FPL 2026/27: Players You Must Avoid |

FPL has plenty of tempting names, but several popular players should be left out of your Gameweek 1 squad because their prices, minutes, roles, fixtures or summer situations carry more risk than the points potential suggests.

This is where FPL becomes slightly cruel.

A player can be excellent in the Premier League and still be a poor fantasy pick, particularly when the price has moved beyond what his role can comfortably support. The game rewards goals, assists, clean sheets, saves, bonus points and defensive contributions, so a midfielder who spends most of his afternoon controlling a match can still leave you staring at a disappointing two points while a less fashionable player scores twice.

The 2026/27 game also begins after a summer World Cup, with players arriving back at their clubs at different stages, several teams starting with new managers and several squads undergoing major changes. That creates more uncertainty than usual, especially around starting places.

The official FPL pricing confirms the shape of the market, with Haaland at a record £15.5m, Bruno Fernandes at £12m, Gabriel at £8m and a large collection of £5m to £7m players competing for attention. Defensive contribution points also remain part of the scoring system, making some budget centre-backs considerably more attractive than they first appear.

So, rather than just listing bad players, this is about identifying players who are easier to avoid than to own right now.

Some may become excellent picks later.

That is part of the point.

If you are new to FPL and you do not know how to go about it, it’s better that you read our exclusive guide on how to play FPL this season and get ahead.

Contents

Alejandro Garnacho, Aston Villa, £6m

Garnacho is one of the more obvious names that could tempt FPL managers into acting too quickly, because the move to Aston Villa gives him a fresh start after an awkward season at Chelsea.

The 22-year-old joined Villa on a season-long loan from Chelsea in July, with the deal containing a conditional obligation to buy, after Chelsea themselves had signed him from Manchester United for around £40m the previous summer.

The price looks attractive at £6m, especially for a player who has already shown that he can produce goals and assists in the Premier League.

The problem is that last season was not particularly encouraging from an FPL perspective.

Garnacho played 1,268 Premier League minutes for Chelsea, starting 14 matches and coming off the bench in another 10, which means his total involvement was nowhere near the level required to make him a dependable fantasy asset.

Villa also have established attacking options, with Emi Buendía, Morgan Rogers having left for Chelsea, Leon Bailey and other wide players giving Unai Emery different combinations.

Garnacho could eventually become a starter, but £6m is still money that can be spent on a player with a much clearer route to 70 or 80 minutes every week.

Verdict: Avoid for Gameweek 1, monitor closely.

Evanilson, Bournemouth, £6m

Evanilson finished 2025/26 with six Premier League goals and seven assists from 32 starts, returning 115 FPL points from 2,741 minutes.

Those numbers are not disastrous, but the problem becomes clearer when you look at the forwards around him.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is £6m at Leeds, Igor Jesus is £6m at Nottingham Forest, Brian Brobbey offers another budget route at Sunderland, while other forwards around the same price provide different combinations of minutes and attacking involvement.

Evanilson therefore needs to outperform a crowded field simply to justify the selection.

Bournemouth also begin the campaign away at Manchester City, which is hardly the opening fixture that makes a £6m forward irresistible.

The Brazilian can become useful when Bournemouth’s fixtures improve, but there is no need to force the pick before we know whether his attacking output can improve enough to separate him from the crowd.

Verdict: Easy avoid at the start.

Callum Wilson, Brentford, £5.5m

Callum Wilson has been an FPL favourite for years, but the 2026/27 version comes with a very obvious problem.

Minutes.

Brentford have Igor Thiago leading the line at £8m, while Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Jaidon Anthony give Keith Andrews several attacking options around the striker. Wilson was brought in as experienced competition rather than someone who automatically owns the position.

The veteran forward can still score when given opportunities, but FPL does not reward goals sitting on the bench.

Even if Thiago misses matches, Brentford have enough versatility to change the shape of the attack instead of automatically turning to Wilson.

That makes £5.5m feel awkward when several forwards in the same bracket have clearer paths to starting regularly.

Verdict: Avoid unless the Brentford team news changes dramatically.

Georginio Rutter, Brighton, £5.5m

Rutter has been reclassified as a forward, and that change alone makes his FPL appeal slightly weaker because forwards receive fewer points for goals than midfielders.

He also faces competition from Charalampos Kostoulas, who has impressed during pre-season and is expected to receive a greater role after Brighton carefully managed his introduction to English football last season.

Rutter scored five goals and supplied two assists last season, returning 87 FPL points, while Kostoulas is also priced at £5.5m.

That leaves managers paying for a player whose starting position is not completely secure.

At £5.5m, the upside is there, but the safer move is to wait until Fabian Hürzeler’s selection pattern becomes clearer.

Verdict: Avoid initially because of minutes and position.

Milan van Ewijk, Coventry, £4m

Milan van Ewijk is one of those players who looks extremely attractive when you open the FPL app and see £4m next to his name.

The Coventry right-back produced eight Championship assists last season and has enough attacking instinct to make the price interesting, but his defensive contribution potential is less compelling than some of the other £4m defenders.

That matters because defensive contribution points have changed the way budget defenders should be assessed.

Bobby Thomas, also £4m at Coventry, averaged 8.6 defensive actions per 90 minutes last season and offers additional goal threat after scoring three times and assisting four goals in the Championship.

Van Ewijk could still provide assists, but the safer £4m strategy is to prioritise a defender who can accumulate points even when his team concedes.

Verdict: Avoid as a first-choice £4m defender.

Beto, Everton, £5.5m

Beto’s 9 Premier League goals last season make his £5.5m price look reasonable until the minutes are examined more closely.

He started only 17 matches, and Everton have Thierno Barry competing for the central striker role while David Moyes has several attacking options capable of changing the shape of the front line. Everton’s pre-season has already shown Barry’s ability to lead the attack, including a strong performance against Newcastle.

Everton also finished 13th last season and remain a side where goals are unlikely to be distributed generously across the squad.

Spending £5.5m on a forward who might rotate is therefore difficult to justify when £6m buys options with considerably stronger attacking cases.

Verdict: Avoid and spend the extra £0.5m elsewhere.

Sander Berge, Fulham, £5m

Berge scored only once and assisted three times last season, but his FPL value came from playing regularly and collecting defensive contribution points.

Fulham confirm that he started 34 matches last season and finished on 91 FPL points, which explains why £5m can look tempting.

The issue is the uncertainty surrounding his future.

Berge has been linked with a move away from Craven Cottage, and a midfielder who could leave the club before the transfer window closes is precisely the sort of player managers can avoid without losing much sleep.

There are also more attractive £5m midfield options where the player’s club and role are considerably clearer.

Verdict: Avoid until the transfer situation settles.

Liam Millar, Hull City, £5m

Liam Millar is an interesting footballer, but Hull City are probably the wrong environment for an FPL manager looking for attacking value.

Hull conceded 66 goals in the Championship last season and earned promotion through the play-offs, while their underlying numbers suggest Sergej Jakirović’s team will have plenty of difficult afternoons against Premier League opposition.

Millar did produce attacking flashes during pre-season and registered the highest expected-assist figure among Hull’s attackers last season, but his FPL profile still carries the uncertainty that comes with a promoted side expected to spend much of the season defending.

At £5m, he also blocks access to cheaper options.

Regan Slater is £4.5m, while several £4m defenders offer better bench value through defensive contributions.

Verdict: Avoid, particularly as a £5m midfielder.

Chuba Akpom, Ipswich, £5m

Chuba Akpom is one of those names that can fool managers because the memory is stronger than the current situation.

His 2022/23 Championship season with Middlesbrough was excellent, but that history does little for an FPL squad in August 2026.

Akpom scored no Premier League goals last season and has been used more as an impact option during Ipswich’s pre-season, although his introduction against Osasuna did provide a reminder of his ability. He scored after coming off the bench and looked more dangerous than starter Emerson.

That makes him worth monitoring rather than buying.

At £5m, there are simply too many forwards with a clearer route to starting minutes.

Verdict: Avoid unless his role changes.

Jaka Bijol, Leeds, £5m

Bijol is a good defender and was one of Leeds’ better players last season, but his FPL price needs to be judged against the alternatives.

Leeds kept six clean sheets at home last season but only two away, while Joe Rodon started 33 matches and averaged 3.3 points per start, collecting 18 defensive contribution points at £4.5m.

Bijol also suffered a knee injury during pre-season, adding another reason not to rush into the selection.

At £5m, the Slovenian needs to offer more than defensive security.

Rodon provides a cheaper route into the same defence, while the extra £0.5m can be better used elsewhere.

Verdict: Avoid at £5m, particularly while the injury situation remains relevant.

Jeremy Jacquet, Liverpool, £5m

Jacquet is an interesting player rather than a bad one.

Liverpool paid serious attention to his development, and he has already shown enough during pre-season to suggest he could become a very good Premier League defender, including scoring against Como in Liverpool’s final preparations.

The issue is timing.

Jacquet has been dealing with a long-standing injury, Liverpool have now brought Ronald Araújo in on loan from Barcelona, and the club’s defensive department remains crowded once the injured players begin returning.

Liverpool’s first fixture is also Newcastle away, so there is no reason to force a £5m defender into the team before his minutes are secure.

Verdict: Avoid initially, but monitor very closely.

Marc Guehi, Manchester City, £6m

Guehi is now a Manchester City player and that makes his FPL situation completely different from last season.

Lewis Hall, Newcastle, £5m

Hall had some encouraging moments last season, but his FPL output was modest.

He scored one goal and supplied two assists from his 2025/26 campaign, returning 79 points, while Newcastle face Liverpool in Gameweek 1.

The problem is not that Hall lacks attacking ability.

It is that £5m is asking managers to pay for the possibility of attacking returns from a Newcastle side whose defensive structure and full-back roles could change under new management.

There are cheaper defenders with stronger defensive contribution profiles, and there is no need to take the risk immediately.

Verdict: Avoid at the start.

Chris Wood, Nottingham Forest, £6m

Chris Wood has been one of the great late-career FPL stories, but the 2026/27 version carries considerably more risk.

The striker is now 34 and faces competition from Igor Jesus, who is also priced at £6m and has impressed during pre-season.

Forest also have Arnaud Kalimuendo, Dan Ndoye and other attacking options, while Taiwo Awoniyi is leaving for Coventry, making the competition slightly less straightforward but still sufficient to question Wood’s minutes.

Wood’s £6m price is therefore difficult to justify when Igor Jesus costs exactly the same.

The younger Brazilian has the momentum.

Verdict: Avoid Wood and watch Igor Jesus instead.

Wilson Isidor, Sunderland, £5.5m

Isidor is perhaps the classic budget trap.

The price is attractive, the player has already demonstrated that he can score in English football and Sunderland supporters have plenty of reasons to be excited about him.

The problem is Brian Brobbey.

Brobbey is widely expected to lead Sunderland’s attack, while Isidor’s minutes became less secure during the second half of last season as competition increased. Sunderland have also kept faith with Isidor despite transfer interest, which means he remains part of the plans but not necessarily as the undisputed No 9.

At £5.5m, there are better ways to use a forward slot.

Verdict: Avoid until the striker hierarchy becomes clear.

Marcos Senesi, Tottenham, £6m

Senesi is another player whose club has changed, having joined Tottenham from Bournemouth this summer, and his FPL price immediately reflects the excellent 2025/26 campaign that made him one of the game’s standout defenders.

He scored 175 FPL points last season and collected more defensive contribution points than any other defender, making £6m look understandable.

The problem is that Tottenham have changed manager and strengthened heavily at centre-back.

Roberto De Zerbi has Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke and Cristian Romero available alongside Senesi, creating a selection puzzle that could take several weeks to settle.

At £6m, there is very little tolerance for rotation.

Verdict: Avoid until De Zerbi’s defensive hierarchy becomes clear.

Guglielmo Vicario, Tottenham, £4.5m

Vicario is particularly easy to avoid because the goalkeeper situation at Tottenham remains unsettled.

He is priced at £4.5m, but Antonín Kinský is also £4.5m and has a credible case to retain the starting position after his late-season performances, while Martin Dúbravka is available for only £4m.

Vicario has also been linked with a move away from Spurs, adding another layer of uncertainty.

The FPL Scout has already highlighted Kinský as the more interesting budget route, particularly because Tottenham improved defensively after De Zerbi’s appointment last season.

Verdict: Avoid until the goalkeeper hierarchy is settled.

Martin Dúbravka, Tottenham, £4m

Dúbravka’s £4m price looks fantastic until you realise that he is not expected to be Tottenham’s first-choice goalkeeper.

His value comes primarily from being a possible £4m backup to Kinský or potentially becoming relevant if the goalkeeper situation changes.

That is useful information for a bench strategy, but selecting him as a starting goalkeeper on the assumption that something will happen is exactly how FPL squads become unnecessarily complicated.

Verdict: Avoid as a starter, consider only as a backup if the hierarchy changes.

Reece James, Chelsea, £5.5m

James remains one of the most talented defenders in the league, but FPL managers have been through this particular emotional cycle before.

The attacking potential is obvious.

The availability is the problem.

Chelsea also have Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato, Marco Palestra and other options across the defensive positions, while Xabi Alonso is beginning his first season at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea’s official FPL list prices James at £5.5m, with Gusto at £5m.

Until James demonstrates a sustained run of starts, Gusto offers a cheaper way into the same defence.

Verdict: Avoid until his minutes become reliable.

Noni Madueke, Arsenal, £6.5m

Madueke’s move to Arsenal has created another selection headache.

He managed only three goals and one assist for Arsenal last season and returned 72 FPL points, yet his price has climbed to £6.5m.

Arsenal now have Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Martinelli competing for attacking minutes, while Martinelli himself remains involved in transfer speculation after rejecting a move to Galatasaray.

That is far too much competition for a £6.5m midfielder whose attacking numbers have not yet justified the price.

Verdict: Avoid.

Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal, £6m

Martinelli is another difficult Arsenal pick because his footballing ability is not the issue.

His place in the squad is.

Arsenal have added Tzolis, while Martinelli was left out of the Community Shield squad against Manchester City amid serious transfer interest from Galatasaray. He has since rejected the move, but Arsenal remain open to a sale if the right offer and replacement arrive.

He scored 11 goals and assisted seven times across 53 appearances last season, so the production is there.

The problem is spending £6m on a player whose club situation could change before the transfer window closes.

Verdict: Avoid until September 1.

Martin Zubimendi, Arsenal, £5.5m

Zubimendi is exactly the type of midfielder who can be vital to Arsenal while being awkward for FPL.

He controls possession, positions himself intelligently and gives Arteta a reliable option in the deepest midfield role, but those qualities do not automatically translate into goals and assists.

The arrival of Bruno Guimarães makes the situation even more interesting because Arsenal now have several high-level midfielders competing for combinations alongside Rice and Ødegaard.

At £5.5m, there are midfielders with much greater attacking responsibility.

Verdict: Avoid unless his role moves further forward.

Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester United, £5m

Mainoo remains a fascinating footballer, but FPL managers should resist selecting him based on reputation alone.

His price has fallen into an attractive range, but Manchester United have Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Šeško and other attacking players who occupy the areas where fantasy points are usually generated.

Mainoo’s ability to carry the ball and arrive around the box can produce occasional returns, but his role does not provide enough attacking certainty to make £5m particularly exciting.

There are cheaper bench options and more productive midfielders around his price.

Verdict: Avoid unless his position becomes more advanced.

The FPL Lesson

The common thread is not that these players are bad.

Most are very good footballers.

The issue is that FPL asks a different question from football itself, because managers need players who combine talent with minutes, role, price, fixtures and a scoring profile that produces points regularly.

That is why the safest Gameweek 1 approach is to be ruthless about uncertainty.

A player can become an excellent fantasy option later after one or two things become clear, particularly:

Garnacho becomes a regular starter at Villa.
Evanilson takes control of the Bournemouth attack.
Wilson becomes Brentford’s first-choice striker.
Rutter wins his starting battle at Brighton.
Jacquet secures a regular Liverpool role.
Guehi becomes an undisputed City starter.
Senesi establishes himself as a first-choice Tottenham centre-back.
Martinelli remains at Arsenal and starts regularly.
Zubimendi receives more attacking freedom.
Mainoo moves into a more advanced role.

Until those things happen, there is no need to force the issue.

The opening Gameweeks should be used to gather information, especially in a season where several clubs have new managers and several prominent players have changed teams.

That is why the best FPL managers are often the ones who are willing to leave a tempting player alone. Better still, you can just check out our pick for the best FPL squad this season

The transfer you do not make can be just as valuable as the one you do.

And with 38 Gameweeks ahead, there is plenty of time to buy the players you deliberately avoided in August once the football gives you a reason to change your mind.