Which players are offering the best value in FPL?

The Scout highlights the best-value players in 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League in terms of points per million (ppm) returned, and looks at which positions are the most likely to reward investment. 

The early-season displays of Erling Haaland (£15.4m), Cole Palmer (£10.8m), Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) and Bukayo Saka (£10.1m) in Fantasy Premier League have shown just why managers need to find more budget-friendly assets for their squads.

The four most expensive players in 2024/25 Fantasy are also the top points scorers, with only Liverpool’s Luis Diaz (£8.1m) keeping pace, tied with Saka in joint-fourth on 54 points.

Top-scoring players GW 1-7

Which positions are providing the best value?

What’s noticeable about the above-mentioned quintet is that, apart from Manchester City forward Haaland, all are listed as midfielders in Fantasy.

Indeed, SIX of the seven top-scoring players this season are midfielders, with Palmer, Salah, Saka, Diaz, Bryan Mbeumo (£7.5m) and Noni Madueke (£6.5m) are enjoying fine starts to 2024/25 Fantasy.

By assessing players in terms of points per million (ppm) returned, managers can get a better idea of not just WHO is providing the best value, but also which POSITION is the most likely to reward investment. 

Once again, midfielders excel while forwards fare very poorly. Among the 19 players who have returned at least 6.0ppm spent, only TWO of them are forwards - Brighton & Hove Albion's Danny Welbeck (£5.8m) and Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood (£6.2m).

By contrast, SEVEN midfielders have achieved this feat, along with five goalkeepers and five defenders. 

When extending this out to players who have returned a minimum 5.0ppm spent, it’s a similar situation. Forwards are again the worst performers, supplying just six of the 44 players, compared with 16 midfielders and 15 defenders. 

Combined with the dominance of midfielders in the overall points standings, this indicates that a 3-5-2 formation could be the best way to capitalise on these trends, allowing managers to profit from the host of in-form, kindly-priced midfield options, while limiting their picks up front. 

Best positions for ppm value GW 1-7

Which players are providing the best value?

Along with Welbeck, Everton midfielder Dwight McNeil (£5.7m) and Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate (£5.2m) are the only outfield players to have returned at least 7.0ppm over the first seven Gameweeks.

Both McNeil and Welbeck have produced 41 points and are separated by just £0.1m in price, with the former the least expensive, at £5.7m. 

Whereas Welbeck faces Newcastle United, Liverpool and Man City over the next four Gameweeks, McNeil is set to embark on a kind run of opponents that hands him the chance to add to his three goals and two assists. According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), six of their next seven matches score only two in the FDR.

Konate, meanwhile, has combined a goal and an assist with four clean sheets to total 37 points. Although he sits four points behind his team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m), who is the top-scoring defender, Konate has provided far better value, delivering 7.1ppm, compared with the right-back’s 5.8ppm.

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot (£5.1m) and Brentford's Mbeumo have been on a par with Liverpool’s Diaz for value, returning 6.9ppm and 6.8ppm respectively to the Colombian’s 6.7ppm.

Crucially, both Dalot and Mbeumo have the schedules to keep rewarding investors for many Gameweeks to come. According to the FDR, five of Man Utd’s next six matches score only two, while Brentford face Ipswich Town, Fulham, AFC Bournemouth, Everton and Leicester City across the next six Gameweeks.

Nott’m Forest’s Wood and Arsenal centre-back Gabriel, meanwhile, have enjoyed identical starts to the season - both cost £6.2m and have produced 39 points, returning 6.3ppm spent.

The New Zealand international is another who has an excellent run of upcoming fixtures, with each of Nott'm Forest's next three matches scoring a mere two in the FDR.

Palmer's appearance in the analysis is all the more remarkable considering his hefty cost of £10.8m.

Indeed, the Chelsea star is the ONLY premium player to feature in the best value assessment - he is the 12th best outfield player for value, returning 6.2ppm spent.

Although Haaland has matched Palmer's overall output and scored 10 goals in seven outings, the extra £4.6m outlay means the Norwegian has offered far less value. Haaland has returned just 4.4ppm, placing him only joint-13th among forwards, level with Aston Villa's Jhon Duran (£6.2m).

Best outfield players for ppm