Top 5 FPL Differentials for Gameweek 8

The international break is nearly behind us — and it’s time to get back to business!

With so many managers sticking to the same template picks, this is the perfect moment to find that hidden gem who can set your team apart.

We’ve picked out five standout differentials, each owned by under 10% of managers, who combine strong data, form, and fixtures to give you that all-important Gameweek 8 edge.

How We Picked These FPL Differentials

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.

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Jarrod Bowen: The Best of a Bad Bunch Up Front?

• Position: Forward
• Cost: £7.7m
• Ownership: 7.3%
• Predicted Points: 4.4
• Fixture: Brentford (H)

Bowen remains the heartbeat of West Ham’s attack, even as the Hammers struggle through a dreadful start to the 2025/26 campaign.

With the forward market largely disappointing in FPL this season — Haaland aside — Bowen stands out as one of the few consistent performers. In fact, only he and João Pedro currently rank inside the top 30 FPL points scorers among forwards.

The England international has played 630 minutes across seven matches, scoring three goals from 15 shots — 12 of them inside the box and seven on target. His underlying data suggests he might be overperforming, with an xG of 0.98, but the fixtures are firmly in his favour.

As shown in the Fixture Planner tool, West Ham sit top for attacking difficulty over the next four Gameweeks, giving Bowen every chance to keep delivering. He’s already produced 35 FPL points and nine bonus points, with an xFPL of 29.62 indicating that while his returns may be inflated, the underlying threat is still very real.

It’s no surprise, then, that Copenhagen Wednesday — one of Fix’s Elite XI: Team Reveal managers with six top 10k finishes — has included Bowen in his current Wildcard draft. You can read more about his thinking in “Reset, Refocus, Rebuild” – Elite XI Veteran Reveals Wildcard Plans.

With Brentford up next and newly promoted Leeds and Burnley to come, Bowen’s combination of proven pedigree, advanced positioning, and sub-10% ownership make him an excellent Gameweek 8 differential.

Ismaïla Sarr: Today’s Differential, Tomorrow’s Template?

• Position: Midfielder
• Cost: £6.5m
• Ownership: 6.5%
• Predicted Points: 4.4
• Fixture: Bournemouth (H)

Sarr has seamlessly become Palace’s new talisman following Eze’s absence to Arsenal in the summer.

In just five appearances, Sarr has produced three goals and one assist — that’s four attacking returns from only 434 minutes of football. He’s taken seven shots, four of them on target, and all backed by strong underlying numbers with an xG of 2.44 and an xA of 0.93.

However, he might not remain a differential for long. Over 140,000 managers have already brought him in ahead of Gameweek 8, and that number is rising fast. As shown in the Transfer Analytics tool, Sarr features in three of the top ten midfielder transfer combinations, along with with popular names like Saka, Semenyo, and Kudus.

He’s also made it into the Wildcard drafts of two of our Elite XI: Team Reveal managers, suggesting that while he’s today’s differential, he could soon become tomorrow’s template pick.

Sarr’s mix of direct running, pace, and consistent end product make him the ideal mid-priced midfielder — and now looks the perfect time to jump on before the crowd follows.

Thiago: Budget Breakthrough or Brief Fad?

• Position: Forward
• Cost: £6.1m
• Ownership: 3.4%
• Predicted Points: 4.2
• Fixture: West Ham (A)

With so few reliable options up front, Thiago is emerging as one of the best-value forwards in FPL.

The Brentford striker has scored four goals in seven games — only Haaland (9) and Semenyo (6) have more, as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox — earning 32 FPL points from 564 minutes of action.

His attacking metrics are impressive: 12 shots in total, 10 of them inside the box and six on target, with five big chances and an xG of 3.23 — among the strongest in his price bracket.

However, he’s not the only name in the budget forward conversation. Despite his reputation as an FPL ‘troll’, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also beginning to make a case for inclusion.

Thiago’s Gameweek 8 fixture looks particularly enticing. He faces a West Ham defence that may tighten up under new boss Nuno Espírito Santo but has still conceded a league-high 16 goals.

On penalties and offering consistent underlying threat, Thiago looks a high-upside, low-cost forward who’s passing both the eye and data tests.

Chris Richards: Budget DEFCON Gold in Palace’s Backline

• Position: Defender
• Cost: £4.5m
• Ownership: 3.1%
• Predicted Points: 4.7
• Fixture: Bournemouth (H)

Chris Richards has quietly become one of the most reliable budget defenders in FPL. Priced at just £4.5m, he currently ranks as the third-highest scoring player in that bracket with 33 FPL points.

The Palace centre-back has been ever-present, playing all 630 minutes so far and helping his side to three clean sheets, while they’ve conceded just five goals — a total bettered only by Arsenal (3), as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox.

While Richards doesn’t offer much attacking threat, he more than compensates with his defensive output. His DEFCON of 73 ranks sixth among all defenders, averaging an impressive 10.43 per game. With DEFCON now a major driver of FPL returns for defenders, the Predicted Points & Stats tool backs him further — placing him fourth for predicted points among defenders over the next four Gameweeks.

At £4.5m, with strong defensive data and a favourable fixture run, Richards looks like an excellent value pick — and arguably a lock for those activating their Wildcard in Gameweek 8.

Nordi Mukiele: The £4.0m Gem Hiding in Plain Sight

• Position: Defender
• Cost: £4.0m
• Ownership: 2.2%
• Predicted Points: 4.5
• Fixture: Wolves (H)

If Richards isn’t budget enough, then at just £4.0m, Mukiele has quietly emerged as one of the most intriguing ultra-budget defenders in FPL.

His teammate Alderete might be the slightly better option when fit, but he’s currently flagged after picking up an injury on international duty — and at £4.1m, he’s also slightly pricier for those trying to stretch every penny on a Wildcard.

Mukiele’s attacking output is limited (xG 0.10, xA 0.22), but his defensive numbers are strong. A DEFCON score of 63, ranking 13th among defenders and averaging 9.14 per game, highlights his steady reliability.

For those activating a Wildcard in Gameweek 8, a defensive rotation with Kilman (£4.4m) — who has a DEFCON score of 64, the 10th-highest among defenders — looks particularly appealing. The Rotation Planner tool shows their combined schedule over the next four Gameweeks as Wolves (H), Leeds (A), Everton (H), and Burnley (H) — a near-perfect budget pairing.

For managers in search of a cheap enabler who actually plays and offers genuine points potential, Mukiele provides a rare blend of minutes, defensive consistency, and clean sheet upside — especially with a home fixture against Wolves next.

Final Thoughts: Differentials That Could Define FPL Gameweek 8

Each of these five players offers something a little different — but all have the potential to deliver when it matters most.

• Thiago and Sarr combine strong underlying data with excellent short-term fixtures, making them standout mid-price options capable of double-digit hauls.
• Bowen remains a proven performer — a player with pedigree and the fixtures to turn steady returns into a genuine purple patch.
• Meanwhile, Richards and Mukiele offer smart, low-cost defensive routes into solid systems, ideal for balancing budgets on a Wildcard.

For managers looking to climb the ranks, these low-owned assets strike the perfect blend of form, fixtures, and FPL value — the kind of differentials that can turn a good Gameweek into a great one

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