We have reached a bit of a crossroads when it comes to our forwards in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
FPL’s leading points scorer, Erling Haaland (£14.5m), has started the season in exceptional form; however, others, such as Joao Pedro (£7.7m), have recently gone off the boil.
So, who are the best forward options, excluding Haaland of course, right now?
JARROD BOWEN
Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m) arguably has the best match-ups over the next four Gameweeks.
Burnley have allowed more shots than any other team this season, and by a significant margin. Brentford are bottom-five material for most defensive metrics, too.
Gameweek 10 is the toughest individual fixture, against a Newcastle United side top for clean sheets. Bowen did, at least, rack up eight shots and three chances created in his two matches against the Magpies in the 2024/25 season.
We’ll no doubt come to appreciate secure starters over the next month or so, and Bowen is certainly one of those – he hasn’t missed a match this season, completing 90 minutes on every occasion. With late winners at an all-time high in the Premier League, transferring in Bowen, who has no European distractions, carries appeal.
The winger’s talismanic status is another key selling point – he’s been directly involved in 50% of his team’s goals this season, with three strikes in seven matches. Notably, he’s secured the maximum bonus every time he’s scored.
In his two matches under Nuno Espirito Santo, Bowen has lined up on the right (see image below v Everton), where he is arguably at his best.
JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA
Second among FPL forwards for shots and big chances, Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) has certainly been popping up in some decent positions in 2025/26.
Putting the ball in the back of the net has been a bit of an issue, however – the Frenchman’s goal conversion rate currently stands at a poor 11.8% this season.
He’s also missed seven of his nine big chances, the most of any player, with just one goal arriving from open play.
Still, Mateta can continue to dine out for a while longer, considering his prior performances under Oliver Glasner, during which he scored 17 goals across all competitions last season.
He’s also on penalties, adding to his appeal.
Crystal Palace may have lost to Everton in Gameweek 7, but they have been seriously impressive over the season, with a club-record 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions before that narrow defeat at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Fixtures perhaps count against Mateta at first, with Bournemouth and Arsenal to come, but the schedule eases up thereafter. Glasner doesn’t have the deepest of squads, mind, and they also have a European campaign to navigate.
Saturday 18 October: Bournemouth (h) – Gameweek 8
Thursday 23 October: AEK Larnaca (h) – UEFA Conference League
Sunday 26 October: Arsenal (a) – Gameweek 9
Wednesday 29 October: Liverpool (a) – League Cup
Saturday 1 November: Brentford (h) – Gameweek 10
Thursday 6 November: AZ (h) – UEFA Conference League
Sunday 9 November: Brighton and Hove Albion (h) – Gameweek 11
*November international break*
NICK WOLTEMADE
Nick Woltemade (£7.2m) seems to be the flavour of the month in FPL at present – he is currently the second-most transferred in forward since last week’s deadline, trailing only Haaland.
The German has hit the ground running on Tyneside, finding the net in three of his four Premier League appearances, a period which has seen him average 6.0 points per start.
It included a superb penalty against Nottingham Forest, although it is worth noting that Anthony Gordon (£7.4m), who had previously converted two spot-kicks against Union SG in Europe, wasn’t on the pitch.
Meanwhile, it’d be a surprise to see Yoane Wissa (£7.4m) starting any matches before the November international break, given his length of absence.
Growing in confidence, it boosts Woltemade’s short-term appeal.
As for Newcastle United, only Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored fewer goals than Eddie Howe’s side this season. They also rank seventh from bottom for open-play expected goals (xG).
Still, there have been signs of improvement recently, and the fixtures look decent right through until Gameweek 16. The next couple of UEFA Champions League clashes are at home, too.
JOAO PEDRO
It’s been a challenging recent period for Joao Pedro owners, with just six points and one shot in his last three appearances, which can be partially attributed to Chelsea’s players receiving red cards against Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion.
However, some of the division’s most obliging defences should give him the chance to improve.
Indeed, three of Joao Pedro’s next five opponents are in the bottom four for StatsBomb expected goals conceded (xGC).
Forest, Wolves and Burnley have produced just one solitary clean sheet between them in 2025/26, too.
It is worth noting that Joao Pedro has been playing through niggles lately, but he hasn’t been called up for the October internationals with Brazil, despite starting in Gameweek 7.
He will also miss Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League match at home to Ajax in between Gameweeks 8 and 9 through suspension, which is likely to boost his minutes in the Premier League.
VIKTOR GYOKERES
In truth, it’s been a bit of an underwhelming start for Viktor Gyokeres (£9.1m), having scored only three goals in seven league appearances, during which he has averaged 3.7 points per match.
However, after a tricky opening schedule that included trips to Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle, plus a home clash with Manchester City, Arsenal’s fixture list is starting to ease.
Mikel Arteta’s side visit Fulham, followed by Crystal Palace at home, before back-to-back trips to newly-promoted Burnley and Sunderland.
With key players fit again, it suggests Arsenal and Gyokeres could be set for a productive next few matches, even if he doesn’t take the next penalty, which remains uncertain.
Additionally, Gyokeres’ minutes have been really good thus far, completing 90 minutes in five of his last six matches.
He also ranks joint-fourth among forwards for shots and third for big chances.
As for positional rival Kai Havertz (£7.3m), we’re potentially looking at a November return date, although a specific timescale hasn’t yet been provided by Arteta.
ALEXANDER ISAK
Liverpool sit third on our Fixture Ticker over the next eight Gameweeks, with Arne Slot’s troops set to face seven clubs currently ranked ninth or below in the table.
Alexander Isak (£10.6m) is a slightly riskier pick, given that he is still building his fitness (see image below) and faces competition from Hugo Ekitike (£8.7m), but having supplied an assist against Chelsea in Gameweek 7, as well as scoring in the Carabao Cup, he undoubtedly merits a mention.
No penalties may blunt Isak’s appeal, but with Mohamed Salah (£14.4m) currently failing to justify his outlay, he at least offers a route into the champions’ attack for this good run of fixtures.
Liverpool aren’t exactly firing on all cylinders right now, but, with leaky defences in Manchester United and Brentford coming up, and some very decent fixtures to follow, chances should come Isak’s way.
SUB-£6.5M OPTIONS
Igor Thiago (£6.0m) has scored more goals than any of the forwards profiled above this season, but his minutes per shot average (45.8) is actually inferior to them all bar Joao Pedro. It’s simply that his goal conversion rate is far superior (33.3%). The fixtures are the most off-putting aspect when it comes to Thiago, however, with Brentford in the bottom three for fixture difficulty over the next eight Gameweeks.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.5m) might be a better bet, particularly for those Bench Boosting in the next couple of Gameweeks. He’s completed 90 minutes in each of his last three matches, a period which has seen him rack up six shots in the box, including four big chances. Leeds United have games against Burnley and West Ham United immediately after the international break.
Jorgen Strand Larsen (£6.4m) also has decent upcoming fixtures, with newly-promoted Sunderland and Burnley up next. The Norwegian scored 14 Premier League goals in his first season at Molineux and has now started each of Wolves’ last two matches, completing 83 and 76 minutes against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton respectively. Just two goal attempts arrived across those two Gameweeks, however, so he’ll need to up his shot volume.
Bench boosters could also consider Burnley’s Lyle Foster (£5.0m), although it is worth noting he is only averaging a shot in the box every 111.6 minutes this season, one of the worst rates among FPL forwards.
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