Selecting the right players is only half the battle when building your first Fantasy Premier League squad.
Knowing which players to leave out can be just as important.
Some popular FPL assets are returning late from the World Cup. Others face competition for minutes, difficult opening fixtures or price tags that leave very little room for error.
That does not necessarily make them bad players or permanent avoids. However, there may be better options available when the 2026/27 FPL season begins.
Here are the FPL players to avoid — or at least approach with caution — before the Gameweek 1 deadline.
The short turnaround between the World Cup and the beginning of the Premier League season is one of the biggest complications facing FPL managers.
As explored in our detailed look at the FPL implications of Premier League clubs’ post-World Cup plans, players involved during the latter stages of the tournament are expected to receive approximately three weeks away from club football.
That could mean some players from England, France, Argentina and Spain do not return to training until around 10–12 August.
With Gameweek 1 beginning on 21 August, they would have less than two weeks to recover, complete their preseason preparations and prove they are ready to start.
Not every player will be treated identically. Minutes played, fitness levels and individual decisions will all matter.
Nevertheless, late returners should be monitored carefully throughout preseason.
Arsenal could be particularly affected at the beginning of the season.
Bukayo Saka (£9.5m) and Declan Rice (£7.5m) were involved deep into the World Cup and may require an extended break before returning to competitive action.
There are also reported fitness concerns to consider, with Saka managing an Achilles problem and Rice reportedly experiencing nerve pain.
However, the Opta stats highlight why both could become options later in the season. Saka leads Rice for goals, expected goals, shots and expected assists per 90 minutes, although he also costs £2.0m more. Rice offers greater security for minutes and could benefit from defensive contribution (DEFCON) points.
Verdict: They may not be ideal Gameweek 1 selections, but both should remain on the watchlist once their fitness and starting status become clearer.
Goalkeepers may require less physical preparation than outfield players, but Emiliano Martínez’s involvement in the World Cup final still creates doubt over his Gameweek 1 availability.
Aston Villa could give their first-choice goalkeeper additional recovery time rather than rushing him back for the opening weekend. Even if Martínez (£5.0m) is ready to start, Villa rank sixth-worst for defensive fixtures across the opening five Gameweeks in the Fixture Planner.
With cheaper goalkeepers offering greater security and more favourable schedules, there is little reason to consider him initially.
Verdict: Avoid Martínez for Gameweek 1 and reassess when Villa’s fixtures improve.
FPL managers will need to monitor both Enzo Fernández (£7.0m) and Reece James (£5.5m) closely during preseason.
Enzo's late return could delay his involvement, while reported interest from Real Madrid adds further uncertainty over his long-term future at the club.
James is also carrying an injury concern after reportedly picking up a problem during the World Cup. That could give Malo Gusto (£5.0m) an opportunity in Gameweek 1, although his appeal may be short-lived if he becomes a rotation risk once James returns.
James was once an FPL favourite and could eventually regain that status. For now, though, his fitness and security of starts remain difficult to trust.
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1️⃣ Haaland — £15.5m — 71.4%
2️⃣ B. Fernandes — £12.0m — 46.1%
3️⃣ João Pedro — £7.5m — 45.9%
4️⃣ Szoboszlai — £7.0m — 37.5%
5️⃣ Rogers — £7.5m — 36.7%
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There are wider questions surrounding Chelsea too. New manager Alonso must find a system that accommodates Cole Palmer (£9.5m) and new signing Morgan Rogers (£7.5m), while the club’s continued transfer activity means several roles remain uncertain. Their preseason line-ups should provide valuable clues about the preferred formation and first-choice XI.
Verdict: Avoid committing to Fernández, James or Gusto until Chelsea’s preseason shape and expected starters become clearer.
Several other Premier League players could have their Gameweek 1 involvement affected by the World Cup.
These include:
Romero’s situation is complicated further by uncertainty over his future, while Porro could also be at risk of missing the opening fixture.
These players should not automatically be removed from every draft. However, owning someone who starts Gameweek 1 on the bench is an unnecessary problem when safer alternatives are available.
There is another group of players who carry some risk but should not yet be classified as outright avoids.
That group includes:
Raya and Pickford did not play substantial minutes during the tournament, which could improve their chances of starting immediately.
However, heavily involved outfield players such as Konsa and Rogers could initially be restricted to substitute appearances.
Use the Fantasy Football Fix Predicted Lineups and preseason information to track which returning players are expected to start in Gameweek 1.
Christos Tzolis (£6.5m) arrives at Arsenal following an outstanding campaign for Club Brugge, recording 41 goal involvements in 52 appearances across all competitions. However, the step up to the Premier League and stiff competition for places make the new signing a wait-and-see option.
There is uncertainty elsewhere in Arsenal’s attack too. Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz (both £7.5m) could play together, with Havertz dropping into midfield, but the German was also regularly used through the middle towards the end of last season.
Arsenal have a wealth of attacking options, as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox with their 2025/26 stats, so preseason line-ups should provide important clues about Arteta’s preferred system and which players are most secure for minutes. Arsenal’s rotation of Gyökeres last season further highlights the risk of assuming he will start every match.
As Dan Bennett — who has recorded 10 top-10k finishes, including seven inside the top 5k — explained in his first team reveal article:
“I’ll aim to start the season with plenty of players that are likely to have secure minutes.”
That may be the safest approach until Arsenal’s attacking hierarchy becomes clearer.
Verdict: Monitor Arsenal closely during preseason, but consider starting with more nailed players rather than gambling on Tzolis, Gyökeres or Havertz.
Nordi Mukiele provided outstanding value at £4.0m last season, but FPL managers must now pay £5.5m for the Sunderland defender.
That £1.5m increase changes the calculation considerably. At his new price, Mukiele will need to deliver regular clean sheets, attacking returns and defensive contribution points to compete with more established options.
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There are also reasons to question whether Sunderland’s defensive record was sustainable. They conceded only 48 goals last season — the fourth-fewest in the division — but their expected goals conceded figure was 61.7, the seventh-worst. That suggests their final record may have flattered them.
Verdict: Mukiele looks considerably less attractive at £5.5m and may struggle to justify the price if Sunderland’s underlying defensive numbers catch up with them.
Marcos Senesi was the standout defender for defensive contributions last season, earning 48 FPL points from them — the equivalent of eight goals or 16 assists.
However, his move to Tottenham introduces several new concerns. Senesi starts at a premium £6.0m, while his involvement in the World Cup final could also affect his availability for Gameweek 1.
Spurs may improve following their summer recruitment, but new-look defences often need time to settle. They conceded 57 goals last season, the fourth-most in the league, and recorded only nine clean sheets — the seventh-fewest as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox.
That makes £6.0m difficult to justify before we know how quickly Senesi adapts and whether Tottenham can become a more reliable defensive side.
Cheaper alternatives may offer better value. Jan Paul van Hecke (£5.0m), for example, recorded 317 defensive contributions last season — the eighth-highest total among defenders.
Verdict: Senesi’s defensive-contribution potential is excellent, but wait for evidence that Tottenham’s defence and his new role can justify the premium price.
Manchester City’s attackers are extremely tempting, particularly as they rank fifth for attacking fixture difficulty in the Fixture Planner across the opening five Gameweeks.
Two of the standout budget options are Rayan Cherki (£7.5m) and Phil Foden (£7.0m), whose price is his lowest for several seasons. Both are capable of producing explosive FPL returns when given consistent minutes.
That remains the concern.
City have several players competing for attacking positions, including Antoine Semenyo (£8.5m), Jérémy Doku (£7.5m), Omar Marmoush (£7.0m) and Jack Grealish (£6.5m), who could yet enjoy a resurgence under new manager Enzo Maresca.
The days of constant Pep roulette may be over, but FPL managers must now learn which players Maresca considers first choice. Foden and Cherki could compete for the same central attacking role rather than starting together regularly.
A low price does not represent genuine value when a player frequently begins matches on the bench.
Verdict: Monitor Manchester City throughout preseason and wait for clearer evidence of Maresca’s preferred attacking line-up.
Eli Junior Kroupi (£7.5m) is one of the most intriguing midfielders available this season.
Despite his £3.0m price rise, is Kroupi Jr still making your first #FPL draft?
— Fantasy Football Fix (@FantasyFootyFix) July 23, 2026
Those 2025/26 stats are difficult to ignore… 👀 pic.twitter.com/WDVjLVhGX8
He has been reclassified as a midfielder, could be on penalties and scored 13 goals during an impressive breakthrough campaign. However, his opening fixtures make him difficult to justify from Gameweek 1.
Kroupi travels to Manchester City, Newcastle and Chelsea during the first six Gameweeks, while Bournemouth also host Liverpool in that period.
That schedule significantly reduces his immediate appeal, especially following his substantial rise to £7.5m. Kroupi could become an excellent FPL option later in the season, but there is no need to own every promising player from the opening deadline.
Verdict: Keep Kroupi on your watchlist and reconsider him once Bournemouth’s fixtures improve.
A player does not need to be injured or out of form to deserve caution.
The most common warning signs before Gameweek 1 are:
Picking reliable starters is particularly important at the beginning of the season.
FPL managers will quickly discover new information once competitive matches begin. Starting with avoidable doubts can force early transfers and prevent you from reacting to more valuable opportunities.
Several of these players could become excellent FPL options later, but timing matters.
Your opening squad should prioritise players who are fit, available and secure for minutes. Preseason line-ups, transfer news and predicted starts will help identify when these risks become worthwhile.
The Fantasy Football Fix Elite XI: Team Reveal can also show which players proven managers are selecting — and which popular traps they are avoiding.
Follow first drafts and live team changes from our Elite XI: Team Reveal managers.
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