A strong Fantasy Premier League season is not only about finding the right players – it is also about avoiding the decisions that can quietly damage your rank. Chasing last week’s points, making early transfers and overlooking the new DEFCON system are all mistakes that can leave managers playing catch-up.
The key is to stay patient, plan ahead and make decisions based on fixtures, minutes and long-term trends rather than one-off hauls or social-media hype. These five common mistakes are easy to make, particularly in the early weeks, but avoiding them can give your FPL campaign a much stronger foundation.
Ignoring the New Defensive Meta
For years, the default FPL strategy was simple: target the most attacking full-backs. The defenders playing highest up the pitch, creating chances and arriving in the box were the foundation of almost every squad.
That has changed with the introduction of DEFCON. Defenders now earn two points for reaching 10 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles in a match. An assist is worth only one point more, but a consistent DEFCON return is far more predictable than waiting for an attacking full-back to produce a rare assist.
That does not mean abandoning attacking defenders completely. Instead, prioritise centre-backs with reliable DEFCON hit rates, clean-sheet potential and set-piece threat. Those players offer repeatable returns, plus the chance of an occasional headed goal – giving your defence a much safer and more profitable floor.
Treating Chips Like Panic Buttons
One of the most common FPL mistakes is treating chips as panic buttons. A Wildcard after one bad Gameweek, a Free Hit because you fancy a differential line-up, or a Bench Boost with players unlikely to start can waste huge potential.
Have a rough chip strategy before the season begins and keep reviewing it as fixtures, form and injuries change. This year, you have two sets of chips: one must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline, with the second available from Gameweek 20 onwards. That makes planning even more important.
Do not simply use a chip because it is available. Look ahead, identify fixture swings, Double and Blank Gameweeks, and build your transfers around those opportunities. We will have full chip-strategy updates throughout the season, but the key is simple: plan ahead, stay flexible and know what you are building towards
Chasing Last Weeks Points
It is tempting: a random centre-back scores from a corner, keeps a clean sheet, hits DEFCON and walks away with a double-digit haul. But one big score does not mean it will happen again. FPL is unpredictable, and chasing isolated returns is one of the fastest ways to waste transfers.
Instead, trust the bigger picture. Assess form over several matches, upcoming fixtures, expected goals and assists, minutes security, player role and tactical match-ups. Ask yourself: would I still want this player if I had not seen last week’s score? If the answer is no, it is probably a trap.
Use trends and underlying data to get ahead of the next haul rather than reacting to the previous one. Good FPL managers plan across a run of fixtures, not one Gameweek, and stay patient when the evidence still supports their picks
Plan Ahead, Stay Flexible
Good FPL managers plan transfers in advance rather than making decisions one Gameweek at a time. Look three to four Gameweeks ahead for fixture swings, likely transfer targets and players you may need to sell. That gives you time to bank free transfers, avoid unnecessary hits and bring players in before their good run begins.
Try not to plan further than six Gameweeks in detail. Injuries, suspensions, rotation, tactical changes and surprise form shifts can quickly make a long-term plan redundant. The ideal approach is to plan firmly for the next two or three Gameweeks, with only a loose idea of what comes next.
Use your plan as a guide, not a rigid rule. Review it after every Gameweek, react to genuine new information and keep enough flexibility to deal with the unexpected.
Don’t Rush Your Transfers
A Gameweek may finish on Sunday, but that does not mean you need to make your transfer on Monday. Time is information in FPL. Waiting gives you the chance to assess midweek matches, training updates, injuries, suspensions and press-conference comments before committing.
The most successful managers typically delay their moves until the final 24 hours before the deadline, with many waiting until the final hours. You can also roll unused free transfers – up to five – so there is no need to force a move every week.
The exception is an urgent price change that would genuinely block a planned transfer, or confirmed news that demands an immediate response. Otherwise, be patient. A late transfer is usually a better-informed transfer.
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