20 Fantasy Football Tips You Need Before a New Season
If you are looking for the best fantasy football tips, you have come to the right place!
Whether you play the official Fantasy Premier League or one of the big newspaper competitions, there are some general tips you can follow that will stand you in good stead for most games.
Without further ado, check out some of the best fantasy football tips you can use to boost your chances of climbing your fantasy football league table.
Leverage favourable fixtures
The Fixture Difficulty Rating (FDR) is based on a complex algorithm developed by FPL experts. It uses a set of formulas to process key Opta data variables.
While picking players who have perceived ‘easy fixtures’ does not necessarily guarantee success, the odds are generally stacked in your favour.
Pick regular starters
This might seem like an obvious statement to make, but your fantasy players are more likely to score points if they are a regular starter for their team.
Clubs that rotate their starting XI can be a nightmare for fantasy players, so make sure that your squad contains those all-important regulars.
Build a solid defence
Brian Clough’s ethos of building from the back still rings true in the modern era and is a tactic you need to employ in fantasy football games.
FPL rewards goalkeepers and defenders for keeping clean sheets, so it is imperative that your squad contains players who will add points in this way.
Pay heed to the defensive points
Defenders and midfielders now get points for clearances, blocks or tackles, so make sure you incorporate this element into your FPL strategy.
For example, Arsenal defender Gabriel proved to be a solid pick during the 2025/26 campaign due to his contributions at both ends of the pitch.
Have a choice of captains
Make sure your squad has at least a couple of solid captaincy options so you can rotate during the season dependent on the strength of the opposition.
If your fantasy game offers bonus chips such as triple captain, make sure you use them wisely to maximise their effectiveness.
Sign regular goalscorers
Every fantasy team needs players who regularly score goals, and this element should be applied to every area of your squad.
Prolific strikers, players who score from set-pieces, midfield creators and penalty takers should all be on your list when selecting your fantasy football team.
Follow current form
One of the best ways to boost your chances of winning in fantasy football is to follow current form. If a player is underperforming, ditch them!
Many fantasy players make the mistake of becoming too attached to players, particularly if they play for their favourite team.
Trust your early instincts
It is worth noting that form cannot be judged on a single game. On that basis, it is imperative not to overreact if you have a bad week early in the game.
If you have assembled your team based on solid research principles, give it a few weeks to bed down before making any overly rash moves.
Be prudent with goalie purchases
While it is tempting to pay big money to sign a goalkeeper from one of the top teams, many FPL players focus on purchases in the £4.5m to £5m price bracket.
This strategy allows you to channel funds into other areas of your squad without causing too much damage to your overall points tally. The pay-off is generally worth the risk.
Keep hold of your free transfers
Unless your squad suffers an unusually high number of injuries or suspensions in the first few weeks, you should be able to roll over your free transfers.
This will allow you to make multiple changes a little further down the line and ensure you can play your Wildcard and Free Hit chips at a more appropriate time.
Lock in premium assets
Consistently high goalscorers such as Erling Braut Haaland will generally increase in price as the Premier League season progresses.
Make sure premium players are locked into your squad, and resist the temptation to ditch them unless they suffer a serious injury or completely lose form.
Pay attention to your bench
One of the most frustrating elements of fantasy football games is missing out on points from substitutes if a member of your starting XI misses a game.
Make sure your bench is ordered from the most likely to least likely to score points to ensure you get points from automatic substitutions.
Beware of short-term hype
It is important not to get too carried away with single performances in FPL. If a player scores a hat-trick in a game, that doesn’t have to be the trigger to sign him.
Paying attention to short-term hype can lead you to sign a player whose fee doesn’t reflect value and who may not keep delivering points in subsequent weeks.
Check press conferences
Don’t make the mistake of using your free transfers or finalising your team until all of the managerial press conferences have been completed.
These will provide you with invaluable information, such as potential tactical changes or injuries, which you can use to formulate your own selection.
Review promoted players
Players from the three newly promoted teams could be a route to regular points. Most importantly, they are generally available for budget fees.
That point was evidenced during the 2025/26 season, when several Sunderland and Leeds United players performed well beyond expectations.
Don’t be afraid of budget buys
Aside from the weeks when you utilise your bench boost chip, it often pays to fill your bench with the cheapest players in each category.
This strategy gives you more budget to play with in your starting XI, although injuries and suspensions undoubtedly make it a risky option.
Use your chips wisely
FPL now offers players eight chips per season – 2x Wildcard, 2x Free Hit, 2x Bench Boost and 2x Triple Captain.
It is generally prudent to avoid using them early on with a view to utilising them around favourable fixtures or double Gameweeks.
Plan for major tournaments
Make sure you formulate plans to adjust your team to cope with absences for major tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
FPL introduced additional free transfers to help players navigate the 2025 edition. Using the moves wisely helped FPL players limit the impact of AFCON.
Avoid taking hits
The option of making more than one transfer may seem tempting, but losing four points from your total may not actually make sense.
You need to be certain that the player you bring in will cover the points loss and more. If you are unsure, resist the temptation to take a hit.
Don’t be blinded by data
Statistics have become part and parcel of modern football, but they rarely tell the full story.
Don’t be afraid to make selection decisions based on what your eyes tell you, rather than relying exclusively on data.
