Midfielders Season Review: Best FPL Picks for the 2025/26 Run-In

Midfielders have historically been the biggest point scorers in FPL — and as we enter the final stretch of the season, getting the right midfield balance is key to success in Fantasy Premier League, especially for managers planning their FPL Wildcard.

After analysing defenders, this positional review turns to midfielders. We break down the top-performing options so far and identify the best picks for the run-in — making this essential research for anyone looking to optimise their FPL Wildcard and maximise points.

Expect expert insights, key stats, and strategic tips to help you gain an edge and finish the season strongly.

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Best Midfield Picks – Expected FPL Points Comparison

As shown in our Opta Stats Sandbox image below, B. Fernandes (198.38) leads all midfielders for xFPL this season. The Portuguese international also ranks first for attempted assists (101), 'big chances' created (24), 'Expected Assists' (xA) (12.37), shots (73) and 'Expected Goals' (xG) (12.21).

Enzo comes in second. The Argentinian international ranks fourth for xG (10.10), while only B. Fernandes and Semenyo (15 each), along with Schade and Mbeumo (17 each), have been afforded more big chances than his 14. He is also sixth for chances created (51) and fourth for xA (6.86).

Rice has enjoyed a stellar season with nine FPL assists. The England international trails only B. Fernandes (101) for attempted assists (58) and ranks third for 'big chances' created (14) and xA (14). He is also fifth among midfielders for Defensive Contributions (DEFCON) (317).

No midfielder has landed more attempts on target than Semenyo (36). The Ghanaian international has continued his strong form following his January move to Man City and also ranks first for shots in the box (51).

What is xFPL?

xFPL is calculated primarily using expected goals (xG) and expected assists (xA), which combine to form expected FPL involvements (xG + xA = xI), along with expected clean sheets (xCS). These values are based on underlying statistics — for example, shot type and location determine the probability of scoring, which contributes to xG. xFPL then combines these metrics, factoring in appearance and bonus points to produce an overall expected FPL point score.

Which Midfielders Are the Most Likely to Score?

As shown in our Opta Stats Sandbox image below, Semenyo leads all players for shots in the box (51) and ranks second for xG (11.05), although a significant portion of this data comes from his time at Bournemouth.

Saka has endured an underwhelming campaign by his high standards. The England international is joint-second for shots in the box (47) and has been afforded 12 'big chances' (10th), but has found the back of the net just six times. He ranks ninth for xG (8.77) and will be looking to improve on these numbers as Arsenal push to secure the Premier League title.

Salah has also had a disappointing season. The Egyptian King has scored just five goals from 47 shots in the box and has been afforded 13 'big chances' (seventh).

Wilson has averaged an impressive 6.4 FPL points per game since Gameweek 13, as shown in the Opta Heatmaps tool. However, the Welsh international is ranked just eighth for shots in the box (39) and as low as 28th for xG (4.98) but has displayed a stellar conversion rate.

Rogers' numbers are similar to Wilson with 41 shots in the box (sixth) and five 'big chances', the England international has scored eight goals from just 5.50 xG.

Cunha (seven) has scored just two goals fewer than Mbeumo (nine), but it is worth noting that the Brazilian international has been afforded fewer than half the number of 'big chances' (seven) compared to the Cameroon international (17). As shown in the Opta Heatmaps tool above, many of his efforts have come from outside the box.

Which Midfielders Are the Most Likely to Assist?

As shown in our Opta Stats Sandbox image below, B. Fernandes (101) and Rice (58) lead the way for chances created, but several other names just behind the pair are perhaps going under the radar.

Cherki (nine) trails only B. Fernandes (17) for FPL assists this season. The French international also ranks second for 'big chances' created (15) and xA (7.05) — impressive given he has played just 1,308 minutes.

Neto ranks fourth for 'big chances' created (11). The Portuguese international will be pivotal to Chelsea’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot and could be a shrewd differential.

Budget midfielder Garner is also joint-fourth for 'big chances' created (11). As shown in our Opta Stats Sandbox image below, only Anderson (431) has accumulated more DEFCON than the Everton midfielder (378).

Szoboszlai could be the Liverpool midfielder to pick for the run in, the Hungarian international is joint-second for attempted assists (58), despite often featuring at right-back. However, it is worth noting that only seven of his 58 attempted assists have been classified as 'big chances' created by Opta which means he is ranked as low as ninth for xA (5.78).

O.Dango is ranked seventh for 'big chances' created (10) despite playing just 1718 minutes. The 24-year-old is also ranked seventh for 'big chances' (13) and looks to be better value for money than Schade. As the below image from our Predicted Lineups feature shows, he is rated at 97% to start against Everton in Gameweek 32 despite his benching against Leeds.

Wilson ranks fourth for FPL assists (eight), but sits as low as 34th for attempted assists (31) and 24th for 'big chances' created (seven). With Fulham’s schedule set to toughen, FPL managers may be better off looking elsewhere.

Which Teams have the Best Fixtures?

As shown in the below image from our Fixture Difficulty Ratings, Brighton are top for 'Attack Difficulty' over the remainder of the season and have several differentials of interest to FPL managers.

Gomez is their leading midfielder for goals (five), xG (5.29) and xFPL (99.82), while Mitoma’s fitness also needs to be monitored. Minteh remains their most creative midfielder with 35 attempted assists.

Arsenal have an excellent set of fixtures to end the season, making Rice a strong inclusion in FPL Wildcard squads, with Saka a potential differential.

Gibbs-White and Anderson appeal, with Forest currently ranked fifth. Meanwhile, managers losing faith in Rogers may want to reconsider, with Villa facing Forest, Sunderland, Spurs and Burnley in their next five matches.

Brentford’s next three home fixtures against Everton, Fulham and West Ham are appealing before their schedule takes a turn for the worse.

Similarly, B. Fernandes, Cunha and Mbeumo look like solid picks for Man United’s home games against Leeds, Brentford and Liverpool.

Disclaimer: Fixture difficulty and scheduling remain subject to change following the FA Cup quarter-finals, which will result in Blank and Double Gameweeks. Managers should factor this uncertainty into their planning.

What do the Projections Say?

As the below image from our Predicted Points & Stats tool shows, B.Fernandes (39.2) is projected to be the top scoring midfielder for the remainder of the season.

Saka (32.3) and Gordon (31.7) could be explosive differentials for the run-in with the latter benefiting from playing as Newcastle's striker over the last few games.

Popular midfielders Semenyo (30.2) and Rice (30.1) are expected to continue delivering points, while the DEFCON king Anderson's potential has only gone up with Pereira's arrival at Forest.

Rogers (27.9) and Wilson (27.7) are in 11th and 12th and still good holds for FPL managers. Meanwhile, Cunha (27.9) has leapt ahead of Mbeumo (26.6) with the latter's minutes under threat from Šeško.

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