And so it dawns.
We are finally at the end of a mammoth FPL season. The World Cup elongated the actual Premier League season… and compressed the FPL season, since we had an unprecedented number of (non-Covid-related) double gameweeks.
James and I will take time to reflect after Sunday, when all’s said and done. For now, it’s time to focus on FPL Gameweek 38.
We already brought you a guide to this week’s fixtures, and our predictions for which teams you’ll need to care about. Now, it’s time to dig into the actual players you’ll be looking at.
Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 38 Tips – Who Are We Getting?
In general, this gameweek stinks from an FPL perspective. The teams that care the most in real life are also the worst teams in the league. Some people have been talking up Dwight McNeil as a serious possibility… no thanks.
You’re probably not taking a hit this week, because nobody really has a good enough matchup to justify it. You might as well use your free transfer on somebody though. And, if you’ve got two free transfers banked, there are definitely a pair of premiums who look very tasty indeed.
Without further ado, here are five actually good targets for Gameweek 38.
Kane
Kane and Salah are the two aforementioned premiums you’d definitely want this week. Both have great matchups, against two of the worst teams in the league. But of the two, I slightly prefer Kane.
He’s much cheaper – 11.4 vs 13.1 – and therefore easier to get to if you have neither.
But also, I just trust him more.
He scores every single week, even for this rubbish Spurs side. He’s the second-top scorer in Europe’s top five divisions. He also – for good measure – has scored more final day goals than any other Premier League player.
Get him, if you can, and give him the captain’s armband.
Salah
Even though I’m giving the edge to Kane, Salah is definitely still the second-most desirable player this gameweek.
He’s been back into his usual ridiculous FPL form for a while now, returning in eight of his last nine games. He also has a dream matchup, away to an already-relegated Southampton.
The King stay the KingActually getting him in though, at a hefty 13.1, is obviously a challenge.
I wouldn’t choose him over Kane.
I would get him in if you’ve got two free transfers, and it meant getting rid of Haaland.
If there’s some amazing way that you can have all three players, preferably without taking a hit, then obviously just do it.
Eze
I love Eze this week. As a Kane owner, without two free transfers to move Haaland for Salah, Eze is going to be my personal Gameweek 38 punt.
He checks every box:
- His team is scoring goals
- He’s passing the eye test
- He’s in great form (eight returns in his last eight games)
- He has an excellent fixture (home to Notts Forest, who surely won’t be pulling out all the stops now they’re safe)
Best of all, he’s super cheap, at only 5.7. Basically, that means you can transfer him in 1:1 for any of the injured midfielders you’ve needed to hang onto (Martinelli, March, etc.).
Shaw/De Gea
Some would say that FPL is supposed to be about having fun. And there’s nothing fun about bringing in a defender or goalkeeper in Gameweek 38.
That being said…
If you’re actually trying to win, and you’re pretty happy with all your other positions, then get Shaw or De Gea. Man U have the most clean sheets in the league this year, and have a great shot at picking up one more for good measure at home to Fulham.
If you’ve got those two free transfers, and want to move a more expensive defender (Trippier could definitely be binned this week… Trent less so) to a cheaper one – to get Kane or Salah, for example – then get Lindelof instead. He’s only 4.1, and has played the full 90 in the last eight games.
Julian Alvarez
If you’re just looking for a pure, unadulterated, punt for the final gameweek, then look no further.
Will he even start? We haven’t got a clue. But if he does, he’s a high-upside player (four double digital returns this season, despite being in and out of the team), with a decent matchup, for the best team in the league.
He’s also extremely cheap – at 6.1 – so you can get him in for any of your forwards.
Personally, I don’t love it. But I also said that before City’s double in Gameweek 37, and Alvarez ended up getting 8pts against Chelsea. I still wouldn’t get him, personally, but – if you’re just playing for fun in Gameweek 38 – he’s a fine pick.
Gameweek 38 Approach
You almost certainly fall into one of two camps for FPL Gameweek 38.
If you’re still competing for your mini-league, or you’re on the verge of a landmark OR finish (top 100k or 200k, for example), you have to play it sensibly. It’s boring – you want to have a fun final week – but it’s not worth jeopardising a whole season’s management over. Target Kane or Salah, even over Haaland, and make sure you get someone who’s definitely, 100% starting (i.e. nobody from City, Arsenal, Brighton, and so on). Also, don’t take a hit.
If you’re not specifically competing for anything, then just take it easy and have fun. There’s no difference between finishing 520k and… 570k, for example. Feel free to gamble on an Alvarez, for example, or even – if you really don’t mind risking your ranking, in exchange for a chance at a big gain – take a hit for a high-upside player.
Whichever route you take, enjoy the relegation drama of the real-life final day, and best of luck in FPL.
(Oh, and follow us on Twitter, if you’re not already!)