FPL GW1 Review2026/27 GW1 Review how did you do?
Published · refreshed
Hero of the week5.4% owned
De Cuyper made the difference. The template did not.
GW1 was shaped by captaincy outcomes and a few high-impact hauls. The best returns came from managers who trusted role plus fixture, while several popular picks failed to keep pace with the average score.
- Best decisionBacking players with clear routes to points, led by De Cuyper.
- Biggest mistakeCarrying too much exposure to highly owned blanks.
- Next actionCheck fixture quality and minutes security before chasing last week's points.
How the field scored
The average manager scored 50. Around 65 was a useful target for a green arrow; 80+ made it an elite week.
Did the armband deliver?
- 68.5%2→4Missed
Haaland
MCI· 68.5% owned - 65.8%11→22Missed
João Pedro
CHE· 65.8% owned - 49.6%2→4Missed
B.Fernandes
MUN· 49.6% owned - 42.7%8→16Missed
Szoboszlai
LIV· 42.7% owned - 41.1%9→18Missed
Calafiori
ARS· 41.1% owned
Heroes and villains
- De CuyperBHA · 5.4% owned17pts1 goal contribution made the difference.
HinshelwoodBHA · 1.7% owned16pts2 goal contributions made the difference.
Mendy
HUL · 2.0% owned15pts1 goal contribution made the difference.
AjayiHUL · 1.5% owned14pts1 goal contribution made the difference.
- HaalandMCI · 68.5% owned2pts
- B.FernandesMUN · 49.6% owned2pts
MbeumoMUN · 36.9% owned2pts
Widely owned, barely returned: each blank made captaincy and starting-XI choices feel expensive.
Three lessons
- 01
Do not ignore minutes security
The gap between a good pick and a useful pick is often whether the player stays on the pitch long enough to reach bonus and late attacking returns.
- 02
Ownership still changes rank impact
A blank from a highly owned player hurts less than a blank from an isolated differential, but it still blocks green arrows if the alternative hauls.
- 03
Use fixture quality as a tiebreaker
When two players are close, the easier fixture and clearer role should decide the move rather than last week's headline score.
Get the GW2 captain picks
Run an FPLai analysis before your next deadline to turn these lessons into AI-based captain and transfer advice for your squad.