Is This the Best FPL Team for Gameweek 1?

As the Fantasy Premier League 2025/26 season approaches, many managers are defaulting to the most-owned players when building their squads.

But does popularity equal points?

This team has been taken directly from the Big Data: Team Reveal tool — one of four lineups available alongside Expert Managers, Artificial Intelligence, and Differentials.

Let’s break down each player to find out if this truly is the best FPL team for Gameweek 1 — or just a case of groupthink gone wild.

• Premium Plus: Only £1 for Preseason 💥
• Follow the world’s top FPL managers’ team reveals – live! 👀
• Get instant FPL answers from Artificial Intelligence 🤖
• Read the latest FPL content and tips 📖

🧤 Kelleher – The Best Budget FPL Option?

• Club: Brentford
  
• Price: £4.5m
  
• Ownership: 32.3%
  
• Gameweek 1 Fixture: NFO (A)
  
• Projected GW1 Points: 3.1
  

The new Brentford goalkeeper has become the go-to budget pick between the sticks.

While his minutes last season were limited at Liverpool, his 4 clean sheets and 27 saves in just 10 games show promise.

According to our Predicted Points & Stats tool, he ranks as the fourth-best £4.5m goalkeeper for projected points over the first five Gameweeks.

However, many FPL managers treat goalkeepers as a set-and-forget position — so Brentford’s new signing could still emerge as the best long-term option.

🛡️ Defenders: FPL Bargains or Bandwagons?

Wan-Bissaka – Reborn at West Ham?

• Price: £4.5m | Ownership: 30.1%
  
• 2024/25: 2 goals, 6 assists, 15 bonus points
  

His attacking stats last season were impressive for a budget defender. West Ham’s kind opening fixtures further boost his appeal.

Could be one of the best £4.5m defenders in FPL — for now.

Gabriel – Set-and-Forget from Arsenal

• Price: £6.0m | Ownership: 26.9%
  
• 2024/25: 3 goals, 10 clean sheets, 117 points
  

A proven points scorer and FPL favourite in recent seasons, Gabriel remains a popular pick despite Arsenal’s slightly tougher opening fixtures.

The Gunners kept 13 clean sheets and conceded just 34 goals in 2024/25 — reinforcing Gabriel’s value in any Gameweek 1 FPL team.

He’s even earned a spot in the Consensus XI — a squad built by combining the teams of all our Elite XI: Team Reveal managers, representing an incredible 75 top 10k finishes merged into one!

Aït-Nouri – Pep Roulette Incoming?

• Price: £6.0m | Ownership: 28.0%
  
• 2024/25: 4 goals, 7 assists

Now a Manchester City player, rotation is a real risk — but the upside is huge. One to monitor closely in pre-season.

Frimpong – Attacking Threat, Unknown Role

• Price: £6.0m | Ownership: 29.2%
  
• Club: Liverpool
  
• Projected GW1 Points: 3.4
  

An attacking full-back with huge potential, but new to both Liverpool and Fantasy Premier League. Frimpong could hit the ground running — or struggle to settle.

One key question remains: will he share minutes with Conor Bradley, who impressed when given chances last season?

🎯 Midfielders: Popular for a Reason?

Salah – The FPL Must-Have?

• Price: £14.5m | Ownership: 57.4%
  
• 2024/25: 29 goals, 18 assists, 344 points
  
• Projected GW1 Points: 7.6
  

Still the king of FPL and one of the most-owned players for good reason.

With a home fixture against Bournemouth in Gameweek 1, he’s an obvious candidate for the armband — captaincy locked in, right?

Rogers – The FPL Budget Breakout of 2024/25

• Price: £7.0m | Ownership: 20.5%
  
• 2024/25: 8 goals, 11 assists
  

Fairly priced and nailed, he could offer excellent value if he continues the form he showed last season.

As shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox tool, he was Aston Villa’s second-highest FPL points scorer, second for goals, and their top assist provider — impressive numbers for a mid-priced midfielder.

Palmer – Risk or Reward?

• Price: £10.5m | Ownership: 49.8%
  
• 2024/25: 15 goals, 10 assists
  
• Projected GW1 Points: 5.3
  

Palmer’s explosive 2024/25 campaign puts him firmly in template territory. But will Chelsea’s inconsistency derail his FPL potential?

Kudus – New Club, New Role?

• Price: £6.5m | Ownership: 27.9%
  
• 2024/25: 5 goals, 4 assists
  
• Projected GW1 Points: 3.6

Now at Spurs, Kudus could thrive in a more attacking setup — or become a rotation risk.

His 2024/25 numbers weren’t standout, but a glance at his 2023/24 returns in the Opta Heatmaps tool is a clear reminder of his potential.

Could Thomas Frank unlock the best version of him once again?

Wirtz – The Wildcard

• Price: £8.5m | Ownership: 37.7%
  
• 2024/25: 10 goals, 12 assists (Bundesliga)
  
• Projected GW1 Points: 3.5

Highly owned despite being untested in the Premier League, Wirtz is a risky pick — but one with explosive potential if he settles quickly under Arne Slot.

He currently features in Tarek Balbaa’s first draft — a manager with an incredible 10 top 10k finishes to his name. On his selection, Tarek said:

“I opted to take a punt on Wirtz, who arrives with strong performances and achievements in the Bundesliga — he just might hit the ground running.”

You can check out Tarek’s full draft now on the Elite XI: Team Reveal page.

⚽ João Pedro – Worth the Hype?

• Price: £7.5m | Ownership: 60.3%
  
• 2024/25: 10 goals, 6 assists
  
• Projected GW1 Points: 3.1
  

Now at Chelsea, João Pedro impressed in the Club World Cup and appears to be playing as a number 9 — a shift from the deeper role he often played at Brighton.

He’s certainly one to monitor in pre-season, especially with Chelsea also signing Liam Delap (£6.5m) from Ipswich.

When comparing the two new forwards using the Opta Heatmaps tool, Pedro edges it for attacking stats per 90 minutes. That said, Delap’s numbers came while playing in a struggling, relegated side — so there’s context to consider.

Both could prove to be strong signings for Chelsea, but will they end up sharing minutes? Pre-season should give us some important clues.

Conclusion: Is This Really the Best FPL Gameweek 1 Team?

This squad — taken from the Most Owned team in our Big Data: Team Reveal tool — offers an intriguing blend of popular picks, exciting punts, and potential value.

But while it features some standout names, it's far from a perfect Gameweek 1 lineup.

The team is set up in an unconventional 4-5-1 formation, which may not offer the best balance or flexibility for the start of the Fantasy Premier League season. That said, it includes:

• 🔐 Essential picks like Salah and Gabriel
  
• 🎯 Potential gems if new signings settle quickly
  
• 💸 Strong enablers who could offer serious value
  

We don’t recommend copying this team as-is, but every player here deserves consideration for your own FPL squad. It’s a useful starting point to help shape your thinking ahead of the deadline.

This full team is shown in the Future Planner tool, where you can build and compare up to five different drafts, complete with projected points for every player.

And remember, the Most Owned team will continue to update regularly throughout pre-season — alongside other expert-generated squads including Artificial Intelligence, Differentials, and the Expert Managers team.

Keep an eye on the Big Data: Team Reveal tool to stay ahead of the crowd.

Get ready for the 2025/26 season – unlock Premium Plus for just £1, but hurry, this offer is limited!