Captain Sensible
26 December 2025 282 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>Deputy General Manager. Forever chasing the top 10K. Chelsea fan.&nbsp;</p> Follow them on Twitter

282 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Keane There Dunne That
    10 months, 1 day 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

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Calafiori Konate Keane when possible

  2. Ruinenlust
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Will Wilson start??

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Hope so as I only have Stach to jump in

  3. EL tridente
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Thiago to Bowen or Keep?

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Keep

    2. Not again Shirley
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Would give Thiago BOU

    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Keep

  4. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 1 day ago

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

    Senesi and Minteh to Frimpong and Gravenberch?

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 1 day ago

        Senesi and Minteh

        1. Biggsy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          10 months, 1 day ago

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

    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Frimp maybe from the two

  5. Lord of Ings
    10 months, 1 day 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

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

      What news?

        1. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          10 months, 1 day ago

          Cheers

      1. Lord of Ings
        10 months, 1 day 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."

        1. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          10 months, 1 day ago

          Ta, unclear and it seems significant risk

  6. Biggsy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 1 day 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.

    1. BrockLanders
      10 months, 1 day ago

      I'd go 18

  7. TalingtonFC
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Play:

    a)Chalobah or
    b) Anderson

    GK is Sanchez.

    Thanks!

    1. NABIL - FPL otai
      10 months, 1 day ago

      A

    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

      A

    3. Keane There Dunne That
      10 months, 1 day ago

      A

      1. TalingtonFC
        10 months, 1 day ago

        Cheers!

  8. NABIL - FPL otai
    10 months, 1 day 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

    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Lovely

      1. NABIL - FPL otai
        10 months, 1 day ago

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

    2. Fuddled FC
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Excellent, great bench too

      1. NABIL - FPL otai
        10 months, 1 day ago

        Thanks man

  9. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 1 day 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)

    1. Fuddled FC
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      10 months, 1 day ago

      B

  10. Fuddled FC
    10 months, 1 day ago

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

    a) Anderson > Mount
    b) just play Senesi

    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

    2. Tonyawesome69
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Neither - start Anderson

      1. Tonyawesome69
        10 months, 1 day ago

        Or sell Senesi as Biggsy suggested

      2. Fuddled FC
        10 months, 1 day ago

        Against City?

        1. Tonyawesome69
          10 months, 1 day ago

          4 pointer

    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      10 months, 1 day ago

      B no mount please

    4. Dannyb
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

    5. tokara
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Graven

    6. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

    7. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Casemiro 😛

      1. tokara
        10 months, 1 day ago

        I tot of that but lisandro is back

  11. Sid07
    10 months, 1 day ago

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

    1. NABIL - FPL otai
      10 months, 1 day ago

      1 like me above

      1. Sid07
        10 months, 1 day ago

        not confident on lefee

  12. GreennRed
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Search by players, teams for updates:

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

    1. Tonyawesome69
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

      1. GreennRed
        10 months, 1 day ago

        On Duckduckgo. No charges!

  13. PScholes18
    10 months, 1 day 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.

    1. BrockLanders
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

      1. PScholes18
        10 months, 1 day ago

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

        1. GreennRed
          10 months, 1 day ago

          Points can be boring sometimes.

  14. Atimis
    10 months, 1 day ago

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

    Or Wilson to Gordon -4?

  15. BrockLanders
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Minteh to Rodgers or just play Minteh? For free

    1. Atimis
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Maybe to Gordon?

      1. BrockLanders
        10 months, 1 day ago

        United away though. Fancy him there??

        1. Atimis
          10 months, 1 day ago

          Yeah

    2. Tonyawesome69
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

      1. BrockLanders
        10 months, 1 day ago

        LaCroix.

        1. Tonyawesome69
          10 months, 1 day ago

          Start Lacroix and save FT

  16. Conners
    10 months, 1 day ago

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

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 1 day ago

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

      1. Conners
        10 months, 1 day ago

        Yeah, should be quite high.

  17. BR510
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Rogers over Bowen from gw20 right?

    1. BrockLanders
      10 months, 1 day ago

      Yeah. I'm considering that

  18. RealMadrid4Ever
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Best Bruno F replacement? Have cunha ,foden,wilson

    1. g40steve
      10 months, 1 day 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.

      1. RealMadrid4Ever
        10 months, 1 day ago

        Don’t have budget for Palmer

        1. g40steve
          10 months, 1 day ago

          Rice Rogers Gordon

  19. ball c
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 1 day 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.

    1. LOS BLANCOS
      10 months, 1 day ago

      In that order

  20. Masny19
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Saka, szobo —-> Rice, Wirtz?

  21. Danno - Emre Canada
    10 months, 1 day ago

    Evening all, after the Bruno price fun can anyone inform me how these price predictions sites work. How do they get the stats and transfers in to estimate the changes and how many transfers there will be. Is it just taking a sample size?