and is absolutely nailed. Ultimately at £0.5m cheaper, I think it’s worth going for Van Dijk, as the money can be spent elsewhere and he also has a bigger goal threat.

FPL Tips Gameweek 1 Best team

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James Justin (£4.5m) – Leicester City

Fixture: West Brom (a)
Ownership: 8.9%

James Justin should be good to start for Gameweek one as Ricardo Pereira (£6.0m) will be out for the first few weeks at least. Justin is partly in due to his price but predominantly for his good fixture. Their clean chance is 34% which comes in at sixth for Gameweek one. He has the highest clean sheet chance out of all the £4.5m defenders who have a good chance of starting. He plays a newly promoted side so we can’t really ask for a better fixture.

best fantasy premier league team gw1

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Mohamed Salah (£12.0m) – Liverpool

Fixture: Leeds United (H)
Ownership: 29.9%

The Egyptian forward with a home game against a newly-promoted side is a no brainer. I don’t think Leeds United is as easy a fixture as it looks but I still fancy Liverpool to score at least two and Mo Salah is bound to in amongst the goals. With 73 goals and 34 assists in the last three seasons, he is one of the best and most reliable players in FPL. His stats from last season show he actually should have scored more than he did. With 15 goals and four assists in home games last term it would take a very brave manager to go without him. Surprisingly he is only owned by 30% of managers. He is also a prime captain candidate for Gameweek one.

Gameweek 1 Fantasy Premier League best lineup

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£12.0m) – Arsenal

Fixture: Fulham (a)
Ownership: 43.1%

Reclassified as a midfielder, the Arsenal forward will be a very popular choice in Fantasy Premier League. He is already in 43.1% of fantasy managers teams. With 22 goals in each of his last two seasons and also five and seven assists respectively it’s clear he is an elite goal scorer and FPL player. Now with an extra point for every goal and also one clean sheet point he will no doubt better his points tally than the previous two seasons. I don’t see any reason why he can’t hit 20 plus goals again.

With nine of his 22 goals coming in away matches last season he clearly doesn’t get homesick. He is another top captaincy candidate playing Fulham who have the worst defensive record from all the promoted sides. The Gabonese hitman is currently leading the captain polls and will likely be the most captained player in Gameweek one.

best fantasy premier league team for gw1

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Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.5m) – Newcastle United

Fixture: West Ham United (a)
Ownership: 19.1%

Allan Saint-Maximin looks to be the best mid-budget midfielder at his price point. He has a decent fixture, is nailed to start, and has some decent form. These budget price points are there two fit in the other big hitters and it’s best to go for the players who provide the best value. He has showed glimpses of brilliance in matches last season which was disrupted with injuries. Any sort of return is a bonus.

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Tomas Soucek (£5.0m) – West Ham United

Fixture: Newcastle (H)
Ownership: 7.6%

Tomas Soucek looks to be the best value £5.0m midfielder by far. He impressed at the end of last season notching three goals in his last seven games. He looks to have adopted the ‘Fellaini role’ under David Moyes as a box to box midfielder. With four Big Chances (BC), 16 Shots in the Box (SitB), and eight Shots on Target (SoT) from 12 starts last year you can’t ask for much better for his price. He has a good fixture in Newcastle United at home and I am quite confident in him getting more returns than £5.5m Saint-Maximin.

Fantasy Premier League Tips Gameweek 1

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Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) – Leicester City

Fixture: West Brom (a)
Ownership: 16.7%

I don’t need to convince you why Vardy is a good option for Gameweek one. Golden boot winner and most points from all the strikers last season, playing newly promoted West Brom. Don’t let the away fixture to The Baggies put you off. This is a far different team to the solid Tony Pulis team from years back and 11 of the Leicester strikers 23 goals came away from home last season. Jamie is also on penalties and is absolutely nailed to start.

best fantasy premier league team

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Timo Werner (£9.5m) – Chelsea

Fixture: Brighton (a)
Ownership: 47.1%

I’m really excited about Timo Werner’s arrival at Chelsea from a fantasy football perspective. I think he has come in underpriced and has an elite goal-scoring record. The ex RB Leipzig forward scored 28 goals in 34 games last season and also picked up eight assists. He had 64 shots on target, created 61 chances, and 53 key passes which shows he is a volume striker (gets a lot of chances) and is also a dab hand at setting up his teammates also. I have no doubt he will hit the ground running in the Premier League and has a great opportunity in his first game against Brighton. He has a 54% chance to score in his first game according to bookmakers and is also number one for expected points according to our Points Prediction Tool.

FPL Tips Gameweek 1

Michail Antonio (£6.5m) – West Ham United

Fixture: Newcastle (H)
Ownership: 13%

Antonio had a remarkable end to the season from Gameweek 30 to 38. He has been reclassified from a midfielder to forward but don’t let that put you off. If he keeps up his form from post restart then he is sure to get a haul against The Magpies. Eight goals and one assist in his last eight league games is pretty impressive stuff. He ranked first for Shots On Target (16), Big Chances (12), xG (6.84), and ranked second for Shots in the Box (28) in his final eight games. At £6.5m he is great value and has a plum fixture in Newcastle at home.

best fantasy premier league team for Gameweek 1

Bench players

My bench players pick themselves. I have gone for the cheapest players who may get a start. Tyrick Mitchell (£4.0m) should play the first few games deputising for the injured Patrick Van Aanholt (£5.5m). Ben Johnson (£4.0m) filled in for the final three games of the season due to Jeremy Ngakia’s departure and is also getting minutes in pre-season games. Yves Bissouma seems to be the best £4.5m midfielder and Ørjan Nyland the best £4.0m goalkeeper with Tom Heaton out injured and Aston Villa yet to sign a replacement.

Captain

The captain has to be either Mohammed Salah or Aubameyang. Our Points Prediction Tool has Salah ahead.

Full Team

The Best Fantasy Premier League Team for Gameweek 1

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The Starting XI

Alex McCarthy (£4.5m) – Southampton

Trent Alexander Arnold (£7.5m) – Liverpool

Virgil Van Dijk (£6.5m) – Liverpool

James Justin (£4.5m) – Leicester City

Mohamed Salah (£12.0m) – Liverpool

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£12.0m) – Arsenal

Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.5m) – Newcastle United

Tomas Soucek (£5.0m) – West Ham United

Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) – Leicester City

Timo Werner (£9.5m) – Chelsea

Michail Antonio (£6.5m) – West Ham United

Bench players

Captain

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The Best Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 1 Team | 2020/21

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