With more than a million managers entering their team for 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League since the game launched on Monday, we look at the most-popular players so far.
Chelsea forward Joao Pedro (£7.5m) and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (£14.5m) have quickly emerged as the most-popular targets in the first 24 hours since Fantasy went live.
Joao Pedro is the most-selected player with an ownership of 58.5 per cent.
The Brazilian’s summer showings in the FIFA Club World Cup have clearly influenced his backers. He scored three goals for the tournament winners after moving from Brighton & Hove Albion last month.
Chelsea’s very kind early schedule hands Joao Pedro every opportunity of maintaining that momentum.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) - where the easiest possible matches are ranked as No 1 and the hardest are ranked as No 5 - NONE of the Blues’ opening six matches score more than three.
Chelsea's fixtures Gameweeks 1-6
| Gameweek | Opponent | FDR |
| 1 | Crystal Palace (H) | 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | West Ham (A) | 2 |
| 3 | Fulham (H) | 3 |
| 4 | Brentford (A) | 3 |
| 5 | Man Utd (A) | 3 |
| 6 | Brighton (H) | 3 |
Meanwhile, managers have been undeterred by Salah’s £14.5m price tag - the highest EVER for a midfielder in Fantasy and also the most expensive in Fantasy this season.
Liverpool’s Egyptian is owned in over 55 per cent of squads after he delivered a record-breaking 344 points in the last campaign.
Salah was far and away the most reliable asset for the captaincy in 2024/25, given that his 18 double-figure hauls were at least TWICE the total of any other player.
Most-owned players after 24 hours*
| Player | Position | Price | Ownership |
| Joao Pedro | FWD | £7.5m | 58.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salah | MID | £14.5m | 55.4% |
| Palmer | MID | £10.5m | 48.2% |
| Isak | FWD | £10.5m | 39.2% |
| Wirtz | MID | £8.5m | 37.4% |
| Ait-Nouri | DEF | £6.0m | 30.3% |
| Frimpong | DEF | £6.0m | 29.3% |
| Kelleher | GKP | £4.5m | 29.0% |
| Gabriel | DEF | £6.0m | 27.9% |
| Wan-Bissaka | DEF | £4.5m | 27.0% |
| Kudus | MID | £6.5m | 25.9% |
| Bowen | FWD | £8.0m | 22.8% |
*Data correct as of 22 July 13:00 BST
Palmer and Isak also popular premiums
Cole Palmer, Alexander Isak (both £10.5m) and Salah’s new team-mate Florian Wirtz (£8.5m) complete the top five players for ownership.
Notably, both Chelsea's Palmer and Newcastle United's Isak have significant leads over the next most-owned players in their positions, being selected in 47.7 and 39.7 per cent of squads respectively.
With so many managers spending big on premium stars Salah, Palmer and Isak, Erling Haaland (£14.0m) has been hugely overlooked so far and is found in just 17.5 per cent of squads.
Indeed, the Manchester City star is only the fourth most-owned forward and is joint-17th most-selected overall, level with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (£5.5m).
Summer signings turning heads
Joao Pedro and Wirtz are among a host of new signings who have emerged as popular picks.
Brentford's new No 1 Caoimhin Kelleher (£4.5m) is the most-owned goalkeeper after his summer switch from Liverpool.
As many as 29.0 per cent of managers have opted for the Republic of Ireland international, who has a very favourable schedule to reward that investment.
According to the FDR, just ONE of the Bees’ first eight matches scores more than three.
Brentford's fixtures Gameweeks 1-8
| Gameweek | Opponent | FDR |
| 1 | Nottingham Forest (A) | 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Aston Villa (H) | 3 |
| 3 | Sunderland (A) | 2 |
| 4 | Chelsea (H) | 3 |
| 5 | Fulham (A) | 3 |
| 6 | Man Utd (H) | 3 |
| 7 | Man City (H) | 4 |
| 8 | West Ham (A) | 2 |
In defence, Man City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri and Liverpool’s Jeremie Frimpong (both £6.0m) lead the way on 30.3 and 29.3 per cent ownership.
Ait-Nouri was the No 1 defender in Fantasy for attacking returns while at Wolverhampton Wanderers last season, producing 11 of them thanks to four goals and seven assists.
Frimpong delivered 10 attacking returns for Bayer Leverkusen in last season’s Bundesliga, scoring five goals and assisting a further five.
Elsewhere in defence, West Ham United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa (both £4.5m) have established themselves as the go-to budget assets and are each found in more than a fifth of managers’ squads.
Big spending in midfield
Those who are going without Haaland up front, meanwhile, are clearly splashing the cash in midfield.
Of the 10 most-owned players in that position, only one – Tottenham Hotspur’s new winger Mohammed Kudus (£6.5m) – is priced under £7.0m.
Spurs' kind mid-term schedule suggests the Ghanaian can quickly justify his 25.9 per cent ownership. According to the FDR, only ONE of their first 12 matches score more than three.