Is Haaland worth the price? Pick Rogers or Palmer? Five key FPL questions
August 18, 2026 09:23
With three days remaining before the Fantasy Premier League season opener, BBC Sport's FPL panel — Pras, Holly Shand, Gianni Buttice and FPL Heisenberg — ran through key selection dilemmas for managers preparing squads. The discussion centred on whether Manchester City striker Erling Haaland justifies a record price, and whether managers should pair Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes with other United players or target early bargains from promoted sides.
The piece notes practical details for managers: you can join the BBC Sport League in the official FPL using the code bbcfpl, with the game deadline set at Friday 18:30 BST.
KEY CONTEXT
- Erling Haaland finished last season as the top FPL scorer on 239 points, four points clear of Bruno Fernandes. That total was 33 points fewer than Haaland’s best campaign in 2022-23.
- Haaland’s FPL price has risen from £14.0m to a record £15.5m, making him the most expensive player ever in the game.
- Bruno Fernandes was the second-highest scorer last season and is included in almost half of FPL squads.
- Promoted teams Hull City and Ipswich Town provide attractive early fixtures mentioned by the panel, influencing picks such as Bryan Mbeumo and defensive/goalkeeper choices.
WHY IT MATTERS
- Captaincy choices early in the season are a major determinant of rank, which is why several panellists argue Haaland’s premium price can be justified: the player is frequently the best captaincy option in the opening gameweeks. However, concerns about fatigue after an international tournament and a truncated pre-season for some players could affect early returns.
- The panel highlights a common early-season strategy of targeting assets facing promoted sides and doubling or tripling up on players expected to benefit from those fixtures — both for attacking returns and clean-sheet potential.
- Squad construction trade-offs are underscored: taking Haaland uses significant budget but can simplify captaincy decisions, while omitting him forces managers to plan around alternative premium options such as Bruno Fernandes or to spread funds across different areas.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Monitor Haaland’s early-season minutes and sharpness: the panel noted his limited pre-season workload and a 53-minute outing in the Community Shield, raising the question of how quickly he will hit top form.
- Check starting line-ups and minutes for secondary premium targets (for example, Bryan Mbeumo versus Matheus Cunha) — the panel emphasised minutes security and pre-season preparation as selection factors.
- Keep an eye on the announced squads and fitness updates for Manchester United defenders and goalkeeper picks cited by the experts, and watch how promoted teams cope in their opening fixtures.
- Remember the FPL deadline: managers must set teams before Friday at 18:30 BST.
KEY FACTS
- Publication date: 18 August 2026; article published three days before the FPL season start.
- Haaland: last season’s top scorer with 239 points; priced at £15.5m (up from £14m); 33 points below his 2022-23 total.
- Bruno Fernandes: second-highest FPL scorer last season and owned by nearly 50% of managers.
- Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha each had 14 attacking returns last season; both are priced at £8m.
- Suggested defensive/goalkeeper targets mentioned: Luke Shaw (£4.5m), Harry Maguire (£5m) and Senne Lammens (£5m).