With the first of two successive Fantasy Premier League Double Gameweeks coming up this weekend and a Blank Gameweek 29 soon to follow, The Scout has picked a 15-man squad that can help managers navigate through the upcoming fixtures.
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) has been backed to build on his impressive tally of double-figure hauls as the Double Gameweek 26 captain.
Two defenders feature in a Manchester City triple-up for their four fixtures across the next two Gameweeks, while in-form assets from Aston Villa, Fulham and Leeds United are among eight players who will be ready for the reduced GW29 schedule.
Don't forget, the Double Gameweek 26 deadline is 11:00 GMT on Saturday 27 February.
Starting XI for GW26
Emiliano Martinez (AVL) £5.3m
FPL’s top-scoring goalkeeper faces Leeds United and Sheffield United in the upcoming round of fixtures. Villa are among only three sides who play twice in Gameweek 26 and also have a match in Gameweek 29.
Ruben Dias (MCI) £6.1m
The Portuguese has started 22 of Man City’s 23 matches since making his debut in Gameweek 4. Dias looks the most secure pick in defence for their run of four home fixtures in the next two Gameweeks.
Joao Cancelo (MCI) £6.1m
The full-back offers huge all-round potential as a route into a defence that have produced a league-leading 15 clean sheets. Cancelo’s 25 shots and 34 key passes both rank among the top five defenders in Fantasy this season.
Lucas Digne (EVE) £6.1m
Eight assists in just 16 appearances highlight his attacking potential for Everton’s Double Gameweek 26 versus Southampton and West Bromwich Albion. Digne also has a favourable home meeting with Burnley in Gameweek 28.
Captain: Bruno Fernandes (MUN) £11.6m
FPL’s top-scoring player has produced 10 double-figure hauls ahead of his Double Gameweek 26 against Chelsea and Crystal Palace. An ownership of more than 60 per cent means Fernandes will be heavily backed with the armband.
Son Heung-min (TOT) £9.5m
A Double Gameweek 26 against Burnley and Fulham can help the Tottenham Hotspur winger return to form. Son has five matches in the next four Gameweeks, including a trip to Villa Park in Blank Gameweek 29.
Ilkay Gundogan (MCI) £6.1m
His average of 6.6 points per match (ppm) is a team-leading total for Man City. Gundogan has scored twice in three of his last six appearances and is a major captaincy option for his back-to-back Double Gameweeks.
Ademola Lookman (FUL) £5.0m
The Fulham winger warmed up for his Double Gameweek 26 with his season-high haul of 11 points last weekend. Lookman also has a favourable Gameweek 29 home meeting with Leeds to further lift his value in Fantasy.
Vice-captain: Harry Kane (TOT) £11.1m
His average of 7.0 ppm ranks second among all players in FPL this season. Having dropped to 27.5 per cent ownership after his recent injury, Kane could prove a huge captaincy differential for Double Gameweek 26 and beyond.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (EVE) £7.6m
His return from injury last weekend has made the Everton talisman a top target for their pair of Gameweek 26 matches. Calvert-Lewin is the most-bought forward ahead of Saturday’s 11:00 GMT deadline, earning 305,000+ new owners.
Ollie Watkins (AVL) £6.5m
The Aston Villa frontman boasts a significant goal threat for their run of five matches in the next four Gameweeks. Watkins’ totals of 16 shots in the penalty area and 10 shots on target in the last six Gameweeks are both more than any other player in FPL.
Substitutes
Alex McCarthy (SOU) £4.5m
Southampton are one of only two sides with a Double Gameweek 27. A visit to Sheff Utd in the first of those two matches looks promising for McCarthy’s chances of a clean sheet.
Ola Aina (FUL) £4.5m
The Fulham defender has been a huge success at both ends of the pitch recently. Aina has 28 points in his last three matches, combining a goal and an assist with two clean sheets and five bonus points.
Raphinha (LEE) £5.4m
Leeds’ wide man has 50 points in his last seven appearances, combining three goals with four assists and eight bonus points. He faces Fulham in Blank Gameweek 29.
Dan Burn (BHA) £4.2m
He offers a cut-price route into a Brighton & Hove Albion defence with five clean sheets in seven outings. Three of Burn’s next four matches score no more than three in the FDR, including a home encounter with Newcastle United in Blank Gameweek 29.
