FPL Challenge 2025/26 Gameweek 1 First Draft
With a new season on the horizon, we brought in regular contributor @FPLReaction to reveal his FPL Challenge 2025/26 Gameweek 1 first draft.
@FPLReaction talks through his excitement for the new season, and his first draft ahead of the first Challenge.
What is the first Challenge?
The Gameweek 1 Challenge is ‘Instant Impact’
Managers can earn double points from new signings.
First Draft
We are finally back! I really enjoyed covering Challenge last season, and I intend to go again for another campaign.
My first draft focuses on new signings. I’ll be honest, I haven’t considered any non new signing players at all. The opening fixtures are pretty awkward to be honest, without many big favourites facing weaker opposition.
The lack of new signing goalkeepers is evident, especially those that will actually start. One of them though is Caoimhen Kelleher. Playing Nottingham Forest in the opening round, I expect Brentford to face a high volume of shots. Even if Kelleher blanks I imagine he’ll get at least three points (x2 = six points).
There aren’t many new signing defender picks either to be honest. Liverpool’ Milos Kerkez could be a consideration, but I don’t think Bournemouth is an easy fixture. Because of this, I like Manchester City’ Raya Ait Nouri. He was super attacking last season and has a really nice away fixture against Wolves.
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Moving up into midfield, any other week I’d probably consider the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha from Manchester United, but Arsenal is not a fixture I want to be targeting. There are several punts you can take from the midfielder bracket though.
Mohammed Kudus makes my two-man midfield. With James Maddison now injured, Kudus should have more responsibility. He also faces newly promoted Burnley, so he feels like a great pick.
I also like Simon Adingra. There is something about Sunderland playing at home on the opening day that gives me hope for them having a good start. West Ham were one of the worst defences last season according to underlying data, so Adingra could have potential.
Up front, there again appears to be limited options. Whilst not fully convinced on Viktor Gyokeres for the first match, I think he’s a nice punt. I also think he’ll be heavily owned among the top managers due to the small pool of new signing strikers.
I also expect most experienced Challengers to go for Joao Pedro. Chelsea have a good opening fixture against Crystal Palace and they go into after winning the Club World Cup. Joao Pedro seems to have settled well at Chelsea already so I think he should be a shoo-in.
Captaincy is tough to be honest. The new signings aren’t fully convincing, and I can say that about all of them, but then that is the same for most other assets. Rayan Ait Nouri has the armband for now, due to his multiple routes to points, but this could be any of my players with plenty of time to go.
This draft will likely change if we get a few more players coming into the league.
