Scout Squad

The Scout Squad: Our top picks for FPL Gameweek 1

20 August 2026 250 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

All of our regular content is returning for Gameweek 1 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) this week – and the Scout Squad is no exception.

In this article, our in-house team of Sam, Marc, Tom and Neale will discuss who they think the best FPL players are for the upcoming Gameweek in isolation.

The Only FPL Companion App You Need for 2026/27 1

Score More Points. Win More Mini Leagues. Join FFScout.

MORE ABOUT THE SCOUT SQUAD

Scout Squad Gameweek 1

The focus is only on the upcoming Gameweek with the Scout Squad, so there’s no medium-term planning involved.

The players who get the most votes are much more likely to make the Scout Picks, although the final XI can’t exceed £83.0m – so occasionally, cheaper alternatives have to be found.

Each of our writers must meet the following requirements for this feature:

  • At least one sub-£5.0m goalkeeper
  • At least one sub-£5.0m defender
  • At least one sub-£6.0m midfielder
  • At least one sub-£7.0m forward
  • No more than three players from the same club

SCOUT SQUAD: BEST FPL PLAYERS FOR GAMEWEEK 1

 

1



The rest of this article below is completely free to read but requires a Fantasy Football Scout user account for access – you can get yours at no cost here

1

FPL Stats Centre
250 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Barnaby Wilde
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 37 mins ago

    How likely is it that Rogers will start?

    Open Controls
    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 31 mins ago

      Quite likely.

      Open Controls
      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        1 hour, 13 mins ago

        Roger that.

        Open Controls
  2. FPL_trail_runner
    • 6 Years
    1 hour, 37 mins ago

    Going for an agressive BB1, with either WC or FH in week 3.

    Think people are massively underlooking the mess City are in squad wise and how it will impact Haaland, and there is alot of ground to be made up targeting Fulham, Hull, Ipswich, Newcastle , Coventry the first 2 weeks with the left over funds.

    Going 3 United, 3 Chelsea, 3 Arsenal, 2 Liverpool , and some cheap punts ( De Kuper, Barry ) , also not set on Bruno captain yet, May punt on somebody else.

    Week 1 BB

    Verbruggen Lammens
    O Reilly White Calafiori De Kuper Palestra
    Bruno Mbuemo Szob Rogers Tzolis
    Isak Barry J Pedro

    Open Controls
    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      27 mins ago

      Donnarumma
      Nunes - Dias - Gvardiol - O'Reilly
      Anderson - Kovacic
      Cherki - Foden - Semenyo
      Haaland

      Even without signings (which they definitely will make) this is too much of a "mess" to put goals past Bournemouth, Palace and Coventry?

      Open Controls
  3. Jrot94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 36 mins ago

    Any other non-haaland teams have any thoughts for this BB1? Haven’t tweaked anything for a whole day now, lol

    Lammens - verb
    Calif - gvard - VVD - rodon - Hume
    Bruno mbeumo semenyo tzolis schade
    Isak Pedro brobbey

    Open Controls
    1. Jstap94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      just now

      Don't love VVD and Gvardiol, but otherwise looks decent

      Open Controls
  4. apprehensivepipe4
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 34 mins ago

    RMT

    Raya (Dubravka)
    VVD, Calafiori, Gvardiol (Shaw, Davis)
    Bruno, Mbuemo, Szob, Ndiaye, Semenyo
    Isak, JP (DCL)

    Open Controls
  5. C. SAMBA
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 33 mins ago

    RMT please:

    Lammens
    Myko, Calafiori, Rodon
    Bruno, Mbuemo, Tzolis, Sangare
    Haalamd, JP, Isak

    Bench: Philips,

    Open Controls
    1. C. SAMBA
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 16 mins ago

      Greaves, Slater, Ewick

      Open Controls
    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 6 mins ago

      V nice !

      Open Controls
  6. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 32 mins ago

    Schade or Ndiaye?

    Open Controls
    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 12 mins ago

      Schade for Brentford’s fixtures.

      Open Controls
    2. Letsgo!
      • 9 Years
      57 mins ago

      I will think ndiaye better

      Open Controls
  7. waltzingmatildas
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 29 mins ago

    Anyone got a good Gabriel, Bruno, Haaland draft they want to show off?

    Open Controls
    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 11 mins ago

      yes but its non-BB

      Open Controls
      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 8 mins ago

        Yep, that's the plan, I don't think BB would be sensible with three big hitters.
        How's it looking?

        Open Controls
        1. Holmes
          • 12 Years
          1 hour, 3 mins ago

          Lammens
          Gabriel, Calafiori, Muharemovic, Hume
          Bruno, Mbeumo, Schade
          Haaland, Pedro, Brobbey/Dominic

          Bench: pretty much deadwood

          Open Controls
          1. waltzingmatildas
            • 15 Years
            53 mins ago

            I like it.
            I think I'm on something like
            Verbruggen
            Gab Shaw Hume Rodon
            Bruno Mbeumo Sarr KDH
            Haaland Thiago

            Open Controls
            1. fantasyfog
              • 11 Years
              28 mins ago

              442, you maverick

              Open Controls
              1. waltzingmatildas
                • 15 Years
                12 mins ago

                I have Gomez too so will hopefully be able to pick switch between 442 and 352

                Open Controls
    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 7 mins ago

      Gab at 8 doesn't make sense anymore imo with Konsa at 4.5....assuming he signs of course

      Open Controls
      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        8 mins ago

        I think the plan for me would be both or downgrade Gab later. My thinking is that the first few gws are unpredictable. So, who is the most likely to reliably bring in points, those 3 are.

        Open Controls
      2. Qaiss
        • 10 Years
        just now

        When you look at the points of last season, it does. Saliba and Gabriel both started 30 games in the league and Gabriel scored 72 more points than him by the end of the season

        That’s for a reason, it’s just people are trying to squeeze Haaland and Fernandes in, so looking to get away without Gabriel

        Open Controls
    3. Sparkys Barmy Army
      • 12 Years
      59 mins ago

      Kinsky
      Gab - Cala - Rodon - Shaw
      BrunoF- Semenyo - Mbeumo - Tzolis - Sangare
      Haaland

      Open Controls
      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        1 min ago

        Interesting, one up front. I seem to remember some stats about forwards not being good value

        Open Controls
    4. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      59 mins ago

      Yes but I don’t wanna show it off

      Open Controls
    5. Amartey Partey
      • 7 Years
      57 mins ago

      Vebruggen
      Gabriel, Calafori, Maguire
      Bruno, Szob, Tzolis, Schade, Ndiaye
      Haaland, J Pedro

      Steele, Davis, Thomas, Walle Egeli

      Open Controls
      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        just now

        Like it. I am considering no Mbeumo, but having as an option to other 7.5/8 players is interesting

        Open Controls
  8. Amartey Partey
    • 7 Years
    1 hour, 27 mins ago

    I have more FOMO about not owning Gabriel than Haaland.

    Open Controls
    1. FPL Emu
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 9 mins ago

      GW1 will cure that, dont worry

      Open Controls
  9. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 26 mins ago

    Is Ngumoha and Chiesa the only available RW for Liverpool? Frimpong to get some minutes at RW perhaps? Thoughts?

    Open Controls
  10. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 12 Years
    1 hour, 25 mins ago

    A emersonn and hinchelwood
    B Igor and gross

    On BB
    Cheers

    Open Controls
  11. fantasyfog
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 23 mins ago

    So this leaves me with 1mil itb, BB week 2 is the plan, planning to downgrade either Haaland or Bruno to spread funds when we know who's hot and who's not

    Rushworth Kinsky
    van Ewijk Rodon Shaw Ballard Hume
    Szoboszlai B.Fernandes Mbeumo E.Le Fée Groß
    João Pedro Calvert-Lewin Haaland

    Any thoughts or better options available??

    All replies appreciated

    Open Controls
    1. Zero
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      22 mins ago

      That's the template basically with a weaker defense. Safe.

      Open Controls
      1. fantasyfog
        • 11 Years
        14 mins ago

        Is it? That can't be a bad thing, template on here or generally, what's the template defense then?

        Open Controls
    2. The Tonberry
      • 2 Years
      12 mins ago

      Triple Sunderland (and double Coventry) with just one player from Arsenal and City combined feels off balance. Also think Shaw is a bit more of a risk now.

      I'd use the 1.0 to upgrade Ballard to Calafiori and Shaw to Maguire

      Open Controls
      1. fantasyfog
        • 11 Years
        4 mins ago

        Targeting early fixtures, cov for BB2 against hull, Sunderland early fixtures really good and settled with team from last year, the 1 mil is to protect from price rises, we'll have a much better idea after a few gameweeks on who we need, agree re Shaw, but he'll be one I'll upgrade after selling Bruno or Haaland.

        Appreciate your thoughts though

        Open Controls
  12. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 19 mins ago

    A) Which 4.0 defs to choose?
    B) Schade/Ndiaye worth rotating? Or go Szobo + 5.0 mid?

    Kinsky (Verbrugen)

    Calafiori Shaw White (Diop O'Nien)
    Bruno Mbeumo Tzolis Ndiaye (Schade)
    Pedro Haaland DCL

    Open Controls
  13. FPL Emu
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 18 mins ago

    How would you rate the nailed on-ness of these players for the first 3 gameweeks, in % ?

    A) A. Robertson

    B) Wissa

    C) Richarlison

    D) Kerkez

    Open Controls
    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 16 mins ago

      50
      75
      75
      95

      Open Controls
      1. FPL Emu
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 7 mins ago

        Interesting. Robertson that low puts me off getting him.

        Being fancy with Wissa isn't great if he doesn't play either

        Open Controls
  14. Zero
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 17 mins ago

    Think I'm almost there folks:

    Kinksy -- 4.0
    Gabriel -- De Cuyper -- Truffert -- Muharemovic -- 4.0
    Mbeumo -- Tzolis -- Hinshelwood -- Schade -- Sangare (Brentford)
    Haaland -- Isak -- JPedro

    > No Bruno though.

    Thanks for any opinions!

    Open Controls
    1. OptimusBlack
      • 13 Years
      19 mins ago

      you can get rid of Gabriel and then upgrade all defenders just Keep Muharemovic

      also you need to upgrade ur Mid players

      do u have and any money ITB ?

      Open Controls
    2. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      12 mins ago

      Bruno could do well early fixtures, I definitely want him at least first 2

      Open Controls
  15. Letsgo!
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 15 mins ago

    Hinshelwood or gross?

    Open Controls
    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 12 mins ago

      On Hins personally, more involved in attack than Groß. With Groß you're very dependant on set-pieces and pens(if he's still on them).

      Open Controls
    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 11 mins ago

      Both have pros and cons.

      Jack Hinshelwood if you can afford him?

      Open Controls
    3. FantasyTony
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 8 mins ago

      I'm on Groß but I like Hinshelwood at 10. Not sure if he'll definitely play there though.

      Open Controls
      1. Ball Ake
        • 2 Years
        1 hour, 4 mins ago

        He will.

        Open Controls
  16. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    1 hour, 14 mins ago

    I've been set up around this squad for a week, would you switch Konsa to someone like Dunk for now?

    £1m itb

    Pickford
    Calafiori, Aina, Gvardiol.
    B.Fernandes, Mbeumo, Ndiaye, Semenyo.
    Havertz, João Pedro, Thiago.

    Bench: Steele, Sarr, Konsa, Mukiele.

    Open Controls
    1. How I met your Mata
      • 11 Years
      18 mins ago

      prob go rodon

      Open Controls
    2. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      11 mins ago

      I like the havertz pick, obviously unlikely to play 90 with Gykores there, slightly risky but I like it

      Open Controls
  17. OptimusBlack
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 12 mins ago

    Which is better ??

    A- VVD Szoboszlai Calvert-Lewin

    B- Maguire Groß Isak

    Open Controls
    1. Zero
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      21 mins ago

      B for me - higher ceiling. A with the lower floor though.

      Open Controls
      1. Zero
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        just now

        *higher

        Open Controls
    2. How I met your Mata
      • 11 Years
      19 mins ago

      a

      Open Controls
  18. Jönny
    • 17 Years
    1 hour, 11 mins ago

    I'm pretty much set, just working out final defender, mid, and forward. Plan is BB2, possible FH3, likely WC4 or 5.

    Lammens / Kinsky
    Gabriel, Muharemovic, Virgil, Thomas [?]
    Bruno F, Mbuemo, Tzolis, Rogers [?]
    Isak, J.Pedro [?]

    16.5 to spend.

    I am thinking Robertson (4.5), Kluivert (6) and DCL (6) .... missing any obvious better options??

    Open Controls
    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 2 mins ago

      I wouldn't have VVD, especially with Gab

      Open Controls
      1. Jönny
        • 17 Years
        just now

        Does feel a bit extravagant. I may talk myself into downgrading to a 5.0 and spending a bit more in midfield.

        Just quite like having a bunch of massive, DC-gobbling, set piece menaces in the side.

        Open Controls
    2. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      56 mins ago

      Hanging out the back of it ... 😆

      Open Controls
  19. How I met your Mata
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 10 mins ago

    if you are on BB GW1 are you better going with onein than Ipswich def?

    Open Controls
    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      57 mins ago

      Yes. I am..

      Open Controls
  20. Sid07
    • 12 Years
    1 hour, 8 mins ago

    Suggestions

    Kinsky (Verbrugen)
    Calafiori Maguire Ajer (kadiougli hume)
    Bruno Mbeumo szobo Ndiaye (Sangare)
    Pedro Haaland DCL

    Open Controls
    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      58 mins ago

      Nice team. What's the plan?

      Open Controls
  21. S.Kuqi
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 7 mins ago

    Best 4.5 def for gw1 only? Is there any other decent option than Rodon?

    Open Controls
    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      57 mins ago

      Yes. Both Hume and Shaw.

      Open Controls
    2. Ale Seizer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      54 mins ago

      Aina?

      Open Controls
  22. I Must Break You
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 4 mins ago

    “Erling Haaland is an obvious choice for me, despite what happened at Wembley“

    What happened at Wembley? Is Marc not a fan of the Weeknd ?

    Open Controls
  23. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    1 hour, 3 mins ago

    Are we all using the lovely FDR tool? If you switch to list view, you get 5 weeks of ticker ... 🙂

    Open Controls
    1. Fitzy.
      • 14 Years
      51 mins ago

      You need to bring back your ticker... 🙂

      Open Controls
      1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        48 mins ago

        Ah, yes. 🙂

        Sadly, those days have departed. Now I feed off others. But I am buggered if I will pay £50.00 for LazyFPL.

        Open Controls
    2. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      50 mins ago

      I'm using the official premier league FDR

      Open Controls
      1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        48 mins ago

        Good man. Wonderful tool!

        Open Controls
  24. Kodap
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 2 mins ago

    How does it look? Planning on getting the BB out the way GW1!

    Lammens
    Muharemovic - Calafiori - Hume
    Wirtz - Bruno - Hinshelwood - Tzolis
    DCL - Haaland - Pedro

    Verbrug - Sangare - De Cuyper - Shaw

    Open Controls
    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      51 mins ago

      Sound! But not as good as mine ... 😉

      Open Controls
  25. MetallicaJack93
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 1 min ago

    How does this look? No immediate chip strategy

    Kinsky
    Cala White Maguire
    Bruno Mbeumo Semenyo Grob
    Haaland Pedro DCL
    Dub Slater Thomas Van Ejwik

    Open Controls
    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      50 mins ago

      Excellent. Although your bench is a car crash ... 😀

      Open Controls
  26. TafOnTour1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    1 hour, 1 min ago

    Morgan Rogers I feel is being massively overlooked around these here parts - excellent season last season, playing under Xabi Alonso, no midweek matches given no European football, and Chelsea have recruited well this summer. Think he might be quite the bargain at £7.5m this season?!

    Open Controls
    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      42 mins ago

      Sure.
      Once United plum fixtures are done, and before Chelsea plays Hull - Mbuemo to Rogers will be a popular move.

      Open Controls
      1. TafOnTour1
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        40 mins ago

        Even then, Chelsea's first 10 fixtures (barring Arsenal away and Manchester United at home), look pretty favourable to me?! And Chelsea's sole focus this season will absolutely be on the Premier League.

        Open Controls
        1. el polako
          • 9 Years
          38 mins ago

          Chelsea fixtures are only part of the story.
          You need to also look at fixtures of the guys who are currently a template midfielders.
          You can only have 5 of them.

          Open Controls
    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      31 mins ago

      Is he up to speed, to start?

      Open Controls
      1. TafOnTour1
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        2 mins ago

        He started in Chelsea's last pre-season match, so I assume so?!

        Open Controls
  27. sk24
    • 8 Years
    59 mins ago

    A) Le Fee
    B) Ndiaye

    Open Controls
    1. TafOnTour1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      39 mins ago

      Le Fee and it's not even close. Ndiaye is a massively overrated pick this season.

      Open Controls
      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        30 mins ago

        Why do you say that on Ndiaye, I think he's quietly effective and on set pieces

        But it does depend how Everton start, to some extent

        Open Controls
        1. TafOnTour1
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 2 Years
          26 mins ago

          Only 15 goals in 65 Premier League matches for Everton, only 6 last season (most matches he couldn't hit a barn door, see the Manchester City home match last season where they drew 3-3), and the set pieces thing is overblown here, with Everton only being awarded TWO all season. If I were to get an Everton player in, it would absolutely be KDH for £0.5m more, who is the focal point of Everton's attack.

          Open Controls
          1. x.jim.x
            • 11 Years
            23 mins ago

            What's Le Fee's goal to game rate?

            Open Controls
  28. Voodooray
    • 4 Years
    58 mins ago

    RMT Please…BBW2

    Bert
    White Shaw Calafiori
    Tzolis Bruno Ndiaye Mbuemo
    Haaland JP Igor Jesus

    Kinsky E Le Fee Thomas Van Ewiijk

    Open Controls
    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      44 mins ago

      Bench too weak.

      Too much Arsenal for BB2, imho.

      Open Controls
  29. thetommy14
    • 5 Years
    56 mins ago

    Already have and only Raya for Arsenal defence.

    A) Calafiori (no bench cover)
    Or
    B) De Cuyper and Muharemovic rotation

    Which option?

    Open Controls
    1. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      6 mins ago

      B will be more fun

      Open Controls
    2. Stimps
      • 13 Years
      1 min ago

      For how long will De Cuyper keep his place? Won't be much rotation there

      Open Controls
  30. Barnaby Wilde
    • 3 Years
    50 mins ago

    Where’s the captain poll ?

    Open Controls
    1. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      39 mins ago

      Haaland 50%
      Bruno 49%
      Tzolis 1%

      You're welcome

      Open Controls
    2. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      36 mins ago

      Top of page, Left, second item down.

      Open Controls

You need to be logged in to post a comment.