Our full Gameweek 1 guide ranks premium, mid-priced and budget players by modelled xPts, xMins and position-specific fixture difficulty, with an evidence-led watchlist for new signings.
The three-Gameweek model favours Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal, but the right move depends on whether your draft needs a premium anchor, secure minutes or a budget release.
Raya leads the early projection, but Leno and Verbruggen keep the single-budget-goalkeeper route competitive while preserving money for outfield upgrades.
The opening model places Bruno only 2.31 points behind Haaland over three matches while costing £3.5m less, creating a powerful alternative squad structure.
The first three-Gameweek projections favour a few expensive anchors, a deep £7.0m–£8.0m midfield and budget defenders whose value depends heavily on secure minutes.