As the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 2 deadline gets nearer, we’ll hearing from our team of guest contributors.
This time, FPL Meerkat talks us through five players who flopped in Gameweek 1 but should succeed this time.
Had a rubbish opening weekend? Hold your horses! The following players blanked last time but if you can resist the urge to kneejerk, I’m backing them to score points in Gameweek 2.
1. Bruno Fernandes (£12.0m)
Will such a price for the Manchester United talisman maybe a bit too much? It’s difficult to say right now, but his team has a very favourable Sunday fixture against Ipswich Town. The Red Devils are also back on home soil. Any decision over his worth can be deferred for another Gameweek.
Despite what was, on the eye, not a great performance, Fernandes still had three shots and created as many chances in Gameweek 1. These are the types of players we love in FPL: regardless of overall display, they’re still threatening a return.
Fernandes still takes a huge portion of Man United’s set-pieces, too, including penalties.
While game-state meant that Bruno retreated into the double pivot in the second half, he took up some eye-catchingly advanced positions early in the match, getting beyond Matheus Cunha (£8.0m) on a number of occasions:
The same patience can be preached for Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m). With Amad Diallo (£5.9m) still a doubt and Patrick Dorgu (£6.0m) poor in the Hull City defeat, Mbeumo looks set to start again on the right wing. He came closest to scoring last weekend, twice forcing good saves with shots from promising positions.
Back such Man United players for one more fixture.
2. Alexander Isak (£9.0m)
The highest recorded Gameweek 1 expected goals (xG, 1.09) tally without a return belonged to Isak, so owners can call themselves unlucky.
It looked like St James’ Park’s relentless hostility got to him, truth be told. I doubt he’ll experience another atmosphere like that throughout the season. But Isak is clearly going to get chances, and we know he’s a clinical player when at his best. I’m backing him to score against Nottingham Forest.
One setback is that Liverpool’s 96th-minute penalty up at Newcastle United was dispatched brilliantly by Dominik Szoboszlai (£7.0m). I’d expect him to keep penalty duties, based on Andoni Iraola’s words, but Isak still has some ideal upcoming fixtures and great data to boot.
Indeed, Liverpool top the projected goals table for the next three, four and five Gameweeks:
Isak also completed the entire match on Sunday, which was a surprise – but encouraging. So I wouldn’t sell him yet.
3. Milan van Ewijk (£4.0m) – and other Coventry defenders!
Now, if you own a Coventry City defender, you were probably always planning on playing them in Gameweek 2. But you may be slightly worried by that brilliant Hull performance.
For me, a large reason that the Tigers were great was them having their first home fixture. Promoted teams typically perform better in these opening home matches, an advantage that Coventry are about to have in Gameweek 2.
Look what happened in 2025/26. Newly promoted Leeds United and Sunderland won in Gameweek 1 in front of buoyant home supports. In Gameweek 2, they were both beaten to nil on the road. To continue the parallels, Sunderland lost to another Premier League new boy, Burnley, in Gameweek 2.
Last season, both Championship meetings between Hull and Coventry ended 0-0.
In this one, I expect the Sky Blues to have the front foot, with full-back van Ewijk – who banked eight assists in 2025/26 – fairly advanced. He’s also got long throws in his armory. Getting just one attacking return could result in a massive haul for the Dutchman.
4. Morgan Gibbs-White (£8.0m)
After blanking in Gameweek 1’s decent-looking fixture, some Gibbs-White owners are already looking to ditch him before the trip to Liverpool.
However, this fixture might prove quite fruitful for the attacking midfielder.
On Tyneside, the Reds had a weakness for counterattacks – a typical problem with Andoni Iraola’s style of play. If that happens again, Gibbs-White could have a field day.
Above: Gameweek 1 goals from counter-attacks
Oliver Glasner has passed the midfielder fit this morning, so the 75% flag is about to come off. There’s little doubt that he’ll start now.
He is Forest’s talisman, one who’ll get several chances to be directly involved in goals against an unconvincing backline. It’s worth pointing out that he was on set plays in Gameweek 1, too, something he didn’t do much of in 2025/26.
5. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m)
Leeds United had a tough time at the City Ground but just about managed to get over the line.
Calvert-Lewin blanked but he had three efforts and, but for the over-eagerness of an offside Harry Wilson (£6.5m), he’d have had a tap-in:
What Calvert-Lewin also offers is penalties, and the likelihood of playing all 90 minutes.
Brentford conceded the most goals against forwards last season (23, collected from my own data), which immediately boosts the 29-year-old’s appeal.
The Bees may have started this campaign on fire, but they were much better on home soil last season. Against sides outside of the relegation zone, they conceded 2+ goals in 12 of their 16 away games:
