Top 5 Mid-Priced FPL Forwards You Can't Ignore for 2025/26

After covering the Top 5 Mid-Priced Defenders, and highlighting the Top 5 Mid-Priced Midfielders, it’s time to turn our focus to mid-priced forwards.

Priced between £6.5m and £7.5m, these strikers are often key enablers, offering consistent returns while freeing up cash for premium midfielders or defenders. This bracket features players who combine nailed starting roles with fixture-friendly early runs.

Here are the Top 5 mid-priced forwards for 2025/26!

• Save 50% on Premium Plus – Limited Time! ⏳
• Follow the world’s top FPL managers’ team reveals – live! 👀
• Get instant FPL answers from Artificial Intelligence 🤖
• Read the latest FPL content and tips 📖

5. Danny Welbeck: Brighton’s Main Man (£6.5m)

Welbeck rolled back the years in 2024/25 with the most productive Premier League campaign of his career, scoring 10 goals and providing five assists — the first time he’s reached double figures in the top flight.

He returned 125 FPL points, including 21 bonus points, as highlighted in the Opta Heatmaps feature. His 4.2 points per game ranked him 8th among all forwards.

With Joao Pedro and Evan Ferguson now sold, Welbeck is currently Brighton’s first-choice striker under new manager Fabian Hürzeler, and he's also expected to take over penalty duties as shown in the Penalty Matrix feature from the Preseason Pack — a major boost to his FPL appeal.

Brighton were an effective attacking side, scoring the joint fifth-most goals (66) last season, with an xG of 66.16 (eighth-best), according to the Opta Stats Sandbox.

While the Seagulls' opening fixtures are mixed, they do include favourable matchups like Fulham (H), Spurs (A), Wolves (A) and Leeds (H) in the first 10 Gameweeks.

At £6.5m, Welbeck is arguably cheap enough to rotate in a flexible squad or to feature as part of an early Bench Boost strategy. If Brighton start well, he could offer excellent value.

The Brighton forward currently features in the front three of our Consensus XI — a combined squad built from the drafts of all our Elite XI: Team Reveal managers, who collectively boast 80 top 10k finishes. That’s the power of elite-level wisdom backing his selection!

4. Evanilson: Reliable Bournemouth Striker (£7.0m)

Evanilson impressed in his debut Premier League season, delivering strong underlying numbers despite an injury-hit campaign.

His 13.22 xG ranked second at Bournemouth, behind only Antoine Semenyo (15.00), while his 21 big chances were the most in the squad, according to the Opta Stats Sandbox.

With Enes Ünal still sidelined, Evanilson is nailed to start and will lead the line for a Bournemouth side that ranked third for xG (73.61) across the league last season.

He currently leads the front line in our Differential XI article — and with good reason. After a tough Gameweek 1 at Liverpool, the fixtures swing in Bournemouth’s favour: Wolves (H), Spurs (A), Brighton (H), Newcastle (H), Leeds (A) and Fulham (H).

Could it be worth jumping on him before the Gameweek 2 bandwagon kicks off?

At £7.0m, Evanilson is one of the most reliable mid-priced forward options, combining great underlying stats with a strong fixture run and minimal rotation risk.

3. Jørgen Strand Larsen: Wolves’ Go-To Striker (£6.5m)

Strand Larsen had an excellent 2024/25 campaign, scoring 14 goals and providing four assists, including a blistering finish to the season with seven goals and two assists in his final nine games.

He averaged 4.1 FPL points per game — the highest of any Wolves player, as shown in the Opta Heatmaps feature.

His underlying numbers were equally encouraging, with an xG of 10.86, and his expected minutes should rise this season following the departure of Matheus Cunha. He’s also in contention to become Wolves’ penalty taker.

While Wolves face a tough opener against Man City (H) in Gameweek 1, the fixtures ease up soon after: Everton (H), Leeds (H), Spurs (A), Brighton (H), Sunderland (A) and Burnley (H) are all in the first 10.

Much like Welbeck, Strand Larsen is priced at just £6.5m, making him an ideal candidate for a rotation strategy or inclusion in an early Bench Boost setup.

He currently features in the latest draft from James Cooper, a manager with seven top 10k finishes, who appears to be planning for an early Bench Boost. You can check out his full team now in the Elite XI: Team Reveal tool.

Strand Larsen offers a rare combination of budget flexibility and attacking potential, making him a shrewd pick for FPL managers looking to free up funds without compromising on returns.

2. Chris Wood: Last Season’s Underrated Goal Machine (£7.5m)

Chris Wood was one of the biggest surprises of the 2024/25 FPL season, netting 20 goals and finishing as the second-highest scoring forward (200 points). But for those who saw our preseason X post, the Fix Algorithm was already tipping him for a strong campaign.

While repeating those numbers won’t be easy, Wood remains nailed as Forest’s number nine and is their first-choice penalty taker — two traits that make him extremely valuable in FPL.

Nottingham Forest's early fixtures — Brentford (H), West Ham (H), Burnley (A), Sunderland (H) — rank top of the Fixture Planner for attacking difficulty over the opening six Gameweeks, giving Wood a fantastic platform to start strong.

At £7.5m, he’s a little more expensive than others on this list, but with secure minutes and proven form, he’s a solid pick to lead your frontline from Gameweek 1.

1. Dominic Solanke: Spurs’ Forward Star (£7.5m)

Solanke is our top pick among mid-priced forwards. After moving to Spurs, he scored nine goals and five assists in 25 starts, despite injuries and a transitional season under Ange Postecoglou.

With Thomas Frank now in charge and a more balanced system expected, Solanke looks primed for a strong campaign — especially with Son Heung-min’s departure, which could make him the primary penalty taker.

Spurs have a great run to start the season: Burnley (H), Bournemouth (A), West Ham (A), Wolves (H), Leeds (A) and Aston Villa (H) in their first eight.

Solanke is currently in 53.8% of our Elite XI: Team Reveal managers’ teams, yet only features in 13.7% of overall FPL squads. He’s clearly a pick that informed managers are backing, even if he hasn’t fully entered the mainstream conversation.

Could he be a differential route to getting ahead in your mini-leagues?

At £7.5m, Solanke has the fixtures, minutes, and potential to emerge as one of the highest-scoring forwards in the opening weeks.

FPL Forwards Final Thoughts

The mid-priced forward bracket is packed with potential value:

• Solanke and Wood offer secure minutes and penalties.
  
• Evanilson and Strand Larsen provide strong fixtures and goal involvement.
  
• Welbeck is a budget-friendly rotation option with potentially penalties in his locker.
  

Pairing these picks with your mid-priced midfielders and mid-priced defenders gives you a flexible FPL squad with plenty of firepower up front.

Hurry! Limited time 50% Off Premium Plus – See the Elite XI: Team Reveal Gameweek 1 drafts now! ⏳