Captain Sensible

Who are the best captain options for FPL Gameweek 31+?

Fantasy Premier League managers are faced with a perplexing captaincy decision for Gameweek 31+.

With Manchester City playing Chelsea, and Liverpool preparing for the mean defence of Crystal Palace, there is no standout candidate.

But this is the sort of Gameweek that Fantasy Football Scout readers relish. The lack of a comfortably popular captain provides Fantasy managers with an excellent opportunity to capitalise on how widely spread the armbands will be in Gameweek 31+.

To identify the best options to do this, we have looked at every key option’s recent form as well as the weaknesses (or not) of their upcoming opponents.

As this article uses data from the Fantasy Football Scout Members Area, only those with a valid subscription can access it in full.

Captain Poll

The dilemma of the Gameweek 31+ captaincy is reflected perfectly in the results of our latest poll.

As you can see from the image above, no option has streaked ahead of the rest of the pack, indicating the massive opportunity Fantasy managers have to make real ground on their opponents.

Bruno Fernandes (£8.7m) is the man who tops the pile but not by much. 19.7% of the voters handed their support to the Manchester United midfielder, who continued his pre-lockdown form in the Gameweek 30+ draw with Spurs, scoring a second-half penalty.

Since joining the Red Devils, Fernandes has been involved in six of his team’s nine goals, averaging 7.8 points per game.

Throw penalties into the mix, plus a Sheffield United defence short of key personnel, and things look good for Fernandes. Dean Henderson (£5.3m) is ineligible to face his parent club, John Egan (£4.6m) is suspended following his Double Gameweek 30+ red card and Jack O’Connell (£4.6m) still a fitness doubt.

Despite the potential low-hanging fruit from this game, the interest in captaining Marcus Rashford (£8.9m) is comparatively low, just 4.9% backing the Manchester United forward for the armband in Gameweek 31+.

Despite missing out on Double Gameweek 30+ entirely, Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) sits second in the captain poll for the upcoming round of action.

15.3% have handed their backing to the Egyptian as Crystal Palace head to Anfield. His home form was certainly in fine fettle when lockdown struck the Premier League. Salah found the net in five of his last six Anfield outings, scoring six times, assisting once and averaging 8.7 points per game in that run.

However, Liverpool’s attacking assets will have to compete with a stubborn Crystal Palace defence midweek. The Eagles have now kept four clean sheets in a row. There may be some hope for Salah owners behind that statistic though. Those clean sheets kept by Roy Hodgson’s men between Gameweeks 27 and 30+ were recorded against Newcastle (home), Brighton (away), Watford (home) and Bournemouth (away) – hardly the same level of quality on offer at Liverpool. 

Raúl Jiménez (£8.2m) is fortunate enough to be the next forward to face Bournemouth, who looked exceptionally poor in their Double Gameweek 30+ defeat to Crystal Palace.

Their defence has been in poor shape both before and after lockdown, conceding at least twice in five of their last six and with just one clean sheet on the road since Gameweek 11.

By contrast, Jiménez has been the right kind of consistent. The Mexican’s goal at West Ham was his third in the last four Gameweeks, and sixth in the last eight.

Meanwhile, the Wolves forward has become increasingly reliable against the lesser sides in 2019/20. 12 of his 20 attacking returns this season have come against those outside the traditional ‘big six’.

Son Heung-min (£9.7m) heads up the differential options with 8.7% backing in the captaincy poll. 

The South Korean was in an excellent scoring groove before his Gameweek 26 injury, netting four times in the three matches before then.

Of course, he was occupying the centre-forward role vacated by the now-fit Harry Kane (£10.8m) at the time, but facing West Ham in Gameweek 31+ is certainly a favourable fixture. David Moyes men have kept just one clean sheet since Gameweek 21, conceding at least twice in six of their last eight. Furthermore, even though the Hammers are well-known for upping their game against their local rivals, they have conceded 1.8 goals per match against London opposition this season, more than their overall average for the entire season (1.7 goals conceded per game).

8.2% of our voters must have been pleased with what they saw of Jamie Vardy (£9.7m) against Watford, as they have picked him out as the best captain candidate for Gameweek 31+. The midweek round of action pits him against the Brighton defence, that has kept just one clean sheet on the road since Gameweek 7. But the question remains over whether Vardy can recapture his earlier season form. His two goals against Aston Villa in Gameweek 29, remain his only strikes since Gameweek 19.

Sadio Mané (£12.5m) remains a part of the discussion with his 6.2% backing and relatively decent form since return from injury pre-lockdown. While he could not carve out anything for his Double Gameweek 30+ owners, the Senegalese international still averages 6.2 points per game since returning to action in Gameweek 26. But, like Salah, he still has to contest with Hodgson’s well-organised Palace defence midweek.

Kevin De Bruyne‘s (£10.6m) Double Gameweek 30+ double-figure haul is enough to convince 6.1% of our voters to captain him despite a tricky (on paper anyway) meeting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. But no FPL midfielder has more attacking returns against ‘big-six’ opposition than De Bruyne, his total of eight coming from four goals and four assists in seven matches.

Harvey Barnes (£6.2m), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m), Richarlison (£8.3m), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.5m) and Sergio Aguero (£11.8m) are the only other options with more than 1% backing for Gameweek 31+.

Player statistics – Last four matches

2,965 Comments Post a Comment
  1. AchilleasP
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    1) Greenwood or Nketiah?

    2) Lascelles - Saiss - Aurier --> start two (already got Doherty)

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Nketiah
      Aurier Saiss

    2. KingRichud
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Nketiah

      Saiss, aurier

  2. Aaa
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Last decision for WC

    A - Pope/Mane/Saint-M/Rash

    B - Martinez/Son/Martial/Vardy

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Probably B.

    2. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

  3. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Is Rashford still on penalties?

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      No, looks like him and Bruno sharing

      1. StoichkovFPL
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        So Rash turn now?

        1. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          I don't know if it's turns or if it's on game situation

          Rashford was going to take the 2nd one vs Spurs.

        2. The Red Devil
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          No, if United get two pens in one games
          First taken by Bruno, second by Rashford
          That kinda sharing

          1. The Red Devil
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            *game

    2. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Shared

  4. Catastrophe
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    On FH:

    A) Rashford, DCL, Mane, Lascelles, Pope (Guendouzi)
    B) Rashford, Ings, Richarlison, VVD, Patricio (Aurier)
    C) Rashford, Vardy, Richarlison, Gomez, Pope (Guendouzi)

    (already have Salah, Fernandes & TAA).

    Cheers

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

    2. Aaa
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      B

    3. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Cheers. Perfect even split of responses :/

  5. GE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    On wildcard:
    (Max 5.3)

    1) Aurier
    2) Ritchie
    3) Boly/Saiss (have Doherty)

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Either 1 or 2. I'm stuck on the same. 1 is safer.

      1. GE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Thanks 😉

  6. Babelcopter
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Am I G2G with my WC team?

    Pope (Button)
    TAA, Doherty, Saiss, (Lascelles), (Kiko)
    Salah, KDB, Bruno, Son, (Saka)
    Rashford, Jimenez, DCL

    0.0m itb

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yes, consider Foster for Pope though

    2. GE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Great, the team I want but can’t afforf 🙁 so I got Sterling instead of Salah

  7. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    What to do - keep Ngakia as 5th bench fodder on WC, on the off chance he sorts his contract?

    Or just bring in a 3.9, and save 0.1?

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Bring in 3.9

      1. jason_ni
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Probably the sensible option, hoping i wont need a 3rd player from bench too often, but you never know.

    2. GE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I brought him in, didn’t Know about contract issues

  8. Eastman
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Martinez got to be worth it?

    1. Deeney-is-a-god
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Think so, if the money is well spent elsewhere at least

  9. DantheManinaPan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Should I start Nketiah or Grealish?

    1. Eastman
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Grealish I think

    2. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Grealish

  10. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Which pair will score more points over the next two?
    Mahrez+son
    Kdb+bergwijn

    Also, DCL or Barnes (leaning towards DCL)

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      m&s

      1. The Red Devil
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        DCL or Barnes?

  11. Henning
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Kane and Barnes or rashford and Richarlison?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      R and R

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Rash Rich

    3. Chip fat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      rnr

  12. Red Rock
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Which combo on Free Hit?

    A) Mane & Pope

    B) Salah & McCarthy

    The extra £0.2m allows me a better GK fixture

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      B

  13. Olesathewheeel
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Hola Amigos!
    What would you change from the team below?

    DDG Martinez
    TAA Ritchie Aurier Doherty Holgate
    Foden Bruno Son Richarlison KDB
    Jiminez Rashy Nketiah

    I'm now thinking if Jesus is a must get?

    Replies appreciated

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I had Jesus for the DGW, he's crap

      Team looks fine.

      1. Olesathewheeel
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Cheers fam

  14. stu92
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Pope - 3.9
    TAA - Saiss - Holgate - Taylor - Ward
    Salah - KDB - Bruno - XXX - XXX
    Vardy - Jimi - DCL

    A) Guendouzi & Martial
    B) Barnes & Foden
    C) anything else, I'm on my WC

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

  15. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Made few changes on WC team, I think this is me then;

    DDG
    Fernandez TAA Doherty
    Sarr Son Bruno Salah
    DCL Rashford Jimenez

    Button Saka Kiko Ward

    1m ITB

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Solid team my friend

      Good luck

    2. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Nice!

    3. StoichkovFPL
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Ward > Holgate?

    4. MosF94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Similar to what I'm currently on - same midfield, starting XI differences are I have Vardy instead of DCL, Maguire instead of Fernandez and Martinez in net

  16. Mufc202020
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Would you start Lascelles or take a hit for Bergwijn???

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Las

    2. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Las

    3. Ajaxeeding
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Lascelles

  17. Begbie.
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Martinez
    Maguire Doherty Lascelles
    KDB Salah Richarlison Mount
    Kane Rashford Jimenez

    Or

    Martinez
    Maguire Doherty Aurier
    KDB Salah Son Fernandes
    DCL Rashford Jimenez

    I suspect the answer is B but selling Kane ahead of West Ham at home is terrifying.

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Can't sell someone you don't own.

      1. Begbie.
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I do own him. My current team is the first.

    2. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Selling? U mean u owned him b4 this week?
      Tbf i dont mind him but it is a big punt.. B looks more solid all around but if ur chasing then mayyybe A

      1. Begbie.
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Sadly yeah. Fancied Spurs fixtures so got him in with the unlimited transfers but he was still playing like a midfielder v Man U 🙁

  18. iL PiStOlErO
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Choose cpt:

    A) Jimmy

    B) Rash

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A for me

    2. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

    3. Ajaxeeding
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

    4. Chip fat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      rash rout

  19. Andre_The_Giant
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Is Martial in a (3-5-2) a better option than Rashford in a (3-4-3)?

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Little difference, depends if you can use the spare $

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Not for me. Go Rash.

    3. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Worried Ighalo will take 20 minutes off Martials game time every week thats all

      1. Andre_The_Giant
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Good point

    4. Ajaxeeding
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I’m going Martial simply because of the price difference

    5. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Coin toss

  20. KingRichud
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Aurier or Justin

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Aurier

    2. Ajaxeeding
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Aurier

    3. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

    4. Begbie.
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Aurier

    5. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Justin

  21. luke25
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    DDG
    Gomez Doherty Ritchie
    Son Pogba Richarlison Salah Traore
    Jimi DCL

    any improvements for FH team? Got Justin first on bench

    Thanks 🙂

  22. Ninjaa
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    On wildcard. Thoughts please chaps?? Think I'm set????

    Pope Button
    TAA Doherty Aurier Fernandez Holgate
    KDB Salah Fernandes Sako Hayden
    Rashford Jiminez DCL

  23. ebb2sparky
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Planning a Utd double up. Already have Bruno. Should I get Rashford or Pogba?

  24. Ajaxeeding
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Any suggestions would be great appreciated!
    Current team with 0.6ITB
    Pope, Martin
    TAA, Azpilicueta, Boly, Lacelles, Holgate
    Salah, KDB, Fernandes, Son, Martial
    Jiménez, DCL, Nketiah

    1. DAVESAVES
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Looks good to me. Azpi> Doherty only change I would do.

      1. Ajaxeeding
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Good suggestion. Azpilicueta looked great the last game. But they face MCI. So Doherty is a good move. Thanks!

    2. ebb2sparky
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Looks good although prefer Pogba to martial. Are you happy with a Utd attacking double up yet no Rashford?

      1. Ajaxeeding
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        It was mainly a decision driven by price. I think Rashford is a good pick, but the savings helped me out elsewhere.

  25. SH1M1
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Last WC Draft G2G?

    Pope

    Aurier/TAA/Doherty

    Mane KDB Fernandes Son

    Jimenez DCL Rashford

    3.9/Robinson/Guendouzi/3.9

    1. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      This is the exact template, looks good obv

      1. SH1M1
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Do you think Mane will get rotated?

        1. RamaJama
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Not this GW

  26. james 101
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Is Richie much better than Fernandez? (as a FPL asset)

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Not that much, he got his pts in last game

      1. james 101
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        That’s my thoughts too

    2. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      If he's on pens then yes.

      1. james 101
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Is he?

  27. DAVESAVES
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Help me pick 1,2 or 3
    Thanks!

    XX Button
    TAA XX XX (Lascelles Robinson)
    Bruno KDB Salah Son (D.Luiz)
    Jimmy Rashford DCL

    1: Pope Saiss Maguire
    2: DDG Saiss Aurier
    3: Martinez Holgate Doherty

  28. gooner_112233445566
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    on wc

    a) martinez, lascelles and son
    b) martinez/mccarthy, ritchie and alli

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

  29. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Is Martial more nailed on than Rashford?

    A) Richarlison+Rashford
    B) Martial+DCL

    Money not an issue.

    Thanks.

    1. DAVESAVES
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

  30. FPL_Crisis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    On FH
    anyone here got Son and Alli

    1. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Son only