The rebels, the thrillseekers and the individuals. In our latest community article, FPL_Runpharm asks why some Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers go against the ‘safe’ captain pick.
Every season, there comes a point where the captaincy feelsโฆ predictable. Last season, it was Mohamed Salah (ยฃ14.2m). This season, Erling Haaland (ยฃ14.8m). Once the majority decides one of them is in great scoring form, the team is playing well, and ownership is through the roofโฆ thatโs it. People just stick with the โboringโ captain every Gameweek. As long as heโs fit (or even half fit), not suspended, not at any rotation risk, or away for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), he gets the armband. No questions asked.
And honestly, we all understand why – which is why we do it, too! Yes, Iโm talking about you… and me. Itโs safe. Itโs logical. It protects you from the dreaded ‘effective ownership’ (EO). But today, weโre not going to talk about us boring bunch, because, well, thatโs just way too boring. You won’t want to read about it anyway.
So, letโs look at the other side: the ones who dare to go against the grain. Why do some people choose to ignore the obvious, instead going for the โfunโ or โriskyโ pick? Whatโs really going on in their heads?
‘PLAYING TO WIN’
The usual answer you hear is: โIf we keep captaining Haaland, weโre not going to gain much rank.โ These managers claim theyโre playing to win. They find more excitement in chasing glory than avoiding average. โIf Iโm going to finish 500k captaining Haaland every week, I might as well go for it. It doesnโt matter if I end up ranked 5m in the end.โ
Thatโs usually the mindset for the ones chasing a goal (top 10k, top 100k, whatever it may be). But hereโs the thing: those managers usually play it safe early in the season, only opting for differential captains when they are chasing towards the end of the campaign.
So, who are the ones not captaining Haaland now?
1. The Thrill Seekers
Youโve seen them in real life, too. The people who climb skyscrapers without ropes, walk tightropes between buildings, and jump off cliffs for fun. They live for the adrenaline, the โWhat if?โ moments.
In FPL, that same rush appears when everyone else captains Haaland. A tiny voice in their head, whispering, โWhat if I go for Bukayo Saka (ยฃ10.1m)? Or Danny Welbeck (ยฃ6.5m)? Or Jean-Philippe Mateta (ยฃ7.9m)? Or even Gabriel Magalhaes (ยฃ6.6m)? Defenders are killing it so far and Arsenal just won’t concede.โ
At that point, itโs not just about points anymore. Itโs about the rush of being right when no one else is. โRisk takers tend to make decisions with both high potential benefits and high potential adverse outcomesโ (Frontiers in Psychology, 2021). Of course, they rarely think about the adverse part. Itโs the dopamine hit theyโre chasing.
2. The Individuals
Then, there are those who simply donโt like being the same as everyone else. Remember back in school, there were always a few students who just had to stand out? The class clowns, the goths, the bullies? That instinct doesnโt disappear when we grow up; it just takes new forms. In psychology, this is called the need for distinctiveness.
โDeviance can be a way for people to express themselves and their individuality.โ – Simply Psychology
So, when 85% of managers put it on Haaland, these ones go, โNah. I see something others donโt.โ Itโs not always arrogance; sometimes itโs a way to express confidence. They believe their football eye test, analysis, or gut instinct gives them an edge that others are too afraid to follow.
3. The Rebels
Finally, the rebels. Ever notice how when everyone tells you to do something, you suddenly donโt want to do it anymore? Yeah, me too. When I was younger, my mum used to tell me to study hard every single day. And for a while, I did – obediently. Until one day, something snapped. I thought, โWhy am I listening to her every time? I want to do what I like.โ So, instead of studying, I started watching FPL videos, dreaming of becoming a YouTuber talking about captaincy picks instead of chemistry formulas (not a true story).
Thatโs psychological reactance, the human tendency to push back when our freedom to choose feels limited. So when every content creator, Twitter posts, and podcasts say, โHaaland is a must-captain this week,โ some managers instinctively respond, โNah. Iโll make my own decision.โ Itโs not always logical, but it feels good. Going against the crowd restores their sense of control. It strokes their ego. Itโs a quiet rebellion disguised as โgut instinct.”
Some chase the thrill.
Some crave individuality.
Some rebel against being told what to do.
And sometimesโฆ they just genuinely think thereโs a better option that Gameweek.
So next time you see someone captaining a โcrazyโ pick while you play it safe, it’s not recklessness. Theyโre not losing their minds; they are just playing FPL differently to you and me.
