In Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026, every manager has a ‘booster’ (or chip) called 12th Man.
It allows Fantasy managers to pick an extra player (outside of their squad of 15) to score points for their team in a specific round.
Crucially, this player cannot be captained, substituted or transferred.
As per the rules…
WHY PLAY THE 12TH MAN IN ROUND 2
The 12th Man can be one of the most impactful chips in the game, particularly in the group stage, when fixture mismatches frequently occur, often creating the perfect environment for a player to haul.
That’s exactly what happened in Round 1, when Lionel Messi ($10.0m), Erling Haaland ($10.5m), Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m) and Harry Kane ($10.5m) all delivered for their owners.
If you didn’t activate the 12th Man then, Round 2 presents another good opportunity to use it, with many favourable fixtures to target.
BEST 12TH MAN PICKS FOR ROUND 2
Here are the best 12th Man candidates for Round 2 according to our expected points (xPts) projections:
As you can see in the table above, it almost always makes sense to pick a premium player for your 12th Man – they cost that much for a reason!
Also, if you’re using your two free transfers and the 12th Man booster this week, you can simply pick the priciest player if your budget is tight.
But remember, you can’t captain him!
It’s one of the reasons why Harry Kane ($10.5m) appeals.
Third on our xPts projections for Round 2, your captain will hopefully have already hauled by the time England play Ghana next Tuesday.
The focal point of Thomas Tuchel’s attack, Kane served up 13 points in Round 1.
Other favourable options include Vinicius Junior ($10.0m) v Haiti, particularly if you already own Raphinha ($8.2m) and are happy to captain him.
Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m) and Michael Olise ($9.5m) also carry real haul potential against Iraq.
