First Draft for FPL 2025/26 – Template, Price Reactions & Must-Haves

Not sure which players to pick? Fantasy Football whiz @FPLReaction comes in to share his first draft for FPL 2025/26. He discusses his must-have picks, general strategy and any other players he likes.

If you are yet to sign up to your premium membership, you’re missing out! Our premium membership gives you access to our AI Chatbot full of tips, weekly FPL and UCL team reveals, weekly FPL and UCL top picks and more, sign up here!

Firstly, the changes to FPL have been pretty explosive. I don’t mind the additional points for defensive actions because they add another level and set of thought processes to FPL.

I also quite like the double chips. Most of the time we play our one set of chips around double and blank Gameweeks, so this opens up opportunities to play them in single Gameweeks.

I’m not keen on the AFCON free transfers. I think it punishes careful planning for the most experienced managers. But, who knows, we could find positives in it eventually.

Talking of changes. I’m not yet settled on a chip strategy at this point. I have played with ideas around bench boosting in Gameweek 1, but I’m unsure.

Moving into my first draft, between the sticks is Chelsea’ Robert Sanchez (£5m) and Leeds’ Karl Darlow (£4m). I like Sanchez as a long-term hold in a Chelsea defence with limited options with limited attacking threat and good starting fixtures. Meanwhile Darlow could well be a starter for Leeds.

I have gone for a mix in defence. I really like the £6m defender options. One of them us Liverpool’ Milos Kerkez (£6m) who was fantastic for Bournemouth last season. I like Cucurella but I have Sanchez as cover, and Arsenal’ fixtures aren’t great.

Joining him at the back is Aston Villa’ Ezri Konsa who comes in at £4.5m again. Brighton’ Maxim De Cuyper (£4.5m) is very attacking – scoring and assisting in his previous two matches for country. Nottingham Forest were brilliant last campaign defensively, and one of their cheapest options is Ola Aina (£5m).

I also have new Sunderland centre-back Reinildo Mandava (£4m) who helps enable the team. He could well be Burnley’ Maxime Esteve (£4m) in my next draft depending on pre-season matches.

Moving into midfield, Mohammed Salah (£14.5m) remains an essential for me, even after a £2m price rise. I think it’s important to get a second route into Liverpool’ attack and one of my favourite players in Europe fits the bill, Florian Wirtz (£8.5m). Both are two of the best in the world in their positions for me.

Cole Palmer (£10.5m) is another non-negotiable player. Easy starting fixtures and his Club World Cup form make him an essential I think.

Morgan Rogers (£7m) is another solid option. He plays for a good side, with great starting fixtures and finished as one of the top 10 midfielders in FPL last season. His price rise doesn’t put me off much at all to be honest.

Sunderland have good starting fixtures, so budget pick Enzo Le Fee (£5m) could be a good enabler. Le Fee was crucial to the Black Cats attack last season.

Up front, Joao Pedro (£7.5m) feels like another lock, but we’ll see how pre-season goes. Chelsea have two other decent forward options who could start, so monitoring him during pre-season will be key.

I also really like Tottenham’ Dominic Solanke (£7.5m). Other than Manchester City in Gameweek 2, the Tottenham fixtures are very good. The lack of decent forward options also plays a part in me selecting him.

Completing my frontline is Strand Larsen (£6.5m) of Wolves. I thought he impressed last season, and without Matheus Cunha in the side, he could well take over as the main man.

See our other expert first draft to see how it differs to @FPLReactions’.