As the highly-anticipated Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season get closer with Gameweek 1 rapidly approaching, managers across the globe are frantically seeking the best FPL forwards to bolster their squads and lead the charge for those all-important points. A dominant forward line is the backbone of any successful FPL team, capable of turning games with their goal-scoring prowess and crucial contributions.
In this comprehensive article, we unveil the top strikers who are destined to set the league ablaze in Gameweek 1. Our in-depth analysis identifies the best FPL forwards based on their fixtures, and historical performances, ensuring you have all the information you need to make strategic decisions for your fantasy team.
Whether you are a seasoned FPL veteran or a rookie manager looking for a flying start, these hand-picked forwards will serve as your attacking powerhouses, delivering goals and valuable fantasy points.
Don’t miss the chance to gain a head start in your FPL campaign with the best FPL forwards leading the line. Join us as we navigate through the options and unlock the scoring potential that can secure your fantasy success. Let’s dive into the exciting world of FPL forwards and elevate your team to new heights in Gameweek 1!
Best FPL Forwards
Best 8.5+ FPL Forwards
This is a weird year in fantasy. There are only two forwards who cost more than 8.5.
Haaland is the natural standout option. He was the best FPL forward last year and it is highly likely he will be the best FPL forward this year. With that Man City team feeding him and him being the most nailed on city asset, I can’t see me starting the year without him. Even if he costs 14.0.
I don’t like saying any player is essential but if there ever was one then it is him.
Kane is the other forward in this price bracket. He comes in at 12.5. Kane was incredible last year but he also way overperformed his xG of 21 by scoring 30 goals. He also outperformed his xA of four with nine assists.
With a new manager at the helm, Spurs are trying to play more attacking football. I hope that works because I love Kane. But, I’m also wary of new managers and new systems.
Kane is usually good for at least 190 points but he has missed that mark in 19/20 and 20/21. I think its likely we see him regress from his impressive 263 points last year and back to the mean. I don’t think its likely he finishes the season as the best FPL forward for 23/24. And, whilst he is cheaper than Haaland, that 1.5 saving doesn’t go far.
Intermission: Kane + Haaland = Success?
I have made a team with both Kane and Haaland in it. And I kind of like it:
The trouble is similar to what I highlight in the best FPL midfielders piece.
Essentially, you lose that high scoring midfield option that’s open to you. With just Trent and Haaland you can afford three of: Rashford, Saka, Fernandes, Odegaard and Martinelli. All of these guys can break the 200 point threshold, though probably not all of them will.
Instead, I’m reliant on double Arsenal defence to make up for the lack of arsenal attacking assets. And, you have to take a punt on someone like Sterling. You could also switch Rashford to any of the others above and have Maddison instead of Sterling. But both are a bit of an unknown.
So, I just don’t like it enough to start the season with it.
Best 7.0-8.5 FPL Forwards
Lets start with the best FPL forwards at this price point.
Gabriel Jesus only started 24 games last season (because of injury) and still got 125 points. If he gets a full season, he could easily reach 180 points. He actually underperformed his xG but he also overperformed his xA so his points total is probably about right.
He’s not an out and out striker for Arteta’s Arsenal. So, he can be frustrating to own when Saka and Martinelli are getting the goals. But, he still offers significant value and often assists others goals.
Watkins is the other standout pick. He finished the season on 15 goals and 8 assists, the majority of which came in the latter half of the season under new coach Emery. Emery really seems to have turned this team around and has given Watkins the freedom to score. He used to just be left alone with nobody to play with.
I currently prefer Jesus to Watkins primarily because of the opening fixtures. The thing is, Watkins can be just as effective in a bad fixture as Emery sets up a great counter attacking unit when they have a tough fixture. So, I feel like this is 60:40 call rather than one straight up being better than the other.
Wilson is the other 8.0 striker in this bracket. Newcastle’s fixtures to start the season are just about as bad as they can get. City and Liverpool in 2 and 3 and Villa, Brighton and Brentford are no pushovers. Add this to the fact that he has competition from Isak and is constantly injured then I think you avoid him at the start of the season. I’d also avoid Isak for similar reasons even if he is cheaper at 7.5.
I’m not say Wilson is bad, by any means. He might just jump straight into my team in gameweek 5 when the fixtures turn. But, until we know a bit more, I just don’t want the risk.
There are lots of enticing options at 7.5. But, they all come with a risk. Isak’s is explained above. Darwin at Liverpool has incredible xG but he always seems to underperform. You can easily see it if you watch him play. He just misses good chances.
Gakpo on the other hand is more of a Firmino style forward. He creates a lot of opportunities but isn’t really selfish enough for what we want in FPL. He still bagged seven goals last year but him and Nunez are competing for the same spot and we don’t like that either.
Over the course of the season, I hope that one of these guys emerges as the number one choice because then they would be great picks.
Nkunku at Chelsea is intriguing. He scored 16 goals and got 6 assists last year for Leipzig in the Bundesliga. If he could repeat that, I’d be delighted to pay 7.5 for him. Of course, the Bundesliga isn’t as good as the Premier League so with tax he is probably not going to do that.
He also has Jackson breathing down his neck. In only 26 games in last year he scored 12 goals in La Liga and got 4 assists. Again, good numbers.
Both seem to be smashing it in the pre-season. Of course, we have to take that with a pinch of salt but it’s a tick in the positive column.
What makes me want to hold off these assets in Gameweek 1? Two things. We don’t know whether they will settle in quickly in the Premier League and they have two bad fixtures to start the season. They’re worth looking at in gameweek 3 though when we know more and Chelsea have a great mini run.
Ignore Lukaku, I don’t expect he will be at Chelsea much longer.
Don’t buy Mitrovic. He has made it clear he doesn’t want to play for Fulham anymore and is trying to force a move.
Best FPL forwards under 7.0
None of these guys are going to be the best FPL forwards for the season. But, they can offer some good value when they have good fixtures.
In terms of the best FPL forward from this bracket last year, Solanke is the standout performer. He got 130 points from six goals and ten assists. That’s a decent enough return. He would probably be my pick at this price range if his fixtures weren’t dreadful.
I think my actual pick is Calvert-Lewin. He’s basically been permanently injured for two years. But when he is fit, I really rate him. In his best ever season he got 165 points which is nothing to be sniffed at.
I don’t imagine he will get anywhere near that this year. I just really like his first four fixtures: FUL, avl, WOL and sheff. And then I can sell him before the inevitable injury.
Closely following DCL, is Wissa. Ivan Toney is banned for 21 gameweeks. In 16 starts last year, Wissa got 7 goals and 4 assists. His form in pre-season suggests that he is looking good. The big question mark for me is – will Brentford be as good this year without Toney? That’s a big question and makes me think twice about him.
As above, this is a tough call. I think I am 51% DCL and 49% Wissa. And after writing this I’ve just changed my mind…
Who am I kidding? Everton were dreadful last year. We need to wait-and-see don’t we? Don’t get me wrong. I like the punt on DCL but I prefer Wissa as a safer option. And, at the start of the season, we play safe more often than not.
Brighton have interesting options but its all reliant on one of them emerging as a consistent starter. Ferguson, Welbeck and Undav just offer De Zerbi too many options and he likes to use them. Joao Pedro at only 5.5 might be the most interesting option of them all if he can nail down a spot as the starting left winger.
Alvarez is obviously cheap for a City asset but we don’t expect him to start very often. With De Bruyne injured, he could start the season but I personally just don’t want the rotation risk. If Haaland gets injured though, he can go straight into our teams.
Elsewhere, Ings is probably my favourite of the West Ham team. He’s got incredible goalscoring acumen. Antonio was good two years ago but he’s never been consistent. Scamacca hasn’t really been afforded much of an opportunity.
Still, I’m avoiding West Ham altogether given how dreadful they were last year but its at least a thought.
The rest are just a bit rubbish to be honest. It’s nice we have options at 5.5 from all the promoted teams but Luton and Burnley already have a missed gameweek in 2 so we aren’t bothering with them.
Best FPL forwards – bench fodder 4.5s
Now, these guys are not likely to start many games. But, if you need a 4.5 forward for the third spot on your bench, I recommend Mubama at West Ham. He’s played quite well during pre-season. Regardless, don’s expect anything more than like 30 points in a year from any of these guys.
Best FPL forwards at each price point
- 5+ – Haaland
- 0-8.5 – Jesus
- <7.0 – Wissa
That’s it
Now you know who the best FPL forwards for 23/24 are!
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