Captain Sensible
2 January 2026 186 comments
FFScout Tom FFScout Tom
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In the weekly article that could really be retitled ‘Do you dare bet against Erling Haaland (£15.1m)?”, we consider the best captain for FPL Gameweek 20.

Players from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester United provide the competition this time, with matches against Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, respectively.

First, we will assess the on-site captaincy poll. We will then analyse player and team statistics and Rate My Team (RMT) to determine the best captain for Gameweek 20 ahead of Saturday’s 11am GMT deadline.


Captaincy Poll

Haaland sits at the top of the Fantasy Football Scout captaincy poll standings. Over 40% of site users still believe the Norwegian is the best option for Gameweek 19.

Morgan Rogers (£7.5m) sits in second place – again, probably helped by being the first option in the poll and receiving accidental clicks – and currently boasts just over 18% of the vote. Aston Villa host Nottingham Forest in the early kick-off on Saturday. The England international scored twice in his last home match and is the most transferred-in attacking player ahead of the deadline.

Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka (£10.3m), Ollie Watkins (£8.6m) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m) are the only other players to garner more than 5% support. All three players picked up attacking returns in Gameweek 19.


Player Stats – Last Six Gameweeks

price change predictions

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

186 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Shmack92
    • 11 Years
    55 mins ago

    Have pulled the trigger on WC. Thoughts on this? Bench in right order?

    Pickford
    Gab - Hall - Tark
    Gordon - Foden - Cherki - Roger’s
    Haaland - Bowen - DCL

    Dubravka - VDV - Lewis Potter - Schade

    1. Manani
      • 14 Years
      5 mins ago

      don't like Schade

      otherwise looks fine

      1. Shmack92
        • 11 Years
        just now

        Thanks. Have made the below:

        Schade - > Rice
        Dubravka -> Darlow

    2. Raoul Nogues
        3 mins ago

        Very good... too much money on the bench ?

        1. Shmack92
          • 11 Years
          1 min ago

          Will definitely cause me some benching headaches! Hoping I can pick the right 11 more often than not.

    3. if doing Calafiori-->Gabriel, would require a -4; would consider O'Reilly--> a 4.5 or so DEF (such as Van de Ven, or Cash at 4.8) or choose significantly less price with A. Heaven (at 3.9) and free up additional budget to use later on?

      1. Cash (at 4.8) would use exact budget left after the Gabriel move

      2. It realy depends on how often you plan to olay your new defender... if you need a starter then go with Cash, but you need a bench backup then I'd suggest Alderete at 4.0

    4. SpaceCadet
      • 12 Years
      52 mins ago

      Who would you sell for Gabriel?

      A. Konate
      B. O’reily
      C. Keane

      1. CYN
        • 7 Years
        16 mins ago

        B

        1. SpaceCadet
          • 12 Years
          2 mins ago

          Thanks

    5. CYN
      • 7 Years
      52 mins ago

      A. Raya + O'Reilly -> Verbruggen + Gab
      B. O'Reilly + Andersen -> Alderete + Tark

    6. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      50 mins ago

      Set on this WC

      Roefs Dubravka
      Gabriel Timber Tarkowski Nunes Alderete
      Saka Rogers Guimaraes Paqueta Stach
      Haaland Ekitike DCL

      1. 4-3-3? Not a huge fan of that midfield

    7. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      48 mins ago

      Do you think I'm ok to keep both O'Reilly and Keane? Would need one of them to play to field 11

      1. CYN
        • 7 Years
        9 mins ago

        Think it's time to move on O'Reilly.

    8. HellasLEAF
      • 16 Years
      47 mins ago

      Is KDH injury thought to be long? Reading mixed things here.

      KDH owners hanging on or getting rid.

      Just have other fires to put out and could bench him at 5.0 is cheap to sit until return but if is out extended will look to get rid.

    9. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      47 mins ago

      Repost.

      Play
      A. O'Reilly (CHE)
      B. Mukiele (tot)

      Thanks

      1. Jam0sh
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        8 mins ago

        A

      2. derdourily
        • 12 Years
        just now

        A
        Try to help me just below

    10. GROBARI
      • 5 Years
      46 mins ago

      What should i prioritize?
      A) Sell Hincapie for Gabriel but have to sell Raul for Obi
      B) sell Minteh
      C) sell Keane

    11. hazza44
      • 13 Years
      44 mins ago

      Which one on WC?
      A) Gordon/ BrunoG & Rice
      B) Palmer & Garner

    12. Manani
      • 14 Years
      43 mins ago

      A. Rice + VVD > Rogers + Gab
      B. Saka + ORilley > Rogers + Gab

      b will leave me enough to upgrade Anderson > Gordon/BrunoG

    13. Foden's price is dropping tonight, and Cherki's is going up.

      Would I regret it if I sold Foden (8.5 sp) for Cherki?

      1. Weasel Boy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        just now

        No but probably regret on Sunday if Foden scores and Cherki blanks.

        That's how my luck usually goes.

    14. SpaceCadet
      • 12 Years
      42 mins ago

      Chances of starting this gw?

      A. Keane
      B. O’reily

      1. Stevie B
        • 15 Years
        4 mins ago

        I think and hope that Keane will start.

        1. SpaceCadet
          • 12 Years
          1 min ago

          Cheers. Just did o’reily > Gabriel and starting keane

          1. Stevie B
            • 15 Years
            just now

            Good luck. I hope that it will help.

    15. derdourily
      • 12 Years
      41 mins ago

      Repost (Excuse me)

      What would you do for this team to get Gabriel ?
      Have 3FT and 0.1ITB

      Dubravka
      Timber Keane Thiaw
      Saka Semenyo Foden Paqueta
      Ekitike Haaland Thiago

      Petrovic Le Fée Mukiele Andersen

      Thanks.

      1. Stevie B
        • 15 Years
        22 mins ago

        Maybe Timber and Foden -> Gabriel and Wilson. Sadly Foden is often a troll. I have Saka, but I am not happy with him. He brings points, but he is also very expensive.

      2. Downgrade Semenyo or Thiago, then Thiaw>Gabriel

      3. NABIL - FPL otai
        • 13 Years
        10 mins ago

        Thaw, Saka, Thiago to Gabriel Bowen & someone

        Thanks for your help

      4. derdourily
        • 12 Years
        1 min ago

        Thanks guys for your help

    16. Stevie B
      • 15 Years
      39 mins ago

      What is better?

      A) Rondon and Rice -> Mukiele and Cherki (I already have Alderete)
      B) Rondon and Rice -> Gabriel and Miley

      Thank you and Happy Easter!

    17. if looking to do Calafiori-->Gabriel--should the other move (to fund this) be O'Reilly--> Cash (exact funds); VDV (in the middle and with decent fixtures for Spurs); or Heaven (frees up the most budget)

    18. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      36 mins ago

      Which one would you bench?

      A) Keane (BRE)
      B) Alderete (tot)
      C) Wilson (LIV)

      1. SpaceCadet
        • 12 Years
        14 mins ago

        B

      2. Jam0sh
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        10 mins ago

        Cheers

      3. NABIL - FPL otai
        • 13 Years
        4 mins ago

        B like they said

    19. Either of these worth -4?
      A) VVD -> Gabriel
      B) OReilly -> Tarkowski

      1. Or would you start Alderete over either?

      2. SpaceCadet
        • 12 Years
        16 mins ago

        No

      3. Manani
        • 14 Years
        9 mins ago

        just play vvd

    20. Manani
      • 14 Years
      33 mins ago

      play Anderson (avl) or Wilson (LIV)

    21. SpaceCadet
      • 12 Years
      30 mins ago

      Anything worth a hit here? 4-4-2 the right way to go? 0.6m itb.

      Sanchez
      Gabriel konate vdv keane
      Saka Cunha Foden BrunoG
      Haaland dcl

      Dubravka Thiago Anderson diouf

    22. Stevie B
      • 15 Years
      30 mins ago

      What is the problem with this team?

      Pope
      Gabriel, van Dijk, Keane
      Saka, Foden, Rogers, Bruno G.
      Haaland (C), Ekitike, Calvert-Lewin

      Dubravka, Miley, Alderete, Guehi

      Thank you and good luck!

      1. Weasel Boy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        10 mins ago

        Don't see a problem
        G2G

      2. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        4 mins ago

        Van Dijk stands out

      3. SpaceCadet
        • 12 Years
        1 min ago

        Looks pretty solid

    23. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      28 mins ago

      https://x.com/i/status/2007216192214446158

      Rice has travelled with the squad

      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 mins ago

        Yep

    24. Taegugk Warrior
      • 7 Years
      20 mins ago

      1FT
      A. Thiago to Bowen
      B. Save FT

      1. Clintymints
        • 16 Years
        3 mins ago

        For free sure

      2. boroie
        • 7 Years
        3 mins ago

        B

    25. boroie
      • 7 Years
      18 mins ago

      Currently have 3FTs. Is this worth a -4?

      Foden, Wilson, King, Thiago
      ->
      Cherki, Gordon, Rogers, Mane

      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        1 min ago

        Over the next 3 probably. Maybe not this week alone

    26. GROBARI
      • 5 Years
      16 mins ago

      Start 1
      A) Alderete
      B) Stach
      C) Senesi

    27. Better Call Raul
      • 6 Years
      15 mins ago

      Anyone considering a punt on Richarlison?

      6.4m and fixtures are SUN, bou, WHU, bur, MCI

      He's been finishing confidently just he's usually offside at the time. Thinking of selling Thiago to get him

      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 mins ago

        Spurs look shocking atm. Not a single shot on goal against Brentford.

        1. Better Call Raul
          • 6 Years
          1 min ago

          They still generated more xG than Brentford though and he's cheaper than Thiago

    28. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      15 mins ago

      WC locked and off to sleep. GTG?

      Roefs
      Gabriel Timber Tarkowski
      Saka Rogers Guimaraes Paqueta
      Haaland(C) Ekitike DCL

      Dubravka Nunes Stach Alderete

      1. Stevie B
        • 15 Years
        3 mins ago

        I think it is good to go and a fantastic team.

        Maybe an early wildcard can hurt with the double game weeks at the end of the season.

        Good night and good luck!

        1. Pep Roulette
          • 8 Years
          just now

          Cheers fam

    29. Stevie B
      • 15 Years
      6 mins ago

      What is better?

      A) Rondon -> Mukiele
      B) van Dijk -> Nunez

      Thanks!

      1. Stevie B
        • 15 Years
        5 mins ago

        Sorry ... Nunes