With Blank Gameweek 31 approaching, many Fantasy Premier League managers are prioritising players who will actually have a fixture that week.
One way to gain an edge is by targeting low-owned differentials who not only have strong data but also avoid the upcoming blank.
In this article we highlight five players owned by under 10% of managers who could provide a big boost in Gameweek 30 and beyond.
Importantly, all five have a fixture in Blank Gameweek 31, making them useful both immediately and for future planning.
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 24-year-old Burkina Faso international has quietly become one of Brentford’s most productive attacking assets this season and remains massively under-owned in FPL.
Across 23 appearances, Dango has returned five goals and six assists, with his assist tally the highest among Brentford players, as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox.
His underlying numbers reinforce his attacking potential, registering 6.31 expected goals (xG) and 13 ‘big chances’, which suggests he has been somewhat unlucky not to score more.
Meanwhile, his creative output is equally impressive, having produced 16 attempted assists and six 'big chances' created.
Brentford’s upcoming schedule strengthens the case even further. Fixtures against Wolves (H), Leeds (A), Everton (H) and Fulham (H) put Brentford second for attacking fixtures over this period, according to the Fixture Planner tool, and provide several opportunities for attacking returns.
Given his combination of creativity and goal threat, the Brentford winger looks like a standout differential ahead of Gameweek 30.
After returning from injury, the 22-year-old Germany international could be an intriguing differential as Liverpool’s attack gears up for the run-in.
The creative midfielder has played 25 matches in his debut Premier League campaign, delivering four goals and three assists so far. His underlying numbers highlight significant underperformance, with 6.71 xG and 5.11 xA, suggesting he should have more attacking returns to his name.
Much of his underperformance came from a relatively slow start to life at Anfield. However, the German produced seven attacking returns between Gameweeks 14 and 26 (four goals and three assists) before his injury. Only Haaland (81) and B. Fernandes (80) returned more than his 78 FPL points in that period, while no player collected more than his 16 bonus points.
During this run he averaged an impressive 6.0 FPL points per game, as shown in the Opta Heatmaps tool.
Liverpool face Tottenham in Gameweek 30, who have not kept a clean sheet in their last 10 matches and have conceded a league-high 23 goals during that period, according to the Opta Stats Sandbox.
With such favourable opposition, the playmaker could rediscover his form just as managers begin searching for low-owned attacking options.
The 23-year-old England international heads into Gameweek 30 full of confidence after a huge 12-point haul against Manchester City—the club he has been strongly linked with ahead of a potential summer transfer—where he scored, claimed maximum bonus and registered defensive contributions (DEFCON) points.
Across the season, the Nottingham Forest midfielder has been quietly productive, featuring in 29 matches. During that time he has delivered two goals and three assists, supported by 2.54 xG and 2.66 xA.
However, DEFCON are where he really racks up points. He has made 407 in total, averaging 14.03 per game, comfortably above the 12 needed for the extra two points. This steady stream of DEFCON returns has helped him become Forest’s top FPL points scorer with 131, and even more impressively the sixth-highest scoring midfielder, as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox.
Considering he is priced at just £5.5m, it is not only the differential appeal but also the value for money that makes him so appealing.
With a favourable upcoming run and Forest also playing in Blank Gameweek 31, the DEFCON-heavy midfielder offers managers a strong differential option ahead of Gameweek 30.
Anderson even featured in an optimal team without Haaland that we explored in a recent article, which looked at whether it might be time to sell the Norwegian forward.
The 29-year-old Denmark international missed the last two Premier League games due to a virus but returned in the FA Cup defeat to Southampton and is expected to return to the starting XI against Forest this weekend.
Having played 26 matches, Andersen has contributed to five clean sheets so far this season. However, his appeal extends beyond clean sheets thanks to his strong defensive metrics, averaging 10.19 defensive contributions per game. He has 265 defensive contributions in total, the fifth-most among defenders this season.
Fulham’s upcoming fixtures against Nottingham Forest (A) and Burnley (H) present solid clean-sheet opportunities. Both teams have struggled in front of goal, with Forest scoring 28 goals (second lowest in the league) and Burnley 32 (fourth fewest), as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox. This makes Andersen a useful defensive option for managers looking to gain an edge with low ownership.
The 24-year-old English defender seems to feature in differential conversations almost every week, and it is easy to see why.
James Hill appreciation post 👏
— Fantasy Football Fix (@FantasyFootyFix) March 7, 2026
In the last 7 Gameweeks:
📊 2nd highest-scoring defender (45 FPL points)
🍒 Bournemouth’s top FPL scorer in that period
🅰️ Most assists among defenders (4)
🧱 DEFCON returns in 5 matches
❌ Only one blank
Still just £4.2m in FPL 👀 pic.twitter.com/qF6S0NS5zK
Priced at just £4.2m, Hill has delivered excellent value with 45 FPL points over the last seven Gameweeks. He has also contributed four assists and registered DEFCON points in five of those seven matches, showing that he offers more than just clean-sheet potential.
With Bournemouth facing Burnley (A) in Gameweek 30 and also playing in Blank Gameweek 31, the budget defender remains one of the most appealing low-owned defensive picks available and could help free up cash for upgrades elsewhere in your team.
With Blank Gameweek 31 looming, managers who plan ahead could gain a significant advantage. The five players above not only offer low ownership under 10%, but they also combine strong data with favourable fixtures.
From Dango’s creative output and Wirtz’s attacking upside, to Andersen and Hill’s defensive potential, these picks provide multiple routes to points while helping managers navigate the upcoming blank.
If you are looking to climb the ranks in Gameweek 30, these differentials could be exactly what you need.
50% OFF Premium + FREE 7-day trial 🔥
The edge you need to stay ahead of your FPL rivals.
Join 89% of our members who won their main mini-league last season.
TRY IT NOWAlready a Premium user? Login here
© fantasyfootballfix 2024 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
