Our Gameweek 27 differentials column highlights three low-owned Fantasy Premier League (FPL) assets for your consideration.
All three of the players have an ownership of 5% or lower.
RAYAN
- FPL ownership: 1.0%
- Price: £5.5m
- GW27-31 fixtures: whu | SUN | BRE | bur | MUN
An away match against a West Ham United team that has failed to keep a clean sheet on home turf all season prompts us to consider Rayan (£5.5m).
The Brazilian winger has enjoyed a fine start to life on the south coast, having either scored or assisted in each of his first three appearances.
He’s also been directly involved in nine shots across his two starts (six of his own, three created for others), the joint-most of any Bournemouth player.
With positional rivals David Brooks (£5.0m) and Marcus Tavernier (£5.3m) returning to fitness, Rayan isn’t a guaranteed starter in every match. However, when you factor in his height and physicality, he could be a really important player against aerially dominant teams such as Sunderland and Brentford.
“It’s one of the things we were looking for in the winter market because this season we have lost Antoine Semenyo and Dango Ouattara, two of the most physical wingers in the league. We needed someone with some physicality and with set plays given that we’re quite short, so I think he’s added these things to the team.” – Andoni Iraola on Rayan
Just one bad performance, or another mistake like the penalty he conceded at Everton, especially if it proves costly this time, could leave him vulnerable, but Bournemouth are in decent form right now, and it may very well be Rayan’s shirt to lose.
The left flank has been a weak spot for West Ham of late, too, with five assists in the last six Gameweeks coming from that side of the pitch:
Above: West Ham United’s chances created conceded (assists in green) over the last six Gameweeks
So, with an ownership of only 1.0%, Rayan can be an effective differential fourth or fifth midfielder for the upcoming period.
MICHAEL KAYODE
- FPL ownership: 0.7%
- Price: £4.5m
- GW27-31 fixtures: BHA | bur | bou | WOL | lee
A favourable home match against goal-shy Brighton and Hove Albion, plus some really tasty fixtures to follow, leads us to consider Michael Kayode (£4.5m).
The Italian defender has impressed at the Gtech Community Stadium this season, emerging as an effective attacking outlet down the right flank.
Indeed, Kayode is first among Brentford players for passes received in the final-third (201), while only Mikkel Damsgaard (£5.6m) has created more chances (25).
He’s also delivered more successful long throws than any other player in the Premier League, with 22.
Keane Lewis-Potter (£4.8m) netted a thumping header from one of those launched balls in Gameweek 26, of course.
As for Brentford, they are third on our Season Ticker for fixture difficulty over the next six Gameweeks, but from a defensive perspective, they move up to first. That’s partly because four of their next five opponents are in the bottom seven for expected goals (xG) in Gameweeks 21-26:
Looking further ahead, Brentford also entertain Everton, Fulham and West Ham in Gameweeks 32-35, so for those managers who have already used their second Wildcards, the long-term fixture outlook adds further appeal.
Up first, however, is Brighton, who are in really poor attacking form, having failed to score in each of their last two matches, a period which has seen them create just 1.24 xG.
As a nailed-on option in Brentford’s backline, it suggests Kayode can be a really decent set-and-forget budget option for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.
NICO O’REILLY
- FPL ownership: 4.8%
- Price: £4.9m
- GW27-31 fixtures: NEW | lee | NFO | whu | –
Nico O’Reilly (£4.9m) was one of the standout Fantasy performers in Gameweek 26, with 13 points thanks to a goal, a clean sheet and a share of the bonus.
The England international is, of course, listed as a defender in FPL, but featured as an ‘out-of-position’ left-sided No 8 in Pep Guardiola’s 4-1-3-2 formation.
O’Reilly consequently produced five shots against Fulham, the most of any player, as well as racking up five penalty box touches, another match high.
“I’m loving it. I love it in the middle, try to dictate the game and try to get in the box to score goals. He [Guardiola] is very big on second balls, duels and dominating the midfield. I think I play a big part in that, using my body to win the ball back and counter. That’s what he’s trying to get across to me.” – Nico O’Reilly
Newcastle United visit the Etihad Stadium this weekend, and although the Magpies are in decent form, with three successive wins in all competitions, they could suffer from a European hangover after their midweek trip to Baku.
They’ve also kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 away matches in all competitions.
Furthermore, Man City put three goals past Eddie Howe’s troops in the recent EFL Cup semi-final at the Etihad.
As for O’Reilly, his advanced, ‘out-of-position’ role is yet another string to his bow from a Fantasy perspective – and the chief reason why his underlying attacking stats were so impressive against Fulham.
Tijjani Reijnders (£5.1m) is arguably the biggest threat to O’Reilly’s minutes in the current set-up, but City are in a good moment right now, and Guardiola may choose to maintain this approach for a little while longer.
