Fantasy Premier League – FPL Picks, Best Players and More for Gameweek 1

3561

The 2022/23 Premier League season kicks off this Friday, August 5, with Crystal Palace hosting Arsenal. That means another Fantasy Premier League campaign is about to get underway.

Before we check out the best players for FPL Gameweek 1, let’s take a look at the fixture list for the opening weekend.

• Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal
• Fulham vs. Liverpool
• Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa
• Newcastle vs. Nottm Forest
• Tottenham vs. Southampton
• Leeds vs. Wolves
• Everton vs. Chelsea
• Leicester vs. Brentford
• Man Utd vs. Brighton
• West Ham vs. Man City

Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea have favourable Gameweek 1 fixtures, so FPL managers will be looking to load up on assets from those clubs. But there are tons of exciting options to consider.

Here are the the top FPL players for Gameweek 1.

Goalkeepers

Alisson (Liverpool) looks set to be a hugely popular pick for Gameweek 1. Jurgen Klopp’s side face newly-promoted Fulham this weekend, meaning the Brazilian shot-stopper could easily keep a clean sheet.

Ederson (Man City), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham) and Edouard Mendy (Chelsea) are the other premium goalkeepers to consider for Gameweek 1. They come up against West Ham, Southampton and Everton, respectively.

If you’re looking for a cheaper goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez (Brighton) and David Raya (Brentford) could prove to be shrewd picks.

Defenders

The premium defenders offer excellent value this season, meaning Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), Joao Cancelo (Man City) and Reece James (Chelsea) are destined to be in plenty of teams.

In the next price bracket, Ivan Perisic (Tottenham), Matty Cash (Aston Villa), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal) are all worth a punt.

If you’re in need of a budget defender to complete your squad, Neco Williams (Nottm Forest), Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester) and Ben White (Arsenal) could make all the difference.

Midfielders

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) is the obvious midfield pick for Gameweek 1 – and for the entire season, to be honest! The Egyptian King racked up more points than anyone else last season, making him the top score in three of the past five seasons.

Son Heung-min (Tottenham) shared the Golden Boot with Salah last term, so he is destined to enjoy another successful campaign. Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) is the other premium midfielder to consider.

There are plenty of value midfielders to consider, too, including Luis Diaz (Liverpool), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Riyad Mahrez (Man City) and Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham).

Forwards

With both players priced at £11.5, Erling Haaland (Man City) and Harry Kane (Tottenham) are the premium forwards to choose between. That said, you could attempt to include both players in your team.

Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) is currently the most-owned player in FPL, boasting an ownership of 69.7%. Leave him out of your team and your peril!

Are you searching for a budget forward? If so, Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), Anthony Martial (Man Utd), Ivan Toney (Brentford) and Brennan Johnson (Nottm Forest) are all worth considering.