RADIO
Welcome to the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season, RotoBallers! The team has given you the team previews ahead of the new season, and now it's time for the position previews. Today, we continue this by looking at players upfront: forwards.
The leading men of our Fantasy Premier League squads can make or break a season. A certain Norwegian will dominate proceedings as usual. Still, Ollie Watkins (£9.0M), Alexander Isak (£8.5M), Kai Havertz (£8.0M), and Dominic Solanke (£7.5M) could shake up the order for the upcoming campaign.
The Gameweek 1 deadline of the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season is Friday, August 16 at 1:30 p.m. EDT, when Manchester United welcomes Fulham to open the campaign. Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League slate and UEFA Champions League game with our EPL DFS lineup picks and betting picks.
FPL Position Previews: Forwards
Erling Haaland (£15.0M) was hit with the injury bug last season and could not replicate his rookie season in the Premier League. Still, 35 goal involvements (27 goals, eight assists) in 29 starts is a phenomenal record. The Norwegian's absence allowed Ollie Watkins to shine through and become one of the breakout stars of the campaign. The Englishman's 228 points trailed only Cole Palmer (244) and Phil Foden (230) last year.
Last Season's Forwards Stats
Most FPL points: Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa - 228 points
Most goals: Erling Haaland, Man City - 27 goals
Most assists: Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa - 18 assists
Most bonus points: Erling Haaland, Man City & Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa - 29 bonus points
Over your FPL career, what is your strategy for forwards?
- Euan Leith: We live in a world where Erling Haaland's shadow engulfs FPL. If you have him, you don't get a lot of gains because he is so popular, and if you go against him, then your season could be over by Gameweek 3. You can't win your FPL minileague in the first two gameweeks, but you can surely lose it if the Norwegian explodes and you don't have him in your squad. As a result, I usually like to play it safe and get the big guy (whether it's Haaland or formerly Harry Kane) in my squad.
- Jamie Steed: I always used to overload my attack and would prioritize that over every other position. Now, there are so many solid options up front you can pay down for one or two forwards and still have an outstanding attack. Erling Haaland has completely changed the landscape of forwards and made it tougher to have an elite attack and not sacrifice another position completely, given his price.
- The FPL Manual (Wale): The plan here is always to have at least one premium asset on penalty duty. Back then, it was Harry Kane or Romelu Lukaku, but this time, it’s the Norwegian forward Erling Haaland. Then I'll mix in some cheaper forwards, but things might go a little differently this season.
What's your favorite FPL price reveal for forwards?
- Euan: Maybe I love pain, but Nicolas Jackson (£7.5M) has caught my eye again. There are a lot of options at Chelsea, but the 23-year-old led the line last year and added 20 goal involvements (14 goals, six assists) in his rookie campaign with the Blues. With a year at the club under his belt, I can see a world where Jackson hits 20 goals and becomes a premier forward option.
- Jamie: Just the fact that the most expensive non-Haaland forward is £9.0M. If you build a team without Haaland, you can easily build an excellent forward trio for ~£23.0M. It also allows for much greater fluidity in the season as you do not have to make two transfers to bring in one replacement as you can’t afford the one you want to bring in. There are plenty of great options to choose from.
- Wale: I have a few favorites here; Joao Pedro (£5.5M), Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0M), Dominic Solanke, and Ollie Watkins are just a handful of the main forwards I would love to have on my team.
The biggest price increase in @OfficialFPL history.
Our Cole. 💎 pic.twitter.com/FlDwUTFD1b
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 12, 2024
What's your least favorite FPL price reveal for forwards?
- Euan: Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5M) ended the year in top form. While he finished the year with 16 goals and seven assists, 12 of those 16 strikes came in the final 11 games of the year. Under Oliver Glasner, Mateta made magic. However, the price point is a little high considering Rodrigo Muniz and Joao Pedro cost £1.5M and £2.0M less, respectively.
- Jamie: You may think it would be that Haaland is £15.0M. But that has just made things more enjoyable with various builds. My one irksome price reveal was Ivan Toney, which was £7.5. After failing to impress following his return from a lengthy ban, I hoped he’d come at a discount. I believe he’s in for a big season and will be a top-5 forward, so I’m not avoiding him by any means. I just wish he was a little bit cheaper.
- Wale: None that I can think of. I have no issues with the price reveal for the forwards this season.
Among the £8.0M and above-priced forwards, who are you most likely to have in your Gameweek 1 squad?
- Euan: When the game launched, I had Alexander Isak in my squad. And, as of this writing, the Swede is still in my draft one month later. If Isak is healthy and Callum Wilson (£7.0M) is not, it's full speed ahead for the Isak Express. With no European football on the calendar, Newcastle should bounce right back into Champions League contention, and it'll be because of their striker grabbing at least 25 goals.
- Jamie: Alexander Isak is the most highly rostered forward (55.9%), and for good reason. Newcastle has an abundance of attacking midfielders adept at creating chances for Isak. With Newcastle not in European competition this season, their entire focus will be on the league, and Isak should remain fresh after not going to the Euros either. His only competition is Callum Wilson, who cannot stay fit, so Isak should play every week if he stays healthy.
- Wale: Short answer – Alexander Isak (£8.5m) is a no-brainer. There is no European competition for the Geordies, and he has a good run of fixtures from Gameweeks 1-3. Isak is a locked-in asset.
If you need us, we'll be watching this Alexander Isak assist 🥶
(via @NUFC)pic.twitter.com/Xqk0ysT1Vk
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 28, 2023
Who is your favorite £6.0-£7.5M forward for the 2024/25 FPL campaign?
- Euan: Throughout the season, I expect Dominic Solanke to shine in a Spurs shirt. I know that'll upset Jamie, but I don't see how the newly-signed Spurs striker doesn't have a career year. He's playing with the most talented squad he's ever seen and will be the tip of the spear for Tottenham. With Son Heung-min (£10.0M), Brennan Johnson (£6.5M), and others feeding the supply chain, I expect Solanke to match his career-best 19 goals from last year, if not surpass it by two or three strikes.
- Jamie: There are so many £7.5M forwards I like, and I’ve already mentioned Toney. So, I’ll say Cody Gakpo (£7.5M) here. He shone at the Euros, and new manager Arne Slot will be familiar with Gakpo from their Eredivisie days. It feels like this could be the Dutchman's breakout season.
- Wale: Due to recency bias, Dominic Solanke's move to Tottenham makes him my favorite forward in that price range. Ange Postecoglou has been searching for the perfect forward that fits the Spurs high-pressing system, especially since the departure of Harry Kane. Solanke already looks like a promising asset that fantasy managers can bank on for goals, and I am excited about it.
Signed. Sealed. Solanke. 🖊️ pic.twitter.com/EMYJdK7eba
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 10, 2024
Whose the best pick at the top of the pitch priced at £5.5M or under?
- Euan: The pricing of Joao Pedro (£5.5M) could be game-breaking if he maintains his role for Brighton this season. He's been hampered by an injury this preseason, but he played 45 minutes in the last preseason game and scored a cracking goal. The 22-year-old can play at the top of the line or just behind the striker, and that positional flexibility should give him a secure number of minutes. Plus, the Brazilian is on penalties, where he converted 10 of his 11 chances from the spot last season.
- Jamie: There’s a significant drop-off in options once you go under £6.0M. While João Pedro will be a popular player and likely be everyone’s number-one option here, I’m going with his teammate Evan Ferguson (£5.5M). He’s set to miss the first few weeks of the season, but I’m a big fan of his talent. Assuming the Irishman can return to full fitness in October, he will be in for a big season.
- Wale: Joao Pedro seems to be the best pick on paper. This is mainly because he is on penalty duty for Brighton. However, Adam Armstrong (£5.5M) can rival him down the line when Southampton starts to pick up form.
A stunner from our striker @DeJesusOfiicial! 😮💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/G9nupc14hT
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 10, 2024
Which forward will have the best start to the Fantasy Premier League season over the first six fixtures?
- Euan: It's challenging to overlook Rodrigo Muniz from Fulham for this category. Fulham tops the Attacking fixture ticker over the first six weeks of the season. They play two of the three newly promoted teams (Leicester & Ipswich) in the first three weeks and don't play any of the top-six from last season. However, for £0.5M less, I prefer Emile Smith-Rowe (£5.5M) as a midfielder for my route into the Cottager's attack.
- Jamie: I’ve been considering Taiwo Awoniyi as a discount option for the season, given Nottingham Forest’s fixtures. Injuries have limited Awoniyi to 29 EPL starts over the last two seasons. But he scored 16 goals at that time. Assuming he can stay fit for the opening few weeks of the season, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him bag a few goals in the opening six games.
- Wale: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is the first name that comes to mind, as the Norwegian forward has consistently always started the season strongly and is the one player I can recommend will have a fantastic start.
Which forward will struggle over the first six fixtures of the FPL season?
- Euan: It'll be a struggle for any Brentford forward to hit the ground running with away ties at Liverpool, Man City, and Spurs in the first five gameweeks. The home fixtures (Crystal Palace, Southampton, and West Ham) are attackable, but I'll avoid Ivan Toney (if he stays) from the Bees for the first month and a half of the 2024/25 FPL season.
- Jamie: Arsenal will have three away games against sides finishing in the top 5 last season during the opening six weeks. There are also no guarantees that Kai Havertz will start every game or even be deployed up top. He was originally signed to play in a deeper role before injuries to Gabriel Jesus forced Arsenal’s hand a little bit. There are enough question marks that make me wonder if Havertz can start the season strong, especially given his shortened pre-season due to competing at the Euros.
- Wale: I suggest a few of the Leicester forwards in this category, Jamie Vardy (£5.5M) and Patson Daka (£5.5M), could not only struggle to get on the scoresheet with the Foxes' return to the Premier League but also struggle with their minutes played (xMins) which makes these assets pretty unreliable for the first set of games.
As of today, who's your favorite FPL forward to target?
- Euan: I can't see a world where Alexander Isak isn't in my Gameweek 1 squad. I may even give him the armband over Erling Haaland for that Gameweek 1 fixture against Southampton.
- Jamie: Every squad I’ve built has contained Ivan Toney. Brentford was one of the league’s unluckiest teams last season in terms of expected goals (xG). If they can keep their front three fit, they may even compete for a top-10 finish, and Toney should get back to being a 20-goal striker this season.
- Wale: A very difficult ask. Nevertheless, if I can recall his last season’s brilliance of 21 goals scored, Alexander Isak has a strong record of scoring a lot of goals when playing at home in Saint James’ Park. With the first two Newcastle home games against Southampton and Spurs, I would tip Isak as my favorite forward to target this season.
Memes, memories and much more 😍@IvanToney24 is the latest #ThreeLions player to visit the Diary Room! pic.twitter.com/qXbA5G9SB0
— England (@England) July 8, 2024
Finally, what's your bold prediction for forwards during the 2024/25 FPL season?
- Euan: Alexander Isak pips Erling Haaland to the Golden Boot 36-35 this season. Elsewhere, Cody Gakpo doubles his career-best total (8) and scores at least 16 goals under Arne Slot.
- Jamie: Ollie Watkins fails to score 175 points and finishes outside the top-5 forwards. Gabriel Jesus has 25 goal involvements and finishes the season in the top three forwards for total points.
- Wale: Keep an eye on Wolves' new signing, Jørgen Strand Larsen (£5.5M). I anticipate he will become a solid fantasy addition down the line.
Join the Rotoballer FPL League
Fancy pitting your wits against fellow RotoBallers? Then, join our free league to compete against the team and our dedicated FPL fans. Head to the official FPL site, click the Leagues and Cups tab and enter the RotoBaller league code: b278pa.
Go head-to-head against your friends and family in mini-leagues 🏆
Pick your squad and compete for #FPL glory now! ⬇️
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) July 18, 2024
Stick around for more 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League content coming soon. Hit us up on X @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
