Gameweek 1 gave us our first real evidence of the new season. We can now start separating players whose underlying numbers deserve attention from those who simply returned points.
Rogers: better than his points total
Morgan Rogers impressed for Chelsea. He created five chances — the most in the match — and took three shots. Despite scoring, his fantasy total could easily have been higher given the amount of threat and creativity he produced. If this level continues, his price makes him a very strong option.
Gakpo: Liverpool’s biggest shooting threat
Cody Gakpo recorded six shots, the most of any player in Gameweek 1, and also produced three attempts to create big chances. His expected fantasy output was around 7.2 points, making him one of the players worth watching closely.
Palmer: frightening early-season form
Cole Palmer combined goal threat and creativity against Fulham. He attempted four shots, all from inside the penalty area, and also made three key passing attempts, one of which created a big chance that led to a goal.
Wissa: the Gameweek differential
If you want a less obvious pick, Newcastle’s Wissa deserves attention. Against Liverpool he created a big chance that became a goal and missed two big chances himself — the highest total in the opening Gameweek. At only £6.0m, he could be an excellent differential if the threat continues.
De Cuyper and Hume: defenders playing like attackers
Maxim De Cuyper caught the eye because Brighton used him on the left wing against Aston Villa. He produced two attacking returns plus a clean sheet.
Sunderland’s Hume is classified as a defender in FPL but played on the right wing and created two big chances. If both players continue in such advanced positions, their prices deserve serious attention.
Tzolis or Ødegaard?
The two Arsenal midfielders posted similar creative numbers against Coventry, but Tzolis was more dangerous in the box. He had three shots from inside the penalty area compared with one for Ødegaard, while both created three chances. Ødegaard edged xA 0.29 to 0.18, but at the same price I prefer Tzolis because his movement is closer to goal.
Gameweek 2 selections
Those observations form the basis of our preferred Gameweek 2 squad, shown in the team graphic included with the original article.
