In yesterday's article, we looked at Burnley's attack — now it's Leeds United's turn.
They're back in the Premier League after an impressive Championship season that saw them dominate in front of goal. But as Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers start to ponder their Gameweek 1 squads, the big question is: can any of their midfielders or forwards offer real value?
Their goalscoring record in 2024/25 certainly demands attention — but just how many of those attacking numbers will translate to FPL returns?
We’ve dived into the Opta-powered heatmaps tool from our Preseason Pack (just £1!) to explore whether any Leeds attackers are worth backing.
According to our Fixture Planner in the Preseason Pack, Leeds rank second-bottom for attacking fixtures over the first six Gameweeks.
That makes it more of a watchlist situation than an immediate investment. This article is best viewed as early research — preparing you for when their fixtures improve later in the season.
If there's one Leeds attacker who could hit the ground running in FPL, it’s Daniel James. The Welsh international racked up 12 goals and 9 assists in 30 Championship starts, despite missing 10 games through injury.
His underlying numbers are encouraging: James registered 99 shots, just four fewer than Leeds' top scorer Joel Piroe. However, his Opta Shotmap reveals a tendency to shoot from distance, with many efforts coming from outside the box. As a result, his average shot xG was just 0.11 — but even so, he still managed to score 12 goals.
The big question is whether he can translate that form to the Premier League. FPL managers may need some convincing before committing to the Welsh international.
Joel Piroe ended last season as the Championship’s top scorer, netting 19 goals and supplying 7 assists. It was a rare year in the second tier where no player managed to hit the 20-goal mark, making Piroe’s tally stand out. He also fired off 102 shots, with 40 on target, highlighting his consistent threat in front of goal.
However, when comparing per 90 stats in the Opta Heatmap comparison tool, Piroe falls slightly behind Daniel James for shot stats. James averaged more shots per 90 (3.39 vs 2.96) and also edged him on shots on target (1.20 vs 1.16). While Piroe may have been more central to Leeds’ attack, James posted more frequent shot taking.
To make matters worse for Piroe’s FPL prospects, Leeds have already moved to strengthen up front, signing former Manchester City academy product Lukas Nmecha from VfL Wolfsburg. Nmecha, who has experience in England, Germany, and Belgium — including appearances in the UEFA Champions League — has scored 43 senior goals across all competitions. With another striker possibly on the radar, Piroe’s place in the starting XI is far from secure.
Combine the rotation risk with questions about his physicality and off-the-ball work rate, and it’s easy to see why many FPL managers might steer clear — at least until we know he’s nailed down a starting spot.
Touted as one to watch early last season, Mateo Joseph made a strong start but faded quickly. With just 3 goals and 3 assists from limited minutes, and no league starts in 2025, he appears far down the pecking order. A move away seems possible.
Brenden Aaronson started 43 league matches last season and scored 9 goals.
His Opta Heatmap shows he had the freedom to get into a wide range of advanced positions, often playing just behind the striker. However, an xG of 12.27 suggests he underdelivered in front of goal, and his creative numbers weren’t much better: just 2 assists from 73 attempted and 9 big chances created.
Despite some promising underlying stats on a per-90 basis, a comparison with Daniel James via the Opta Heatmap tool shows the Welsh international comes out ahead in every key attacking metric — apart from attempted assists (Aaronson: 1.84, James: 1.51).
The GW1 Squad Selector Algorithm has priced both midfielders fairly aggressively, but if you’re tempted to punt on a Leeds asset early on, James is the clear preference of the two. Aaronson may offer consistent minutes, but without the output to match, he’s a tough sell — even at a budget-friendly price.
Wilfried Gnonto ended the season on a high, scoring in each of Leeds’ final three matches. Over the 2024/25 campaign, he averaged just over three shots per 90 minutes, with a return of 0.35 goals per 90 from 0.33 xG. However, his inconsistency and tendency to drift out of games meant he spent much of the season out of favour and on the bench.
Despite topping the Championship for goals scored, Leeds head into the Premier League with major question marks over their attacking options.
Daniel James looks the most viable pick if priced fairly, but even he comes with concerns around consistency and whether he can deliver at the top level.
Unless pre-season paints a different picture, it’s hard to see Leeds attackers gaining much traction in FPL drafts — especially with a tough run of fixtures to start the season. Things could change once we get some top-flight data and the schedule softens.
If you’re planning to take a punt on anyone, make sure you’ve got strong bench cover… just in case.
Want to dive deeper into player positioning, touches in the box and underlying stats? All of this analysis was powered by our Preseason Pack, now just £1 for a limited time! Use it to get the edge before your rivals even log in.
Get ready for the 2025/26 season – the Preseason Pack is just £1 for a limited time.
Join 89% of our members who won their main mini-league last season.
GET PREMIUM FOR £1Already a Premium user? Login here
© fantasyfootballfix 2024 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
