Fantasy Premier League

FPL basics explained: Managing your team

By The Scout 1 Jul 2024

The Scout outlines how to pick your formation, starting line-up, captain and substitutes in Fantasy

In Fantasy Premier League, the season is split into 38 "Gameweeks".

Usually, a "Gameweek" consists of 10 fixtures. where each of the Premier League's 20 clubs play one match against another.

Fantasy managers must make all of their changes and confirm their final line-up before the "Gameweek deadline", which is 90 minutes before the opening match of the Gameweek.

Managers must choose a starting 11 from their 15-man squad. And there are three decisions to make.

1. Formation

In each Gameweek you can put your players in different formations such as 3-4-3 or 4-4-2.

Any of these formations can be chosen, as long as your line-up includes one goalkeeper, at least three defenders, at least two midfielders and at least one forward.

You can change formation by replacing a starter with a player who is on the bench and is classified in a different position in the game.

So for example, if your line-up is in a 4-4-2 formation and you want to switch to 3-4-3, just click on the yellow circle with the red and green arrows in the top-left corner of the Player Card of one of your starting defenders and then click on the same circle of the forward who is on your bench.

Your third forward will therefore move from your bench into your starting 11, and your fourth defender will move down to the bench.

Click "Save My Team" to make sure the changes are saved.

2. Captaincy

You must also choose a captain and a vice-captain from the players in your line-up.

To do this, click on the player you want to captain/vice-captain on the "Pick Team" page and select the relevant option.

If your captain plays in his Premier League match, he will score DOUBLE POINTS for your Fantasy team. If your captain fails to feature at all in his Premier League match for any reason, then the captain's armband passes to your vice-captain and he will score double points instead.

If neither your captain nor vice-captain plays, you won't receive double points from any player in that Gameweek.

Again, click "Save My Team" to make sure the changes to your captain and vice-captain are saved.

3. Order of your bench

If one or more of the players in your starting 11 doesn't feature, they will be automatically substituted at the end of the Gameweek. This makes the order of your substitutes important.

If your goalkeeper doesn't play in the Gameweek, he will be substituted by your replacement 'keeper if he played. There is no decision for you to make here.

But if any outfield player doesn't play, he will be substituted and replaced by the outfield substitute who you have placed FIRST on your bench (from left to right), as long as that substitute has played in the Gameweek and doesn't break the formation rules.

If your first substitute hasn't played in the Gameweek, your second substitute will replace the outfield player in your starting 11 who didn't play. This is also the case if your second substitute hasn't played in the Gameweek - your third substitute will replace the outfield player in your starting 11 who didn't play.

Just to remind you, the formation rules are that your line-up must include one goalkeeper, at least three defenders, at least two midfielders and at least one forward.

So, if your starting 11 has three defenders, then a defender can only be automatically substituted by another defender. Otherwise, you would end up with just two defenders in your scoring 11.

To change your substitute order, go to the "Pick Team" page and click on the benched player in question. You can then select "Switch" and choose the player you want to swap him with.