Fantasy Premier League managers have so far splashed out an average of £26 million on their three forwards - almost identical to the average sum spent across the five-man defences.
That outlay underlines the importance of investment in assured FPL assets, offering the best possible guarantee of a consistent flow of goals and points.
With that in mind, it is no surprise to find Manchester City's Sergio Aguero (£13.0m) dominates the pre-season thinking, along with Manchester United's marquee signing, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (£11.5m).
Aguero is part of 37.8% of squads, having scored 50 goals in his past two Premier League seasons, amassing 400 points along the way.
The Argentinian could have his Gameweek 1 pitch time curtailed as a result of his Copa America exertions but will head into the Etihad meeting with Sunderland (13 August: Man City v Sunderland) as a standout for the FPL captaincy.
That is a status he's likely to maintain week-to-week, a crucial factor when weighing up the hefty price tag.
Having recorded 113 goals and 44 assists in 122 league matches for Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimovic is expected to rival Aguero's FPL points output.
The 34-year-old could take time to adjust to the demands of the Premier League but will surely play a pivotal role in Jose Mourinho's Old Trafford revolution.
Over 32% are currently backing the legendary Swede to hit the ground running.
Interest in that pairing has understandably diminished investment elsewhere, with Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane (£11.0m) and Leicester City's Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) boasting 17.3% and 13.2% ownership respectively.
Those are surprisingly low figures for players who both delivered 211 points last season and can be backed to push 20-goal returns once again.
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That pair both trail Everton's Romelu Lukaku (£9.0m), who heads into the campaign off the back of a career best FPL tally. The Belgian has so far claimed 23.3% ownership.
To counter the big spend on two primary forwards, FPL managers have mainly turned to Southampton's Shane Long, Middlesbrough's Alvaro Negredo and Burnley's Andre Gray (all £6.5m) to occupy the third squad slot.
That trio all command more than 10% ownership, with Long leading the pack following a 10-goal return from 28 appearances last term.
Gray is threatening to close on the Saints' striker as he continues to blast goals throughout the Clarets' pre-season.
Having claimed 23 strikes and eight assists in Burnley's promotion campaign, Gray has notched eight times over five summer outings, including a hat-trick in Saturday's 3-1 weekend win at Rangers.
