The release of the 2023/24 fixture list suggests Erling Haaland and Marcus Rashford can offer a strong captaincy rotation pairing in the opening Gameweeks of Fantasy Premier League.
See: 2023/24 Premier League fixtures
Haaland was the top-scoring player in Fantasy in his debut campaign last season, amassing 272 points thanks to 36 goals and nine assists.
Manchester City’s forward has been handed the platform to immediately make his mark on the new campaign.
Over the first six Gameweeks, the champions face four of the six teams who have been promoted in the last two seasons.
Man City's first six fixtures
| GW | Opp. |
|---|---|
| 1 | BUR (A) |
| 2 | NEW (H) |
| 3 | SHU (A) |
| 4 | FUL (H) |
| 5 | WHU (A) |
| 6 | NFO (H) |
While that lifts the appeal of simply keeping the captaincy on Haaland, alternating him with Marcus Rashford on a home/away basis could prove even more successful.
Haaland and Rashford were the top-scoring players in Fantasy in home matches last season, claiming 161 and 143 points respectively.
Haaland v Rashford 2022/23 comparison
| 2022/23 | Haaland | Rashford |
|---|---|---|
| Home points | 161 | 143 |
| Points per home start | 9.7 | 8.4 |
| Away points | 111 | 62 |
| Points per away start | 6.5 | 3.6 |
Rashford’s displays for Manchester United at Old Trafford, in particular, helped him reach a career-high 205 points in 2022/23.
He averaged 8.4 points per home start in those encounters, compared with Haaland’s 6.5 points per start in away fixtures.
By alternating Haaland and Rashford in the opening six Gameweeks, managers would have a captain who plays at home every time, and only faces one of last season's top five teams.
That match comes in Gameweek 2, when Haaland faces Newcastle United to the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland/Rashford captaincy rotation
| GW | Player | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rashford | WOL (H) |
| 2 | Haaland | NEW (H) |
| 3 | Rashford | NFO (H) |
| 4 | Haaland | FUL (H) |
| 5 | Rashford | BHA (H) |
| 6 | Haaland | NFO (H) |
Champion's tips
FPL 2022/23 winner Ali Jahangirov was hugely successful with his captaincy decisions on his way to the title.
The Arsenal fan averaged 20.5 points per Gameweek with his armband, captaining Haaland in only 19 of the 38 Gameweeks.
“Going with the template captain each Gameweek doesn't get you anywhere, to be honest,” says Jahangirov. “Even Haaland, he would blank a few times. He’s not scoring every week. Every Gameweek there's a conversation to be had.”
By following his advice early on, managers could make a fast start with Haaland and Rashford as their early armband picks.