The Scout continues a series of articles identifying the best players in each position in 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League, according to their price, statistics and fixtures.
Forwards
For very different reasons, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak (£10.5m) and Sunderland’s Marc Guiu (£4.5m) have the potential to make a huge impact on the new Fantasy season.
But with only a few days until the Gameweek 1 deadline of 18:30 BST, Friday 15 August, managers are facing the very real possibility that neither player will start the opening round of matches.
Isak didn’t feature over pre-season for the Magpies, with reports linking with a move to Liverpool.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has recently conceded the Swede is unlikely to play against Aston Villa this weekend.
After finishing as the top-scoring forward in 2024/25 Fantasy on 211 points, Isak will remain a force if he stays at Newcastle.
However, a move to Liverpool would surely force a reassessment of the best way to invest in the Reds, particularly with Mohamed Salah setting you back £14.5m in midfield.
Guiu, meanwhile, would be the cheapest starting forward in Fantasy if, as expected, he secures the lone forward role for Sunderland after moving on loan from Chelsea.
At such a low cost, he lifts the likelihood of moving to a 3-5-2 formation as he can easily sit on your bench as the eighth attacker, therefore allowing you to plough more funds into midfield.
Budget forwards £6.5m and under
West Ham United’s Niclas Fullkrug (£6.0m) was among the standout strikers in the sub-£7.0m category over the summer.
The German claimed three goals, scoring once in each of the Hammers’ final three friendlies.
Fullkrug offers a £2.0m saving over his team-mate Jarrod Bowen (£8.0m), who has been re-classified from a midfielder to a forward this season.
After being restricted to just one start due to injury last season, Brentford’s Igor Thiago (£6.0m) could offer excellent value. There is also the prospect he could take on penalty duties for the Bees after their previous first-choice taker, Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m), joined Manchester United.
At £6.5m each, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Danny Welbeck could also be boosted by penalty duties for the same reason.
Mid-price (£7.0m-£8.0m)
Five goals in as many matches for Chelsea have made Joao Pedro (£7.5m) the must-have forward for millions of managers.
The Brazilian can be found in a massive 54 per cent of squads, more than TWICE the total of any other player in his position in Fantasy.
Chelsea avoid all of last season’s top seven clubs in the first six Gameweeks, a run that looks very promising for a double-up on Cole Palmer (£10.5m) and Joao Pedro in attack.
It is, nonetheless, likely that the Blues’ other new forward, Liam Delap (£6.5m), could be introduced later on in matches as head coach Enzo Maresca opts for fresh legs up front.
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) has also scored five goals over the summer.
As evidenced by his converted effort against Liverpool in the FA Community Shield on Sunday, the Frenchman also appears to be back on penalty duties again.
However, the Eagles’ schedule is a lot less alluring from the get-go, with Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa in the first three Gameweeks.
Elsewhere in this price range, it’s a real source of frustration for Fantasy managers that the two clubs with the best opening fixtures, Nott'm Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, don’t have a forward in form.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), where the difficulty of each fixture is ranked from one to five - with one being the easiest possible match and five being the hardest – both those clubs, along with Sunderland, have the joint-best run over the first six Gameweeks, with an average score of 2.67.
See: Who has the best and worst early fixtures?
Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood (£7.5m) has scored his side’s ONLY goal over their seven matches, while Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) has yet to feature for Spurs due to injury.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Bowen’s role as a talisman for West Ham under Graham Potter suggests he’s bound to play a big part in proceedings.
After the new head coach was appointed in Gameweek 20 last season, Bowen was involved in 72 per cent of their goals when selected, scoring eight and assisting a further five.
AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson (£7.0m) is shaping up to be a real differential. Found in just two per cent of squads, he has four home matches in six from Gameweek 2 onwards.
Premium (£8.5m and over)
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) is the man in form in the premium bracket, scoring five goals over pre-season. Similarly to Joao Pedro, he has the schedule to maintain that momentum.
According to the FDR, NONE of Villa’s first eight matches score more than three.
Villa's first eight fixtures
| Gameweek | Opp. | FDR* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle (H) | 3 |
| 2 | Brentford (A) | 3 |
| 3 | Crystal Palace (H) | 3 |
| 4 | Everton (A) | 3 |
| 5 | Sunderland (A) | 2 |
| 6 | Fulham (H) | 3 |
| 7 | Burnley (H) | 2 |
| 8 | Spurs (A) | 3 |
*1=easiest possible fixture, 5=hardest possible fixture
There are, nonetheless, cheaper options in the Villa midfield, with Donyell Malen costing just £5.5m.
Alongside Isak and Erling Haaland (£14.0m), new Premier League arrivals Victor Gyokeres (£9.0m) and Hugo Ekitike (£8.5m) offer strong competition for your three-man frontline.
Arsenal’s Gyokeres and Liverpool’s Ekitike have wasted little time to make an impact at their new clubs, with both scoring in their final friendlies of the summer last weekend. Of the two, Gyokeres is the one to monitor most as he could be on penalties for the Gunners.
Haaland's huge cost is reflected by a relatively low 22 per cent ownership, the third most-picked forward.
Compared with Salah's ownership of 54 per cent, it shows that a lot of managers are picking only one of the two most expensive players in 2025/26 Fantasy, and the Liverpool star is their priority.
So, who are the best forwards to own in 2025/26?
Both Watkins and Joao Pedro tick the form and fixtures boxes for the start of the season, allowing you time to assess the impact of a host of new signings.
If you’re looking to play a 3-5-2 formation, then Guiu is the man for your bench to be called upon in emergencies.
Isak’s future could be a game-changer but he is clearly best-avoided for now. Instead, it’s Bowen and Mateta who are the best assets to consider alongside Watkins and Joao Pedro in a 3-4-3.
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