With many managers preparing to activate their Free Hit or Wildcard this week — including 7× top-10k manager Mark Mansfield, as covered in Triple City, Double Brentford: Elite Manager Reveals Wildcard — the hunt for clever differentials is well underway.
Gameweek 13 is a prime opportunity to gain rank quickly, especially for those looking to move away from heavily owned picks and towards low-owned, data-backed options.
Our strategy balances attacking potential with defensive coverage:
⚽ 3 attacking player – midfielders or forwards
🛡️ 2 defensive players – defenders or goalkeepers
This ensures coverage across the pitch while prioritising FPL points, essential for Gameweek success.
Rogers has quietly climbed to second in Villa’s FPL points rankings after his impressive 15-point haul against Leeds in Gameweek 12.
The 23-year-old Englishman now has three goals and two assists. He also leads Villa for expected assists (1.83) and big chances created (3), and continues to find dangerous positions, registering nine shots inside the box this season.
His differential status may not last much longer. According to the Transfer Analytics tool, over 160,000 managers have already brought him in this week, making him the fifth most transferred-in player ahead of GW13.
With Wolves up next — the only side in the league without a clean sheet and the team that has conceded the most goals (27) — the attraction is clear.
Schade’s numbers are far stronger than his ownership suggests. A look at Brentford’s last five matches in the Match Centre feature shows just how integral he has become to the Bees’ attack.
The 24-year-old has scored twice, generated 1.4 xG, produced three shots on target, and created one assist from eight attempted key passes, underlining his dual routes to attacking returns.
With Burnley up next — the worst away defence in the league, conceding an average of three goals per game on the road — he stands out as one of the best differential punts of the Gameweek.
With many managers already owning Thiago, doubling up on Brentford attack could be a clever strategy. It’s even something 7× top-10k manager Mark Mansfield has hinted at in his latest Wildcard draft article.
Doku has taken a clear step forward this season and remains one of Manchester City’s most dangerous outlets.
His goal tally may only sit at one, but his creativity is on another level: he has produced four assists, generated a huge 3.99 xA — the highest in the league — and created six big chances, also the most of any player so far.
With Leeds visiting the Etihad, many managers will be looking to pair Haaland with a second City attacker, and Phil Foden is understandably attracting attention.
But a comparison of their per-90 metrics in the Opta Heatmaps tool shows a more nuanced picture: the England international leads the way for pure goal threat, yet the Belgian comfortably outperforms him in every creative metric, often by a significant margin.
Given Leeds have conceded 15 away goals and are yet to keep a clean sheet on the road, choosing the right City midfielder could be a major differential edge — and Doku’s blend of creativity, efficiency and explosiveness makes him a standout option for those looking to gain ground.
Nunes isn’t as exciting a pick as O’Reilly — who appears in Mark Mansfield’s Wildcard draft and has been highlighted in recent Who to Target analysis — but he may offer something equally valuable: more secure minutes.
The Portuguese international has played 784 minutes this season, second only to Rúben Dias (995) among City’s defenders. With Aït-Nouri returning from injury and likely to compete for O’Reilly’s spot, Nunes’ reliability becomes even more appealing.
He still carries some attacking threat, contributing two assists so far, and tends to make effective runs forward that complement City’s forward play.
With Manchester City sitting top of the Fixture Planner for defensive difficulty between Gameweeks 13 and 17, opting for the player with steadier minutes could be the smarter move — especially with the festive schedule typically bringing heavy rotation.
Cash continues to deliver at an exceptional level, returning more FPL points than any other Aston Villa player this season. His home output is especially strong — he’s averaging 5.5 points per game at Villa Park, according to the Opta Heatmaps tool.
The Poland international has already scored twice and remains one of the most attacking defenders in the league, with 12 shots and five on target, the second-highest total among all defenders. His advanced positioning under Emery continues to give him multiple routes to points.
With Wolves visiting — a side that has scored just one goal in six away matches — Cash has a genuine opportunity for both defensive and attacking returns in GW13.
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