More than 1.8million managers have already signed up for 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League following the game's release on Monday afternoon.
Here, The Scout pinpoints the players you NEED to own for the start of the new season.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool midfielder) £14.5m
The Liverpool star delivered the best season of all-time in Fantasy in his first campaign under Arne Slot in 2024/25.
Salah’s 28 goals and 19 assists helped him to a massive 344 points, which was over 100 more than any other player.
Despite a rise in price to £14.5m this season – making him the most expensive player in Fantasy – Salah is clearly still a must-have for managers.
He is the second most-owned player since the game launched on Monday, found in over 57 per cent of squads. By contrast, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, who costs £14.0m, has been picked by just 18 per cent.
Salah’s incredible consistency as a captain was a huge factor in 2024/25, with his 18 double-figure returns at least TWICE the total of any other player.
Added to that lofty ownership, the Liverpool star is set to dominate the armband conversation in the opening Gameweeks at the very least.
Cole Palmer (Chelsea midfielder) £10.5m
Managers in Fantasy have clearly taken notice of Chelsea’s displays in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Their new forward Joao Pedro (£7.5m) is the most-selected player so far, found in 60 per cent of squads, while Palmer also ranks among the top three, with a 49 per cent ownership.
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 Chelsea’s fist six matches score more than three.
Chelsea's first six fixtures 25/26
| GW | Opp. | FDR |
| 1 | Crystal Palace (H) | 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | West Ham United (A) | 2 |
| 3 | Fulham (H) | 3 |
| 4 | Brentford (A) | 3 |
| 5 | Man Utd (A) | 3 |
| 6 | Brighton (H) | 3 |
Palmer’s proven pedigree in Fantasy makes him a far more reliable armband pick than his new team-mate, following back-to-back campaigns of 244 and 214 points.
Added to his role as Chelsea’s no 1 penalty-taker, Palmer’s potential for huge hauls makes him hard to overlook as their go-to attacker once again.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) £8.0m
The West Ham United star was a huge success in the second half of last season after Graham Potter was appointed head coach in Gameweek 20.
Playing up front in a 3-5-2 formation, Bowen was the fourth top-scoring player in Fantasy from that point, amassing 103 points thanks to eight goals and five assists.
He blanked in only FOUR of his 15 outings for Potter and was involved in a massive 72 per cent of West Ham’s goals when selected by their new manager.
Due to his new role for the Hammers, Bowen has been reclassified from a midfielder to a forward this season.
And a favourable run of fixtures in the mid-term gives the 28-year-old every opportunity to extend those talismanic showings, with only ONE of West Ham’s opening 12 matches score more than three.
West Ham's first 12 fixtures 25/26
| GW | Opp. | FDR |
| 1 | Sunderland (A) | 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Chelsea (H) | 3 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest (A) | 3 |
| 4 | Spurs (H) | 3 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace (H) | 3 |
| 6 | Everton (A) | 3 |
| 7 | Arsenal (A) | 4 |
| 8 | Brentford (H) | 3 |
| 9 | Leeds United (A) | 2 |
| 10 | Newcastle United (H) | 3 |
| 11 | Burnley (H) | 2 |
| 12 | AFC Bournemouth (A) | 3 |
Rayan Ait-Nouri (Man City defender) £6.0m
A summer move to Man City from Wolverhampton Wanderers can take the left-back’s potential to the next level in Fantasy.
Ait-Nouri ranked top among all defenders last season for attacking returns – he produced 11 of them, thanks to four goals and seven assists.
The underlying statistics also highlight the Algeria international’s all-round style of play.
Ait-Nouri’s 31 shots in the box and 46 chances created ranked third and joint-fourth respectively among defenders last season.
With the move to Man City boosting his prospects of clean sheets, the 24-year-old offers multiple routes to returns in the campaign ahead.