A successful Fantasy Premier League season is not achieved in Gameweek 1, but the right decisions early on can put you in a strong position for the months ahead. From building a balanced squad and choosing dependable captaincy options to understanding the growing importance of DEFCON and planning your chips, small margins can make a huge difference.
These five early-season tips are designed to help you avoid chasing points, protect your rank and give your team the best possible foundation. Whether you are a seasoned manager or starting fresh this year, getting the basics right now can pay off across all 38 Gameweeks.
Make DEFCON Your Foundation
DEFCON defenders should be a major part of your early-season FPL strategy. Attacking full-backs will always have appeal, but attacking returns are less reliable: an assist is worth only one extra point for a defender, whereas consistently reaching the DEFCON threshold earns two points through repeatable defensive actions.
Defenders hit DEFCON by collecting 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles in a match. That creates a dependable floor even when their team concedes, while set-piece threat still offers the potential for the occasional goal. Prioritise centre-backs and defensive-minded players with a strong DEFCON hit rate, some clean-sheet potential and aerial threat from corners. That combination is far more sustainable than chasing attacking returns alone.
Build a Balanced Gameweek 1 Team
There is no such thing as a perfect FPL draft. Some managers will go heavy on premiums such as Erling Haaland, Bruno Fernandes, Bakayo Saka and Gabriel, while others will spread the budget across strong mid-priced options like Joao Pedro, Byran Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo and Florian Wirtz.
The important thing is choosing a structure that works for you. Target nailed starters with favourable early fixtures, prioritise players who regularly complete 90 minutes, and give extra weight to penalty takers. A balanced squad also gives you flexibility: you can react to early price changes, emerging bandwagons and unexpected injuries without needing to take hits. Avoid overloading your bench with expensive players, but make sure every starter has a clear route to points.
Don’t Get Too Clever
It is tempting to chase the perfect Gameweek 1 differential. A 5.5m midfielder scoring 12 points at 1.2% ownership looks brilliant – but early in the season, prioritising reliable players is usually the smarter move.
Start with assets you trust to play 90 minutes, take penalties, have favourable fixtures and offer proven routes to points. One low-owned punt can be worthwhile, but filling your squad with risks can leave you chasing from the very first Gameweek if the popular picks return.
FPL is a marathon, not a sprint. There are 38 Gameweeks to gain ground, so begin with a solid base and take calculated risks once form, line-ups and team roles become clearer.
Keep The Armband Simple
There is nobody who enjoys a differential captain more than me, but in the opening Gameweeks, the smarter approach is usually to keep the armband on the reliable premiums. Haaland and Fernandes should be the main captaincy options early on: they are nailed for minutes, central to their teams’ attacks and offer elite ceilings through goals, assists and penalties.
Haaland was the captain in 59.3 per cent of picks made by last season’s top 50 FPL managers, while Fernandes was the clear second choice. That tells you everything about the value of dependable captaincy.
Do not feel forced to chase a low-owned armband from Gameweek 1. Start safely, protect your rank, and wait until later in the season – when form, fixtures and team roles are clearer – to attack the best differential captaincy opportunities.
Make Your Chips Count
Chip strategy can define your FPL season. Knowing when to use your Wildcard, Bench Boost and Free Hit is often more valuable than chasing one transfer or one differential.
An early Bench Boost is a viable approach this year, with Gameweek 1 or Gameweek 2 both worth considering if your 15 players have secure minutes and favourable fixtures. For the first Wildcard, Gameweeks 4 and 6 look like sensible points to reassess. By then, we should have clarity on minutes, injuries, team shapes and early breakouts, while Gameweek 6 follows an international break and offers extra time to react. Do not force the chip just because you have reached a certain week – but if your draft has multiple problems, it is an ideal reset point.
Keep an eye out for a fuller chip-strategy guide later in the season, especially once fixture swings, blank Gameweeks and Double Gameweeks begin to take shape.
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