For millions of managers in Blank Gameweek 29 (BGW29) of Fantasy Premier League, the captaincy decision is very likely to be determined by whether or not you own Erling Haaland (£14.7m).
In a Gameweek where managers are deprived of the services of Mohamed Salah (£13.8m) due to Liverpool’s EFL Cup final against Newcastle United, Haaland will be a popular armband pick for Manchester City’s home match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
See: How to navigate the reduced round of matches
Haaland's improving home form shows why he will be targeted by managers on a Free Hit chip, and also those managers who are “dead-ending” their squads with short-term picks before Wildcarding them out in Gameweek 30 or 31.
Man City's striker has three goals, two assists and no blanks in his last three appearances at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland's average of 10.0 points per match in that spell highlights why, if you plan to own him, you should also be giving him the armband.
But that doesn’t necessarily make Haaland a must-have for the reduced round of matches.
In a Gameweek where a host of popular assets are without a fixture, it ultimately comes down to how easily you can get to Haaland. While a four-point hit and even an eight-point hit is acceptable if you are looking to field at least nine players, anything beyond that seems an unnecessary risk.
Who's the next-best choice?
Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood (£7.3m) and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (£8.4m) make the most compelling cases for those adopting the “No Haaland” tactic.
Both will visit bottom-three opponents, with Wood facing Ipswich Town and Fernandes playing Leicester City.
Wood has four goals, an assist and 35 points in four meetings with promoted clubs in 2024/25, which includes two of his four double-figure hauls for the campaign.
Fernandes, meanwhile, delivered his season-high haul of 17 points in his last meeting with the Foxes. He has two goals, two assists and 29 points in the last three Gameweeks.
Who are the other contenders?
Fernandes leads a list of Fantasy midfielders who are all more than capable of producing a huge haul in BGW29.
AFC Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert (£6.2m) and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo (£8.1m) are in prolific Fantasy form ahead of their showdown at the Vitality Stadium.
Kluivert has returns of 22, 13 and 10 points in the last eight Gameweeks, while Mbeumo has 43 points across his last four away matches.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (£10.9m) and Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min (£9.7m) are admittedly very unlikely captain options away to Arsenal and Fulham respectively. Yet both could also have a big say in the outcome of BGW29.
Although Palmer hasn’t scored in his last seven matches, he has stepped up his goal threat. Indeed, the Chelsea star’s 17 shots in the last four Gameweeks rank second among all players in Fantasy.
Son, meanwhile, has been a big success on his travels of late, collecting 18 points in his last two away matches.
So, who is the best captain for BGW29?
Haaland’s improving home form gives him the edge as the player most likely to deliver a big return.
But it makes no sense to take multiple points hits to find the funds for Man City's Norwegian.
Both Wood and Fernandes have the form and fixture to mark them out as the best captaincy picks for those going without Haaland, with the Forest forward's consistency over the season meaning he is less likely to disappoint.