With some Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers looking to use the Bench Boost in Gameweek 35, here we pick out some of the best cheap options available.
Many of those ‘boosting’ will already have their budget players in place but for those managers needing to top up their squad, eg because of an injury to, say, Gabriel Gudmundsson (£3.8m), here are a few suggestions.
GOALKEEPERS (UP TO £4.5m)
Karl Darlow (£3.9m) – Burnley (h)
Darlow has been an ever-present starter for Leeds United since Gameweek 22. In this period, he has kept four clean sheets in 13 appearances, in addition to seven save points, making him a value option.
Leeds’ home match against Burnley on Friday looks favourable from a clean sheet perspective: The Clarets, who have already been relegated, are bottom for expected goals (xG) in their last six away matches, having generated only 3.82 xG.
Jose Sa (£4.2m) – Sunderland (h)
Wolverhampton Wanderers players won’t feature on many Watchlists this week, but Rob Edwards’ team have been a bit better on home turf since the turn of the year:
Although a clean sheet is unlikely at Molineux, opponents Sunderland have failed to find the net in eight of their 17 away matches.
DEFENDERS (UP TO £4.5m)
Leeds options – Burnley (h)
As previously mentioned, Leeds entertain Burnley at home this week, and still need points to mathematically secure safety. In addition to Darlow, Pascal Struijk (£4.3m) and Jayden Bogle (£4.4m) are fine options.
In terms of minutes, Struijk is probably the safest Leeds centre-half at present. Boasting a decent rate of defensive contribution (DefCon) points, he’s the division’s joint-best defender for shots in the box (28).
Bogle, meanwhile, has created five chances in his last four matches. No club has allowed more key passes to be conceded from their left flank than Burnley in that same timeframe, too.
Should Gabriel Gudmundsson (£3.8m) be ruled out of Gameweek 35, then James Justin (£3.9m) will presumably switch over to left wing-back. In that scenario, he’d be an even cheaper starter, having recently found the net against Wolves.
James Hill (£4.2m) – Crystal Palace (h)
A home encounter with Crystal Palace wouldn’t typically be a match-up to target, yet it mightn’t be the worst time to face Oliver Glasner’s men, who have UEFA Conference League semi-finals before and after Gameweek 35.
- Thu 30 April: Shakhtar Donetsk (a) – Conference League
- Sun 3 May: Bournemouth (a) – Gameweek 35
- Thu 7 May: Shakhtar Donetsk (h) – Conference League
Glasner has already hinted at rotation, too
As for Hill, in addition to his clean sheet potential, he could feasibly bank DefCon points: since he became a first-team regular in Gameweek 19, no defender has bettered his tally of 193. He’s also supplied three assists in that period.
Omar Alderete (£4.1m) – Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
Third on that aforementioned DefCon list since Gameweek 19 is Alderete, who continues to impress at the back.
Facing a Wolves side with the third-worst home record in the division carries appeal, although it is important to mention that Sunderland have, somewhat uncharacteristically, shipped nine goals across their last two games.
Nevertheless, Alderete can potentially compensate with DefCon points. He also poses a threat from set-pieces.
MIDFIELDERS (UP TO £6.0m)
Dango Ouattara (£5.8m) – West Ham United (h)
Ouattara has scored five times and provided seven assists in 22 starts and six substitute appearances this season. It could and probably should have been more, too, with four shots in the box, including one effort that hit the post, at Old Trafford on Monday.
Opponents West Ham United have improved lately, but Brentford rank fourth for StatsBomb xG on home turf in 2025/26, and are also in pursuit of European football, so you’d think they’ll get opportunities to score.
Noah Okafor (£5.6m) – Burnley (h)
With Anton Stach (£4.8m) continuing to build up his fitness, FPL managers might want to consider his teammate Okafor. He’s netted three goals in his previous three matches, while he’s also returned an assist in that time, so it’s no surprise that he’s currently the fifth-most transferred-in player for Gameweek 35.
Okafor can be a frustrating player to watch at times, but he represents an in-form option with haul potential, particularly as he is up against the weakest defence in the division this year:
Above: Teams sorted by xG conceded per 90 in 2026
Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m) – Crystal Palace (h)
At a cost of only £5.4m, Tavernier is another superb Bench Boost option. In the last six matches, only three midfielders have racked up more shots (16), and only six have created more chances (14). Up against Palace, who could have one eye on Europe, Tavernier, who takes some set-pieces and could be on penalties, is a solid enabler.
Bournemouth have generally been a reliable team to back on home turf this season, too:
Mostly for his DefCon potential, Alex Scott (£5.1m) could also be considered.
Enzo Le Fee (£4.8m) – Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
Le Fee is a really interesting option this week, with a nice mix of goal threat, assist and DefCon potential. In his last seven matches, he’s played as a No 10 and a winger, picking up DefCon three times. He’s scored and assisted, too.
Gaps frequently emerge in front of the Wolves’ defence, which Le Fee can take advantage of.
FORWARDS (UP TO £6.0m)
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.7m) – Burnley (h)
Calvert-Lewin is an obvious forward candidate at home to Burnley, having scored 11 goals in 31 matches this season. The penalty-taker is often wasteful, having underperformed his xG by 2.99 in 2025/26, but he still gets into some very decent positions in/around the six-yard box and faces relegated Burnley.
Crucially, Scott Parker’s men are bottom for headed chances conceded in 2025/26.
Brian Brobbey (£5.3m) – Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
Brobbey has made 18 starts and nine substitute appearances this season, scoring six times and providing one assist, amassing 77 points.
On the back of a solid debut season at Sunderland, he could be a shrewd differential pick against Wolves, as Regis Le Bris’ outfit look to bounce back from Friday’s heavy loss against Nottingham Forest.
Eli Kroupi Junior (£4.6m) – Crystal Palace (h)
Finally, Kroupi is enjoying a fine breakout campaign at Bournemouth, having averaged a goal every 131.7 minutes, a rate that is only bettered by Erling Haaland (£14.5m) among forwards:
He’s a bit of a minutes risk, given the quality across the Cherries’ frontline, but undoubtedly carries plenty of upside.
He also shares penalties with Tavernier, another string to his bow.
