Gameweek 1 of the 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League season kicks off with the usual captaincy dilemma. Below are the top armband options ranked by the FPL model's expected points for GW1, alongside price and ownership — pulled straight from the official FPL API so you can see who the template picks are before you lock in your team.
| Player | Team | Pos | Price | Ownership | Exp. pts (GW1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haaland | MCI | FWD | £15.5m | 75.0% | 4.0 |
| B.Fernandes | MUN | MID | £12.0m | 48.8% | 4.0 |
| Saka | ARS | MID | £9.5m | 10.8% | 3.2 |
| Palmer | CHE | MID | £9.5m | 13.2% | 3.2 |
| Semenyo | MCI | MID | £8.5m | 20.4% | 2.9 |
| Mbeumo | MUN | MID | £8.0m | 13.3% | 2.8 |
| Cunha | MUN | MID | £8.0m | 15.2% | 2.8 |
| Gibbs-White | NFO | MID | £8.0m | 12.7% | 2.8 |
| Isak | LIV | FWD | £9.0m | 11.9% | 2.7 |
| Rice | ARS | MID | £7.5m | 22.0% | 2.6 |
| Kroupi.Jr | BOU | MID | £7.5m | 13.4% | 2.6 |
| Rogers | CHE | MID | £7.5m | 33.8% | 2.6 |
Haaland and Bruno Fernandes are the clear top-two by the model, and between them own over a third of all captaincies — the safe, template picks. Saka and Palmer are the main differential options if you want to attack rank early, both under 15% owned with a similar expected-points ceiling. Semenyo is the value pick worth watching given his price relative to his expected output.
Data from the official Fantasy Premier League API, updated at publish time (27 July 2026). Expected points are the FPL model's own GW1 projections and will shift as team news and fixtures are confirmed. Dugout is an independent free tool and is not affiliated with the Premier League.
More guides: 26/27 price list · GW1 deadline guide · best budget picks · GW1 captain picks