Welcome to Gameweek 2 of the FPL season, RotoBallers! This is the third year covering FPL on the site, and we are bringing you more coverage than ever before. We will publish the Gameweek Preview consisting of a Staff Roundtable and our weekly rankings every week. Then, once a month, we will publish our newest article: The Watchlist, a review of the previous month and a look ahead to the upcoming fixtures.
One gameweek down, 37 more to go. The first weekend was a whirlwind, and we dive right back in with another 10 games from Friday until Monday. The rankings came through last week with some good calls on Pervis Estupinan, Rafael Varane, Alexander Isak, and Solly March.
The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 2 deadline is 1:15 PM EST on Friday, August 18, for the Nottingham Forest-Sheffield United game. Also, look out for the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League, Major League Soccer, and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS and betting perspective.
Fantasy Premier League - Gameweek 2 Rankings
Our weekly rankings highlight players who could be worth a punt in your Fantasy Premier League squad. While the rankings will be filled with familiar names, a low-owned player with an easy fixture will rise up the one-week charts. For each gameweek, we will provide our top 10 goalkeepers and forwards, as well as our top-15 defenders and midfielders.
Gameweek 1 Fantasy Premier League High Scorers
- Goalkeeper: Bernd Leno, Fulham - 12 points
- Defender: Raphael Varane, Manchester United - 14 points
- Midfielder: Rodrigo, Manchester City - 13 points
- Forward: Erling Haaland, Manchester City & Alexander Isak, Newcastle United - 13 points
FPL Goalkeepers - Gameweek 2 Rankings
- Alisson comes out on top with a home game against Bournemouth on the cards. The Cherries looked positive in their first game of the season, and the Liverpool keeper will have to make a couple of saves to keep this clean sheet. We shouldn't expect another 9-0 outcome.
- Matt Turner is set to be the substitute hero of the week with a home game versus Sheffield United. The newly-acquired keeper will give managers many benching headaches before the gameweek deadline. I am benching Jordan Pickford and playing Turner this week.
- After his 12-point season opener, Bernd Leno is another alternative in the £4.5m range. Goalkeeper transfers are usually not worth the hassle, so roll with Leno if you have him, but don't bring in Fulham's shot-stopper.
Ranking | Name | Team | Opponent | Predicted Points | CS Odds |
1 | Alisson | LIV | BOU | 4.3 | 46% |
2 | Ramsdale | ARS | CRY | 4.0 | 44% |
3 | Turner | NOT | SHU | 3.9 | 41% |
4 | Steele | BRI | WOL | 3.8 | 33% |
5 | Leno | FUL | BRE | 3.7 | 27% |
6 | Ederson | MCI | NEW | 3.6 | 37% |
7 | Onana | MUN | TOT | 3.6 | 23% |
8 | Foderingham | SHU | NFO | 3.6 | 22% |
9 | Vicario | TOT | MUN | 3.5 | 19% |
10 | Flekken | BRE | FUL | 3.5 | 25% |
FPL Defenders - Gameweek 2 Rankings
- The rankings believe in Liverpool's clean-sheet ability this weekend. One Bournemouth goal could devastate managers who are overexposed to the Anfield defense. Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the most popular pick, and FPL managers should avoid further investment in the Red's defense after their performance versus Chelsea.
- Ben Chilwell is here to stay. A fantastic Gameweek 1 performance has put him on the map as a potential season-keeper. Chelsea's future fixtures are great, and the left-footed star could bag another attacking return at West Ham this weekend.
- With Julian Timber's (knee) injury, Gabriel should slot back into the Arsenal squad. He started 73 consecutive league games for Arsenal before his Gameweek 1 benching, and he won't be on the bench for back-to-back weekends.
Ranking | Name | Team | Opponent | Pred. Pts | CS Odds |
1 | Alexander-Arnold | LIV | BOU | 5.6 | 46% |
2 | Robertson | LIV | BOU | 4.7 | 46% |
3 | Virgil | LIV | BOU | 4.4 | 46% |
4 | James | CHE | WHU | 4.0 | 35% |
5 | Chilwell | CHE | WHU | 3.9 | 35% |
6 | Estupinan | BRI | WOL | 3.9 | 33% |
7 | Cash | AVL | EVE | 3.7 | 41% |
8 | Gabriel | ARS | CRY | 3.6 | 44% |
9 | Saliba | ARS | CRY | 3.6 | 44% |
10 | Konate | LIV | BOU | 3.5 | 46% |
11 | Aurier | NOT | SHU | 3.4 | 41% |
12 | White | ARS | CRY | 3.4 | 44% |
13 | Pau | AVL | EVE | 3.4 | 41% |
14 | Ruben | MCI | NEW | 3.3 | 37% |
15 | Dunk | BRI | WOL | 3.3 | 33% |
FPL Midfielders - Gameweek 2 Rankings
- If Mohamed Salah had shorter hair, he would've had a goal and an assist in Sunday's match versus Chelsea. Liverpool looked electric for the first 30 minutes and then fell flat. That energy must be duplicated for the entire 90 minutes against Bournemouth on Saturday if Salah captains want to be rewarded for their bold move to go against Erling Haalandg.
- Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes will need to show signs of life against Tottenham if they want to remain in FPL manager's lineups for Gameweek 3. This should be a high-scoring affair, with both teams looking shaky at the back on the opening weekend.
- Usually, only the top-15 midfielders will appear on the rankings, but we had to make an exception for James Maddison. The former-Leicester City talisman was phenomenal against Brentford over the weekend. It looked like he had been playing with Spurs for years. He created chance after chance and was rewarded with two assists. Man United looked lost against Wolves, and this Spurs attack is far more deadly. Goals will be scored.
Ranking | Name | Team | Opponent | Pred. Pts | Goal Odds | Assist Odds |
1 | Salah | LIV | BOU | 7.3 | 52% | 33% |
2 | Saka | ARS | CRY | 4.8 | 30% | 25% |
3 | Diogo J. | LIV | BOU | 4.7 | 42% | 30% |
4 | Gibbs-White | NOT | SHU | 4.6 | 24% | 24% |
5 | Son | TOT | MUN | 4.5 | 26% | 23% |
6 | Rashford | MUN | TOT | 4.5 | 30% | 16% |
7 | Odegaard | ARS | CRY | 4.5 | 23% | 23% |
8 | Martinelli | ARS | CRY | 4.4 | 26% | 26% |
8 | Mbeumo | BRE | FUL | 4.4 | 31% | 18% |
10 | Szoboszlai | LIV | BOU | 4.4 | 26% | 32% |
11 | Diaby | AVL | EVE | 4.4 | 25% | 23% |
12 | B.Fernandes | MUN | TOT | 4.3 | 24% | 22% |
13 | Luis Diaz | LIV | BOU | 4.3 | 31% | 32% |
14 | Mac Allister | LIV | BOU | 4.2 | 21% | 22% |
15 | Grealish | MCI | NEW | 4.1 | 20% | 31% |
16 | Maddison | TOT | MUN | 4.1 | 22% | 23% |
FPL Forwards - Gameweek 2 Rankings
- Another week, another forward ranking where Erling Haaland sits on top. The only slight concern would be minutes management after Manchester City played in the Super Cup in Greece on Wednesday evening. So the Norwegian could be subbed off early if City is leading comfortably against Newcastle.
- It was overshadowed in Aston Villa's 5-1 thumping at Newcastle, but Ollie Watkins still returned with an assist. The rankings love the leading man at Villa Park, and he has a 40 percent chance of scoring a goal.
- After 30 minutes, Liverpool looked flat against Chelsea. It wasn't until Darwin Nunez came on that the Anfield attack had a new spark. If Jurgen Klopp wants goals, goals, and more goals on Saturday afternoon, his Uruguayan forward could be the answer. The bookies also like Darwin to score, with his 49 percent chance being the second-highest behind Haaland.
Ranking | Name | Team | Opponent | Pred. Pts | Goal Odds |
1 | Haaland | MCI | NEW | 6.0 | 53% |
2 | Watkins | AVL | EVE | 5.1 | 40% |
3 | N.Jackson | CHE | WHU | 4.1 | 33% |
4 | Gakpo | LIV | BOU | 4.0 | 35% |
5 | Wissa | BRE | FUL | 3.5 | 26% |
6 | Alvarez | MCI | NEW | 3.4 | 35% |
7 | Joao Pedro | BRI | WOL | 3.4 | 42% |
8 | Darwin | LIV | BOU | 3.1 | 49% |
9 | Welbeck | BRI | WOL | 3.0 | 32% |
10 | Solanke | BOU | LIV | 3.0 | 22% |
Is there anything else you would like to cover for FPL every week? Hit us up on Twitter @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!