We Combined the Best FPL Managers’ Drafts—Here’s the Ultimate GW1 Team

If you are searching for the best FPL Gameweek 1 team, why rely on just one manager?

Our Elite Team Reveals panel has achieved an incredible:

• 81 top-10k finishes
• 55 top-5k finishes
• 13 top-1k finishes

It includes former FPL Hall of Fame number one Tom Dollimore, plus Dan Bennett and Tarek Balbaa—two of only five managers to record 10 top-10k finishes.

You can follow all their teams live and receive notifications whenever they make a change.

We have combined all of their latest drafts to create the Consensus XI: one squad built from the players currently receiving the strongest collective backing from our Elite managers.

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• Check out our Ultimate FPL Gameweek 1 Guide ⚽

Best FPL Gameweek 1 Goalkeepers and Defenders

Verbruggen and Kinský: Two £4.5m Goalkeepers With a Plan

Bart Verbruggen starts in goal, with Tottenham’s Antonín Kinský on the bench.

Spending £9.0m on two goalkeepers may initially seem unnecessary, but this pairing provides both short-term and long-term flexibility. Verbruggen played every minute of the 2025/26 season, collecting 130 FPL points and keeping 10 clean sheets, while Kinský has been confirmed as Tottenham’s number one.

The Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeepers rotate particularly well across the opening six Gameweeks:

• GW1: Bart Verbruggen vs Aston Villa (H)
• GW2: Antonín Kinský vs Newcastle United (H)
• GW3: Bart Verbruggen vs Leeds United (H)
• GW4: Bart Verbruggen vs Coventry City (A)
• GW5: Antonín Kinský vs Aston Villa (H)
• GW6: Bart Verbruggen vs Sunderland (A)

Rotating the pair provides four home fixtures in the opening six Gameweeks, plus favourable away matches against Coventry City and Sunderland.

There is another important reason for including two playing goalkeepers.

At the time of writing, five Elite managers—Dan Bennett, Tarek Balbaa, Matt Corbidge, Copenhagen Wednesday and Corey Baker—have their Bench Boost activated for Gameweek 1.

If you are considering the same strategy, you can check out their latest live drafts here and see how they have spread their budget across all 15 players.

A second starting goalkeeper is essential for the chip, allowing managers to maximise the points available from their full squad.

A Cheaper Route Into Arsenal’s Defence

An Arsenal defender features at the heart of the Consensus XI—but it is not Gabriel.

Arsenal boasted the Premier League’s best defence last season, conceding only 27 goals and keeping 19 clean sheets. Access to their back line is extremely appealing, but Gabriel (£8.0m) takes up too much of the budget.

Instead, the elite managers have selected a cheaper alternative, providing a route into Arsenal’s defence while leaving more money to strengthen the rest of the squad.

Which defender has made the team—and could the Consensus XI even be doubling up on Arsenal at the back?

Best FPL Gameweek 1 Midfielders

Bruno Fernandes Is the Elite Managers’ Midfield Lock

Bruno Fernandes is currently selected in every Elite manager’s squad, making him the clearest midfield lock in the Consensus XI.

The £12.0m midfielder produced 235 FPL points last season—only four fewer than Erling Haaland. He scored nine goals, supplied 24 FPL assists and collected 41 bonus points.

His underlying creative numbers were even more impressive. Fernandes attempted 136 assists—58 more than any other player—and created a league-leading 33 big chances.

With penalties, set pieces, secure minutes and opening fixtures against newly promoted Hull and Ipswich, Fernandes offers several routes to early returns. He also provides a strong alternative captaincy option to Haaland.

Is Szoboszlai the Best £7.0m Midfielder in FPL?

Dominik Szoboszlai could be one of the standout value picks of the 2026/27 FPL season.

The Liverpool midfielder scored 160 points last term, registering six goals and seven assists. His seven assists were the joint-most for Liverpool, while he also earned 20 additional FPL points through DEFCON.

Set pieces increase his appeal further. Szoboszlai scored four direct free-kicks last season—the most in the Premier League—and could inherit penalty duties following Mohamed Salah’s departure.

The strength of these midfield picks is backed by the Fantasy Football Fix Predicted Points & Stats tool. Fernandes (38.0), Szoboszlai (28.2) and Mbeumo (27.6) are the three highest-projected FPL midfielders across the opening six Gameweeks.

Manchester United’s excellent early fixtures have also made Mbeumo one of the most popular players among the Elite managers, with more than two-thirds currently selecting him. Has he joined Fernandes in the Consensus XI?

Best FPL Gameweek 1 Forwards

Haaland Remains the Premium Player to Beat

There is no surprise at the first name in the forward line.

Erling Haaland scored 27 goals, supplied eight assists and finished last season with 239 FPL points.

He also has an extraordinary early-season record, scoring at least eight goals in the opening six Gameweeks in each of his four Premier League campaigns.

At a record £15.5m, selecting Haaland forces compromises elsewhere. Some of our Elite managers—including 10-time top-10k finisher Dan Bennett—are currently prepared to start without him and spread the money across all 15 positions.

That is a viable strategy, particularly for a Gameweek 1 Bench Boost, but going without Haaland carries enormous risk. His explosive potential and captaincy appeal make him extremely difficult for the combined team to ignore.

Is This the Best FPL Gameweek 1 Team?

The Consensus XI provides an excellent starting point for managers trying to build the best FPL team for Gameweek 1.

It combines:

• Premium captaincy options in Haaland and Fernandes
• Two playing £4.5m goalkeepers with strong fixture rotation
• Affordable access to Arsenal’s league-leading defence
• Midfielders with penalties, set pieces and DEFCON potential
• A balanced front three containing both premium power and proven value
• Enough depth to support an early Bench Boost strategy

However, no Gameweek 1 draft should be treated as final before the deadline. Injuries, transfers, predicted line-ups and late team news can quickly change which players deserve a place.

That is why the Consensus XI updates whenever the Elite managers alter their squads. Rather than relying on a static team reveal, you can track the latest version as the deadline approaches and receive notifications when the managers make changes.

See the latest Consensus XI and every Elite manager’s live Gameweek 1 team

Best FPL Gameweek 1 Team: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FPL Consensus XI?

The Consensus XI combines the current squads of Fantasy Football Fix’s Elite managers into one team. It highlights the players receiving the greatest collective backing from managers with 81 top-10k finishes between them.

Should I copy the Consensus XI exactly?

The team is best used as inspiration rather than copied without question. Your chip strategy, preferred captain, appetite for risk and planned transfers should all influence your final Gameweek 1 squad.

Will the Consensus XI change before the Gameweek 1 deadline?

Yes. The team changes as the Elite managers update their drafts, so the latest version may differ from the image below. Check the live reveal before confirming your squad.

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