The seemingly never-ending October international break is finally over, and Fantasy Premier League (FPL) returns this weekend in all its glory.
Over the past seven Gameweeks, we have been treated to our fair share of surprises and shocks in the Premier League.
Erling Haaland has been scoring for fun for Manchester City, netting nine goals in seven games. Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo has also lit up the top flight, scoring six goals and providing three assists.
On the other end of the spectrum are Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz. Salah, who started the 2025/26 FPL season as the most expensive player, has only scored two goals and provided two assists in seven games.
Wirtz, meanwhile, has yet to score or assist for the Reds and saw his value drop once more in FPL price changes for Gameweek 8.
Top Player Picks Ahead of FPL Gameweek 8
Based on recent form and upcoming fixtures, here are the three players, across defence, midfield, and attack, you must have in your FPL team before Gameweek 8.
Defence: Jurrien Timber (Arsenal) – £5.9m
Arsenal man Jurrien Timber has been the best defender in the 2025/26 FPL season. Playing six matches, Timber has scored two goals and provided two assists, racking up 48 points in FPL. Timber ranks #1 among defenders in points, bonus points, goals, and goal involvements, among others.
League leaders Arsenal also happen to have the best defence in the league, having conceded only three goals in seven games.
Despite his exploits and a favourable fixture run, Timber’s TSB is just 18.1% at the time of writing. So, feel free to jump on the bandwagon before it gets too crowded.
Midfield: Moises Caicedo (Chelsea) – £5.8m
Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has been the standout player in midfield this season. In seven games, he has scored 66 points, with only Erling Haaland outscoring him. However, with 60% TSB, there is a good chance that he is already in your team. So, we are pitching someone a little less popular here.
At 14.6% TSB, Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo is not one of the most-owned players in the game. However, we believe his performance deserves more attention. In seven matches, Caicedo has scored three goals, marking his best-ever return in the Premier League.
In FPL, Caicedo has 45 points to his name. He has scored a minimum of four points in six of the seven games he played, reaching double digits in two. Chelsea also face relatively easier teams in the next five games, and it would not be surprising if Caicedo added a handful of points to his tally.
Attack: Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United) – £7.2m
Erling Haaland has been the best player in the 2025/26 FPL season, scoring 70 points from seven games. At 61.5% ownership, the £14.5 million man is also the most popular player in the game this season.
Chelsea star Joao Pedro is also a popular pick this season, with 61.3% managers selecting the £7.7 million striker. If you already have the pair and are looking for a competent third, we recommend taking a look at Newcastle United man Nick Woltemade.
The £7.2 million forward has played four games, scoring three goals. He was on the scoresheet in Newcastle’s last three matches across competitions and has a total of 24 points to his name.
Woltemade also scored the only goal as Germany beat Northern Ireland in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The 23-year-old is owned by 9.9% managers, making him a marginal differential pick.
Best Captaincy Picks for FPL Gameweek 8
Popular Choice: Erling Haaland (Man City) vs Everton
If you are among the 61.5% managers who own Erling Haaland, captaining him against Everton seems to be a safe bet. The Norwegian has scored nine goals in seven games this season, only failing to score against Tottenham Hotspur.
Haaland scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Israel over the weekend. He has since returned to Manchester, with Norway releasing him early to give him a couple of extra days to recover.
Differential Pick: Jurrien Timber (Arsenal) vs Fulham
Most FPL captains will naturally captain Erling Haaland for Gameweek 8. But if you want to try something different, Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber seems to be a solid differential pick.
Arsenal face a struggling Fulham on Saturday. The Cottagers have scored only 8 goals and conceded 11 in the Premier League, and are expected to have a hard time against the Gunners. A clean sheet is highly likely for Timber, while a goal or assist could also be on the cards.
