Captain Sensible

Who is the best captain for FPL Gameweek 8?

23 October 2026 232 comments
FFScout Tom FFScout Tom
Share:

With the Gameweek 8 deadline of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) fast approaching, it’s time to have a good think about who to captain.

In Gameweek 7, Erling Haaland (£15.7m) rewarded the millions of FPL managers who captained him, and left the 600,000+ who played the Triple Captain on the Norwegian with a season’s best 13-point haul at home to Ipswich Town. Those who backed a Chelsea attacker, Bukayo Saka (£9.6m) or the most-transferred-in player, Rayan Cherki (£8.0m), were left disappointed.

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

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

This week, the decision looks less straightforward with Man City playing the improving Aston Villa. Chelsea’s Joao Pedro (£7.9m) and Cole Palmer (£9.8m) come to the forefront of the debate for the Blues’ clash with Spurs. Arsenal and Nottingham Forest also have appealing fixtures on paper.

So, is it worth looking beyond Haaland and Man City’s trip to Villa Park for the captaincy in FPL Gameweek 8? That’s what we’re considering in this week’s ‘Captain Sensible’ article.

First, we will assess the on-site captaincy poll, analyse myriad player and team statistics, consult the Rate My Team (RMT) points projections, and settle on a top three for the armband, ahead of Friday’s 6.30pm BST deadline.

Captaincy Poll

Once again, Haaland holds a commanding lead in the Fantasy Football Scout captaincy poll, boasting 45% support from site users. The Norwegian has scored in six consecutive Gameweeks and was declared “100% ready” by Enzo Maresca in Thursday’s press conference.

Pedro sits second, with a competitive 17% of the vote ahead of Chelsea’s London derby against Spurs on Saturday. The Brazilian sits in 73% of teams, is the top-scoring Blues asset and is yet to blank at Stamford Bridge this season.

Elsewhere, two other players have managed to garner more than 5% support: Chelsea’s Palmer and the differential Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.9m). The latter has dropped in price this week after missing Gameweek 7 with a knock but has since been declared fit.

Player Stats – Last Six Gameweeks

FFScout Tom <p>Deputy General Manager. Forever chasing the top 10K. Chelsea fan.&nbsp;</p> Follow them on Twitter

232 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. John Colby (C)
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 hours, 5 mins ago

    Good morning everyone.

    Would you play Leif Davis or Nico Williams in the match this evening?

    Open Controls
    1. g40steve
      2 hours, 39 mins ago

      Forest - have been tight but little errors costing them over 90,

      Open Controls
    2. Nunezdagoat
      2 hours, 39 mins ago

      Davis

      Open Controls
    3. DRIZ ✅
      2 hours, 39 mins ago

      Davis

      Open Controls
      1. John Colby (C)
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        2 hours, 35 mins ago

        Cheers everyone. I think I’ll go for Davis’s upside over Williams keeping a clean sheet.

        Open Controls
        1. Zizou
          2 hours, 26 mins ago

          yeah i think Davis

          Open Controls
  2. g40steve
    3 hours, 4 mins ago

    Couple of final choices?

    A Play DeCuyp or Bogle

    B play King or Gross

    C Saka to, current mids Rogers, Mbeumo, Gross, King

    D Cap default crowd robot or Pedro/Rogers,

    Open Controls
    1. Big Mike
      2 hours, 33 mins ago

      De Cuyper
      Gross
      Schade / MGW or Tavernier. Flip a coin but I sold Saka for Schade.
      Captain EBH

      Open Controls
      1. Zizou
        2 hours, 24 mins ago

        De Cuyper
        GroB
        Doku
        yeah Haaland or Pedro best options i think. Punt on Doku/MGW if you purchase

        Open Controls
    2. g40steve
      2 hours, 22 mins ago

      Cheers, thanks for confirming, was considering Tav, MGW or Foden

      Open Controls
      1. Zizou
        2 hours, 19 mins ago

        Foden perhaps a good shout esp with Semenyo out

        Open Controls
  3. Bleh
    3 hours, 3 mins ago

    Have no idea who I should play this week.
    Does this starting XI and bench look correct?

    Raya
    Calafiori, De Cuyper, Konsa
    Cherki, Mbeumo, Rogers, Schade
    Haaland, Pedro, DCL

    (4.0 Gross, Davis, Hall)
    1 FT, 1.3 ITB

    Open Controls
    1. g40steve
      2 hours, 38 mins ago

      I’m currently playing Hall vs Palace, but you have 3 Ars defence,

      Open Controls
    2. Big Mike
      2 hours, 32 mins ago

      Play Hall over Konsa as he has a higher ceiling.

      Open Controls
    3. Bleh
      1 hour, 37 mins ago

      Thanks both!

      Open Controls
  4. marpy016
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 hours, 1 min ago

    Bench 2?

    A) Calafiori
    B) Muharemovic
    C) De Cuyper
    D) Hall
    E) Affengruber

    Open Controls
    1. PogChamp
      2 hours, 36 mins ago

      Tough. Maybe B and E.

      Open Controls
    2. DRIZ ✅
      2 hours, 33 mins ago

      ED for me

      Open Controls
    3. Big Mike
      2 hours, 31 mins ago

      B and E

      Open Controls
    4. Zizou
      2 hours, 23 mins ago

      D E but tough to call

      Open Controls
    5. Steve Stiffler
      2 hours, 23 mins ago

      DE

      Open Controls
  5. Letsgo!
    3 hours, 1 min ago

    Start solanke or davis?

    Open Controls
    1. DRIZ ✅
      2 hours, 33 mins ago

      So

      Open Controls
    2. Zizou
      2 hours, 17 mins ago

      Solanke

      Open Controls
  6. estheblessed
    2 hours, 58 mins ago

    A bit of help if possible please chaps...

    1FT - £1.4m ITB

    Verbruggen
    Calaflori, Gvardiol, De Cuyper
    Bruno, Manzambi, Gross, Rogers, Schade
    Haaland, JP

    Kinsky, Thomas, Wright, O'nien

    a) Bruno > Tavernier
    b) Wright > DCL
    c) Wright > Evanilson
    d) Wright > Jackson
    e) Other?
    f) Roll?

    Open Controls
    1. DRIZ ✅
      2 hours, 32 mins ago

      B for fixtures

      Open Controls
      1. estheblessed
        2 hours, 31 mins ago

        I was siding with that one too. Thanks Driz

        Open Controls
    2. Big Mike
      2 hours, 26 mins ago

      F

      Open Controls
    3. Zizou
      2 hours, 22 mins ago

      Maybe roll and access next week then double move Bruno and Wright out

      Open Controls
  7. Big Mike
    2 hours, 53 mins ago

    A) Konsa
    B) Hall

    Bench one

    Open Controls
    1. Steve Stiffler
      2 hours, 24 mins ago

      B

      Open Controls
      1. Zizou
        2 hours, 20 mins ago

        B

        Open Controls
    2. Funkyav
      2 hours, 15 mins ago

      really? id bench the one that doesn't start for the best defence in the league

      Open Controls
  8. Steve Stiffler
    2 hours, 52 mins ago

    Hi all, bench one out of:

    A) Gross
    B) Tavernier
    C) DCL
    D) Mbeumo

    Open Controls
    1. Big Mike
      2 hours, 24 mins ago

      c

      Open Controls
      1. Zizou
        2 hours, 16 mins ago

        B or C

        Open Controls
  9. Zizou
    2 hours, 50 mins ago

    Tzol
    Cala Konsa DeCuyper Egan Gvardiol
    Rodgers GroB Palmer MGW
    Pedro Haaland

    Verb, Barry, Manzambi, ??

    1FT £1.1M ITB
    1) Correct bench so far?? Who else to bench, thinking Konsa/Egan reluctant to bench De Cuyper
    2) Save transfer?

    Open Controls
    1. Big Mike
      2 hours, 24 mins ago

      Bench Egan and roll

      Open Controls
  10. abaalan
    2 hours, 32 mins ago

    2 FT, 1.3 ITB
    A) Szobo > Rogers
    B) Szobo > MGW
    C) Szobo + Bruno > Palmer + MGW
    D) Other?

    Not keen on Rogers/Palmer double up

    Open Controls
    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 hour, 57 mins ago

      A

      It's helpful to put your other midfielders down

      Mbeumo is worth considering too.

      Tavernier is my plan to bring in, for Saka.

      Open Controls
  11. Brosstan
    1 hour, 52 mins ago

    According to my own calculations (where I dont understand why Palmer is so highly rated by models, numbers dont support it), MGW is the highest projected player in my team (no haaland)

    Pedro is pretty close though... is it silly to cap MGW over Pedro?

    Open Controls
    1. Winston.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 hour, 11 mins ago

      Yes

      Open Controls
  12. DJ14
    1 hour, 10 mins ago

    Start...
    A Thomas
    B De Cuyper

    Open Controls
    1. Udogie-style
      37 mins ago

      B. I don't really understand why people are considering benching any in-form Brighton players just because they play Pool, who aren't that good and are leaky.

      Open Controls
      1. OptimusBlack
        35 mins ago

        Yes Same with all Brighton Players they have a big chance to win also

        Open Controls
  13. Udogie-style
    39 mins ago

    Current midfield and attack is:
    Tav, MGW, Rogers, Gross (King)
    JP, Haaland, Kostoulas

    Worth swapping King out for any player up to 9.1m, who I would then play over Kostoulas, or roll the second FT?

    If I did it, I'd probably get Mbeumo, Cherki/Foden, or maybe Schade.

    Cheers.

    Open Controls

You need to be logged in to post a comment.