Captain Sensible

Who is the best captain for FPL Gameweek 18?

26 December 2025 281 comments
FFScout Tom FFScout Tom
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Erling Haaland (£15.1m) notched his eighth double-digit haul of the season against West Ham United in Gameweek 17, delighting the 900,000+ Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers who played their Triple Captain chip on him.

This weekend, Manchester City travel to Nottingham Forest, no doubt making the captaincy decision straightforward for some.

However, in Captain Sensible, we consider whether there is a case to look beyond the Norwegian. Arsenal and Liverpool, for instance, enjoy favourable home fixtures against Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively.

First, we will assess the on-site captaincy poll. We will then analyse player and team statistics, Rate My Team (RMT) and the Premier Fantasy Tools ratings to determine the best captain for Gameweek 18 ahead of Friday’s 6.30pm GMT deadline.

Captaincy Poll

Haaland sits at the top of the standings, with 46.5% of site users believing the Norwegian is the best option for Gameweek 18.

Hugo Ekitike (£9.0m) is the one player pushing him hard in the poll, with over a third of respondents backing the in-form Frenchman.

Matheus Cunha (£8.0m) is a distant third and, even then, this lofty standing might be due to his name appearing first in the poll and him thus garnering a handful of accidental votes!

Player Stats – Last Six Gameweeks

price change predictions

FFScout Tom <p>Partnerships &amp; Community Manager. Previously Multimedia Manager and Deputy Social Media Manager.</p>

281 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Keane There Dunne That
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 33 mins ago

    Happy Christmas all! Is my wildcard team set?
    Verbuggen Dubravka
    Timber Konate OReilly | Alderete Clyne
    Rice Foden Wirtz Cunha | Miley
    Haaland Bowen Ekiteke

    Last decision is defence…
    A) Timber Konate
    B) Calafiori VVD
    C) Timber Keane

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 30 mins ago

      Calafiori Konate Keane when possible

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  2. Ruinenlust
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 32 mins ago

    Will Wilson start??

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 29 mins ago

      Hope so as I only have Stach to jump in

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  3. EL tridente
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 31 mins ago

    Thiago to Bowen or Keep?

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 29 mins ago

      Keep

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    2. Not again Shirley
      • 9 Years
      2 hours, 25 mins ago

      Would give Thiago BOU

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    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      2 hours, 25 mins ago

      Keep

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  4. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 31 mins ago

    Silly to go all in on Pool with some shirt term picks?

    Senesi and Minteh to Frimpong and Gravenberch?

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 28 mins ago

      Frimpong is fine for a punt, not really sure about Grav

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    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 26 mins ago

      Really depends who they are in place of. But likely no

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 hours, 25 mins ago

        Senesi and Minteh

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        1. Biggsy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          2 hours, 23 mins ago

          Better picks this week and probably next. But they are likely two future transfers waiting to happen

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    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      2 hours, 25 mins ago

      Frimp maybe from the two

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  5. Lord of Ings
    • 10 Years
    2 hours, 29 mins ago

    That Wilson news is a real bummer this week.
    Would you start Wilson or Rodon in this case?
    Expect Leeds Sunderland to be low scoring so I’m leaning towards Rodon as of now

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 28 mins ago

      What news?

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      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        2 hours, 27 mins ago

        https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/comment/27472918

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        1. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          2 hours, 12 mins ago

          Cheers

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      2. Lord of Ings
        • 10 Years
        2 hours, 26 mins ago

        Silva on team news: "Wilson - it looked more serious than it is right now. It was a big knock on the knee. It's still painful, & we will assess him. Muniz & Sess are out. I'm hopeful about Wilson, games come thick & fast - let's hope we can have him available."

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        1. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          2 hours, 11 mins ago

          Ta, unclear and it seems significant risk

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  6. Biggsy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 hours, 28 mins ago

    BB activated. But should I hold a week?

    18: Dubravka (EVE), Rodon (sun), VdV (cry), Minteh (ars)
    19: Dubravka (NEW), Rodon (liv), VdV (bre), Minteh (whu)

    19 much better for Minteh, but with a FT I might well ditch him next week (probably Miley). Think 18 is better for the rest.

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    1. BrockLanders
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 24 mins ago

      I'd go 18

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  7. TalingtonFC
    • 3 Years
    2 hours, 27 mins ago

    Play:

    a)Chalobah or
    b) Anderson

    GK is Sanchez.

    Thanks!

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    1. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      2 hours, 26 mins ago

      A

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    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 26 mins ago

      A

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    3. Keane There Dunne That
      • 13 Years
      2 hours, 24 mins ago

      A

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      1. TalingtonFC
        • 3 Years
        2 hours, 23 mins ago

        Cheers!

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  8. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 26 mins ago

    Good to go? 0 FT, 4.6 it

    Roefs
    NOR Timber Collins
    Foden Rice Semenyo LeFee
    Haaland C Ekitike VC Thiago

    Dub Mukiele Szobo Esteve

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    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 25 mins ago

      Lovely

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      1. NABIL - FPL otai
        • 13 Years
        2 hours, 24 mins ago

        Cheers man. Hope to maintain top 100k OR this GW

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    2. Fuddled FC
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 24 mins ago

      Excellent, great bench too

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      1. NABIL - FPL otai
        • 13 Years
        2 hours, 22 mins ago

        Thanks man

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  9. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 hours, 26 mins ago

    Raya
    Virgil, Andersen, Timber, Richards
    Bruno, Wilson, Foden, Saka
    Thiago, Haaland

    Dubravka, Anderson, Rodon, Guiu

    3ft 1.4 itb

    A Richards to Keane
    B Roll (hope Richards starts, if not Rodon/Anderson off bench)

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    1. Fuddled FC
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 25 mins ago

      A i think if you've plenty of FT's

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    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 24 mins ago

      A because I think Palace defence is one to move off soon anyway

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    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      2 hours, 23 mins ago

      B

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  10. Fuddled FC
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 25 mins ago

    Struggling to decide whether to get Mount in for the next couple as a punt

    a) Anderson > Mount
    b) just play Senesi

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    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 25 mins ago

      A is nice if it doesn't waste a FT that would be better used in B

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    2. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 24 mins ago

      Neither - start Anderson

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      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        2 hours, 23 mins ago

        Or sell Senesi as Biggsy suggested

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      2. Fuddled FC
        • 14 Years
        2 hours, 23 mins ago

        Against City?

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        1. Tonyawesome69
          • 7 Years
          2 hours, 20 mins ago

          4 pointer

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    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      2 hours, 23 mins ago

      B no mount please

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    4. Dannyb
      • 8 Years
      2 hours, 22 mins ago

      I've just got Mount to enable funds for Ekitike, I don't hate it.

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    5. tokara
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 21 mins ago

      Graven

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    6. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 20 mins ago

      B Do Anderson to KDH when available
      Man Utd are going to miss so many creative players with Bruno, Ahmad & Mbeumo not available

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    7. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 10 mins ago

      Casemiro 😛

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      1. tokara
        • 11 Years
        2 hours, 6 mins ago

        I tot of that but lisandro is back

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  11. Sid07
    • 11 Years
    2 hours, 23 mins ago

    1) lee fee + O riley
    2) grealish + keane

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    1. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      2 hours, 23 mins ago

      1 like me above

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      1. Sid07
        • 11 Years
        2 hours, 17 mins ago

        not confident on lefee

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  12. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 21 mins ago

    Search by players, teams for updates:

    https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Premier+League

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    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      1 hour, 29 mins ago

      "we value your privacy... Accept all or pay £0.49/m to reject"

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      1. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        1 hour, 23 mins ago

        On Duckduckgo. No charges!

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  13. PScholes18
    • 5 Years
    2 hours, 19 mins ago

    Bruno is out, Wilson flagged.
    Got Keane, Rodon and Miley on the bench. Which is better?

    A: Bruno out for a hit. Keane to cover Wilson
    B: Keep Bruno til after deadline and play Keane. Rodon/Miley to cover Wilson.

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    1. BrockLanders
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 27 mins ago

      Depends on the upgrade for Bruno. More than likely just play Keane if its a hit

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      1. PScholes18
        • 5 Years
        1 hour, 12 mins ago

        9.3 to spend, but already with City and Arsenal triple-up. Leaning towards playing Keane, but feels kinda boring...

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        1. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          1 hour, 11 mins ago

          Points can be boring sometimes.

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  14. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    2 hours, 19 mins ago

    Would you sell Hartman for a hit for other 3.8-4.0 def? On BB.

    Or Wilson to Gordon -4?

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  15. BrockLanders
    • 10 Years
    2 hours, 18 mins ago

    Minteh to Rodgers or just play Minteh? For free

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    1. Atimis
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 38 mins ago

      Maybe to Gordon?

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      1. BrockLanders
        • 10 Years
        1 hour, 37 mins ago

        United away though. Fancy him there??

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        1. Atimis
          • 9 Years
          1 hour, 15 mins ago

          Yeah

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    2. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      1 hour, 37 mins ago

      Do you have an alternative option to start a defender and bench Minteh?

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      1. BrockLanders
        • 10 Years
        1 hour, 36 mins ago

        LaCroix.

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        1. Tonyawesome69
          • 7 Years
          1 hour, 34 mins ago

          Start Lacroix and save FT

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  16. Conners
    • 7 Years
    2 hours, 16 mins ago

    Any idea on what Ekitike's EO will be this week?

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    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 hours, 7 mins ago

      1M+ transfers in, up to 32% -ish overall ownership

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      1. Conners
        • 7 Years
        1 hour ago

        Yeah, should be quite high.

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  17. BR510
      2 hours, 16 mins ago

      Rogers over Bowen from gw20 right?

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      1. BrockLanders
        • 10 Years
        1 hour, 25 mins ago

        Yeah. I'm considering that

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    • RealMadrid4Ever
      • 2 Years
      2 hours, 12 mins ago

      Best Bruno F replacement? Have cunha ,foden,wilson

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      1. g40steve
        • 7 Years
        1 hour, 59 mins ago

        Differential is Palmer after Maresca interview?

        Blues boss Enzo Maresca also believes Cole Palmer is ready to last a whole match, having seen his recovery carefully managed.

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        1. RealMadrid4Ever
          • 2 Years
          1 hour, 57 mins ago

          Don’t have budget for Palmer

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          1. g40steve
            • 7 Years
            1 hour, 35 mins ago

            Rice Rogers Gordon

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    • ball c
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 50 mins ago

      Been thinking of best replacement for Bruno and here is my order:

      1) Cunha
      2) Wirtz
      3) Gordon

      Would prefer Wirtz but the fact Cunha will be the talisman now and likely on pens sways it.
      Anyone care to differ or should I stick to this transfer Bruno to Cunha?
      I have no other untied, pool attacking options or Newcastle.

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      1. LOS BLANCOS
        • 11 Years
        just now

        In that order

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    • Masny19
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      39 mins ago

      Saka, szobo —-> Rice, Wirtz?

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