Captain Sensible
10 February 2026 411 comments
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After some late madness saw Erling Haaland (£14.9m) outscore chief captaincy challenger Bruno Fernandes (£9.8m) in Gameweek 25, our attention turns to the armband debate ahead of Double Gameweek 26.

Haaland and the increasingly reliable Fernandes both have appealing fixtures in this midweek round of matches, but it’s Arsenal who boast a double-header.

This means that Gabriel Magalhaes (£7.1m), Declan Rice (£7.5m), Jurrien Timber (£6.4m) and more will enter our thinking. Possibly even as a Triple Captain.

In this piece, we will assess the on-site captaincy poll, analyse myriad player and team statistics, consult the Rate My Team (RMT) points projections, check in with the Premier Fantasy Tools ratings and settle on a top three for the armband.


Captaincy Poll

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given he’s also under Triple Captain consideration for some managers this week, Gabriel leads the way in our Double Gameweek 26 captaincy poll, with a whopping 57% of the vote at the time of writing.

He’s followed by Rice (17%), who is the only other player with more than 5% of votes.

Trailing those two are Gameweek 25 brace-bagger Viktor Gyokeres (£8.8m) and Haaland, whose Manchester City side hosts a Fulham team they scored five past in the reverse fixture.

Then there are four more Gunners – Timber, David Raya (£5.9m), William Saliba (£6.1m) and Noni Madueke (£6.8m) – before we even get to Fernandes for his trip to relegation-threatened West Ham.


Player Stats – Last Six Gameweeks


price change predictions

FPL Scoop London-based freelance journalist and editor, frequently with The i Paper, The Standard, Fantasy Football Scout, and BBC Sport. Follow them on Twitter

411 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Gabby (TC)

  2. Gorky
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Will we get Chelsea lineups before the deadline? Could do with knowing if James is starting

  3. FDMS All Starz
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Would you do these moves:

    Keane & LeFee —> Munoz & Sarr (2FTs)

    Verbruggen (Areola)
    Gabriel* Timber* Keane (VDB Andersen)
    Rice* Bruno Mbuemo Enzo (LeFee)
    Haaland* Thiago Kroupi
    (2FTs & 3.7itb)

    * = blank in gw31 (already have 4 and possible 5 if VDB is dropped)

    1. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      yes

    2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Yes

  4. Elideus
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Start one please?
    A - Le Fee
    B - Thiago (double Arsenal defense)

    1. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      B

  5. thebizzle
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Would you bench boost this

    Dubrovnik
    Hill
    Esteve
    Miley

    1. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      No

    2. Calculated Risks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Not with double Burnley. I'm BBing Dub, Rogers, Guehi, VDV for comparison

  6. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Totally stuck. I have to sell one of these players otherwise I burn a transfer. Who would you sell?

    Sanchez
    Gabriel - Timber - Tarko - Munoz -
    Bruno - Rice - Rogers - Enzo - KDH
    Haaland

    Dubravka - Thiago - Kroupi Jr - Mukiele

    £1.3m ITB.

    1. Sgt. Schultz
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Tarko > Cash perhaps

    2. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Tarko > Senesi / Hill

    3. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Dubravka to Kelleher

    4. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      A goalkeeper

    5. Boxwoods
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Maybe Kroupi to Mane and play over KDH, since you are at max FT?

  7. Ranger3
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Sell one to fund Gabriel : Wirtz, Thiago or Watkins

    1. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Watkins

      1. Ranger3
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 23 days ago

        His fixtures are so good

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Watkins

      1. Ranger3
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 23 days ago

        His fixtures are so good

    3. Calculated Risks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Watkins

      1. Ranger3
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 23 days ago

        His fixtures are so good

    4. Ze_Austin
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      His fixtures are so good

      1. Ranger3
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 23 days ago

        How should I do to answer to the same answers at the same time and be sure they see it, 9 years and Im still new haha

  8. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Hey fam! GTG?

    RAYA
    GABRIEL(TC) TIMBER Tarkowski
    Bruno Mbeumo Rogers Enzo
    Haaland Ekitike MANE

    Dubravka Garner Konsa Alderete

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Yes. Lovely for this week.

  9. LosSurenos
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Is this G2G?

    Raya
    Gabriel Munoz Senesi
    Fernandes Rogers Rice Enzo Anderson
    Haaland Pedro

    Dubravka Mane Chalobah Hill

  10. Jet5605
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    3FT and 0.3 ITB. Best option here? Planning DCL to Thiago next week.

    A - Dorgu & Szob > Munoz & KDH and roll 1
    B - Dorgu > Hill and roll 2

    Pickford
    Gabriel - Timber - Dorgu
    BrunoF - Rice - Enzo - Cunha
    Haaland - Ekitike - DCL

    Dub - Szob - Gudmund - Andersen

    1. Sgt. Schultz
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      A

  11. Kodap
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    How's it looking guys? Do I smash the TC button on Gabby too...

    Sanchez
    Munoz - Chalobah - Gabriel (c) - Timber
    Enzo - Rogers - Wirtz - Rice - Bruno
    Haaland

    Dubrav - Mane - Kroupi - Alderete

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      I'd start Mane over Enzo

  12. RockLedge
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    QQ

    Thiago and Thiaw to Strand Larsen and Munoz for a hit?

    Y or N?

    1. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      No

    2. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Tell me how many goals Strand Larsen has this season

    3. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      N

    4. Calculated Risks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Crazy talk

    5. RockLedge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Taking that as a consensus of ‘no’.

      (Thanks guys!)

  13. BrockLanders
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Play DCL or sell Stach to Rayan (for free) and start him instead?

    Yay or nay??

    1. Jarnathan
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      I sold Wilson for Rayan for free to avoid playing DCL away at Chelsea. Not sure it will pay off, but I've had my eye on Rayan. You've just bought yourself another week of data if you didn't make the move.

  14. Cojones of Destiny
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    play
    a. Kelleher
    b. Dub

    1. BrockLanders
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Kelleher

  15. Tripleh123
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Who to bench this week?

    A. Thiago
    B. Enzo
    C. Summerville

    1. Jammydodger10
      • 1 Year
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Summerville.

  16. One for All
    • 7 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Start:

    A) Thiago
    B) Garner

    Thanks

    1. Calculated Risks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Thiago

  17. The Philosopher
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Rp

    Wilson to

    A: Zubimendi
    B: Sarr

    Captain

    1: Gabriel
    2: Timber

    Start

    3: Verbruggen
    4: Dubravka

  18. faux_C
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Looking forward to Trossard getting 20 points this week.

  19. Calculated Risks
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    We okay here? Bench boost active

    Roefs, Dub
    Gab, Timber, Chalobah, Guehi, VDV
    Bruno, Enzo, Rice, Rogers, Semenyo
    Haaland, Pedro, Mane

    1. Sgt. Schultz
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      all good

  20. darlo1883
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Raya Dub
    Gabriel Senesi Dalot Esteve Alderete
    Enzo Semenyo Wilson Fernandes Mbuemo
    Haaland Thiago Pedro

    A Thiago/ Mbuemo to Gyorekes and Rayan
    B Thiago/Wilson to Havertz /Ryan
    For a hit

  21. Jammydodger10
    • 1 Year
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Wildcard or keep this lineup with 1 free transfer: Dubravka, Roefs, Gabriel, Andersen, Thiaw, O'reilly, Mukiele, Wirtz, Wilson, B. Fernandes, Rice, E. Le Fee, Thiago, Haaland, Joao Pedro?

  22. Kuyt Hero
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Which one for next 2 GWs?

    Rice and Mane (Mane bench for GW27)
    or
    JSL and Saliba (would mean triple Ars defence)

  23. HD7
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Really need your help mates

    2 FT 0.2 ITB

    A)Palmer Mukiele to Rice Gabriel
    B) Ekitike Mukiele to Strand Larsen Gabriel

    Pickford
    Timber Chalobah Mukiele
    Bruno Palmer Rogers Wilson
    Haaland Pedro Ekitike

    Dubravka Esteve Miley Gudm

  24. Old Wulfrunian
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Any news on Trossard?

  25. Meta12345
    • 1 Year
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Will there be a better gameweek to triple captain instead of gabriel this week?

    1. The Philosopher
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Definitely

    2. FC Hakkebøf
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Hopefully.

    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Probably

    4. TallestJohn
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Unlikely

    5. theshazly
      • 2 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Mostly yes
      Like every season

  26. theshazly
    • 2 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Play BrunoG or Mane ?
    Gabriel or Rice captain ?

    Chasing af

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Just play BrunoG at home

      Really

      1. theshazly
        • 2 Years
        1 month, 23 days ago

        But hes not at home this week

  27. -GK22-
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Start Summerville or thiago

    1. FC Hakkebøf
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Summerville for me

  28. Atwood
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    2FT's and no Bruno!
    Thinking Wirtz/Ekitike > Bruno/Strand-Larsen.
    Leaves me a little screwed in blank 31, but I don't know if I can survive another Bruno haul.

    Verbruggen
    Gabriel - Timber - Alderete
    Wirtz - Endo - Rice - Rogers
    Haaland - Ekitike - J.Pedro

    Dubravka - Anderson - Andesen - Dorgu

  29. Qaiss
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Either Gabriel hauls and everyone says it was obvious or he concedes twice and people say it was stupid to captain a defender

    What I can’t understand is why people who are chasing massively are triple captaining him

    1. The Philosopher
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Remeber the Duffy TC? FPL madness knows no bounds.

    2. Ze_Austin
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      Schrodinger's (C)

      1. Pompel
        • 12 Years
        1 month, 23 days ago

        Nah, too risky too put the armband on him

  30. MarcusAurelius
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 23 days ago

    Bench one

    A) Thiago (ARS)
    B) Wilson (mci)
    C) Kroupi (eve)

    1. Old Wulfrunian
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 23 days ago

      a