With Gameweek 24 fast approaching, many Fantasy Premier League managers will be looking beyond the heavily owned names to find an edge. Differentials can be season-defining when timed correctly — and this week, several under-the-radar picks stand out.
All five players highlighted below are owned by fewer than 10% of managers, making them ideal for those chasing rank or looking to gain ground in mini-leagues.
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.
The 25-year-old Brazil international has featured in 21 matches this season, and his recent returns are beginning to align with his underlying numbers.
Evanilson has scored five goals, with three coming across the last five Gameweeks — the most of any Bournemouth player in that period. Over those matches, he has also posted the highest expected goals (xG) total (2.6), taken the most shots (five) and attempted five assists, as shown in the Match Centre feature.
The season-long data suggests this purple patch isn’t a fluke. Evanilson has accumulated an xG of 6.76 overall, indicating he could arguably have scored more. He has attempted 44 shots, 14 of which have been on target, with 40 of those efforts coming from inside the box — underlining his role as Bournemouth’s primary goal threat following Semenyo’s departure.
He has also contributed three FPL assists this season, bettered only by Senesi (four) among Bournemouth players. With the Cherries ranked fifth in the Fixture Planner for attacking difficulty until Gameweek 30, Evanilson looks well placed as a medium-term pick rather than a short-term punt.
At just 22, the Ivory Coast international is emerging as a trusted option under Michael Carrick. Amad’s involvement has increased notably since Amorim’s departure, highlighted by near-full matches against Manchester City and Arsenal.
He has registered two goals and four assists this season, but it’s the underlying involvement that really makes him stand out as a differential. Amad has attempted 31 shots, with 10 on target, and his xG of 4.26 suggests further returns should follow if his minutes remain secure.
240,695 transfers in for Dorgu this week… and now he’s ruled out for 10 weeks 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/kH8QAygxPV
— Fantasy Football Fix (@FantasyFootyFix) January 27, 2026
With Dorgu sidelined, United’s attacking roles look set to be shared between Amad, Cunha, Mbeumo and Šeško. Priced at £6.2m, Amad appears the best-value route into that attack — a view reinforced by his inclusion in Copenhagen Wednesday’s latest Wildcard draft, where he features as one of a handful of differentials selected by a manager with six top-10k finishes.
The 23-year-old England international has become an increasingly important part of Nottingham Forest’s midfield this season. Elliot Anderson has featured in 23 matches, accumulating 97 FPL points — the most of any Forest player — as the club prepares to benefit from one of the league’s most appealing short-term fixture runs.
Forest rank third in the Fixture Planner for attacking difficulty, with Crystal Palace (H), Leeds (A) and Wolves (H) to come.
Anderson has contributed one goal and three assists, and while his attacking output has been modest, the underlying involvement suggests further returns are possible. His points accumulation has largely been driven by Defensive Contributions (DEFCON), where he has registered 317 DEFCON actions — the most of any player this season and 37 more than second-placed Senesi.
Forest’s current unbeaten streak — wins over West Ham and Brentford, followed by a draw against Arsenal — further strengthens the case for investment. If Anderson can add an attacking return or two to his regular DEFCON output, he shapes up as a balanced, low-risk midfield differential with upside at under 5% ownership.
The 24-year-old Wales international offers excellent value as the cheapest route into Nottingham Forest’s defence.
Since Sean Dyche took charge in Gameweek 9, Forest have conceded just 19 goals — the sixth fewest in the league — and kept five clean sheets, a total bettered only by Everton (seven) and Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City (all six), as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox. Arriving in Gameweek 24 off the back of two consecutive clean sheets, Williams looks well placed to deliver again.
How many clean sheets do you think Forest will manage in this run of fixtures? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/Ufk6VOBeZY
— Fantasy Football Fix (@FantasyFootyFix) January 26, 2026
Forest also rank second in the Fixture Planner for defensive difficulty across their upcoming fixtures, which include Crystal Palace (H), Leeds (A) and Wolves (H), giving the Tricky Trees a strong chance to further add to that clean sheet tally.
Williams benefits not only from Forest’s defensive solidity but also from some attacking upside. He has registered one goal and one assist this season, while posting encouraging underlying numbers for Forest’s cheapest regular starter.
At just 3.2% ownership, he offers a reliable, low-risk defensive differential with the potential to return at both ends during this favourable run.
The 25-year-old Netherlands international has been one of Brighton’s quiet success stories this season. Van Hecke has featured in 22 matches, scoring three goals and adding two assists — giving him five attacking returns, an exceptional tally for a centre-back.
Only Tottenham duo Van de Ven and Romero have scored more goals among defenders this season as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox. Van Hecke’s threat is reflected in his 17 shots, with eight on target, alongside an xG of 2.65, indicating those goals are backed by strong chance quality.
Brighton’s upcoming fixtures further enhance his appeal, with home matches against Everton and Crystal Palace. Both sides have struggled offensively, with Palace scoring the third fewest goals and Everton the fourth fewest this season.
Each of these differentials combines low ownership with credible underlying data, strong fixtures, or improving minutes. Whether you’re chasing rank or simply looking to move ahead of the template, targeting one or two of these players in Gameweek 24 could pay dividends — not just this week, but over the medium term.
And if you’re considering activating your Wildcard, check out our article on Copenhagen Wednesday’s latest Wildcard draft, which is packed with differential picks to consider.
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