With the opening two Premier League gameweeks now behind us, Fantasy Premier League managers are beginning to get a clearer picture of which picks can be relied on for consistent minutes.
With just one week remaining in the transfer window, there’s still room for late moves that could reshape existing FPL squads and introduce fresh options worth considering for the season ahead.
In this FPL Analysis, we’ll break down the players currently rising in popularity, highlight those being transferred out at a rapid rate, spotlight the surprise top performers, and examine which player has taken the biggest advantage of the newly introduced FPL defensive actions bonus points system.
The aim is to keep you updated with all the latest FPL news and Fantasy Premier League tips.
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FPL Gameweek 3 Deadline
The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 3 deadline is Saturday, 30 August 2025 at 11:00 GMT.
FPL Gameweek 3 Fixtures
Chelsea will be hosting Fulham.
Burnley visit Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
Sunderland are at home to Brentford.
Bournemouth travel to Spurs.
Wolves welcome Everton.
Newcastle are away to Leeds.
Brighton has a home game against Manchester City.
West Ham are on the road to Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool clash against Arsenal at Anfield.
Aston Villa will host Crystal Palace.
FPL Assets Leading On Form For Gameweek 3
Let’s start by looking at the current form amongst the best FPL players for Matchweek 3 before getting into our free fantasy football tips.
Goalkeepers:
- Guglielmo Vicario moves to first with 9 points
- Jordan Pickford jumps to second with 8.5 points
- David Raya drops to third with 8 points
Defenders:
- Riccardo Calafiori is first with 13 points
- Jurriën Timber moves to second with 12 points
- Daniel Ballard drops to third with 9 points
Midfielders:
- Antoine Semenyo stays first with 10.5 points
- Josh Cullen jumps to second with 9 points
- Cody Gakpo is third with 8.5 points
Forwards:
- Hugo Ekitike jumps to first with 10 points
- João Pedro is tied for second with 8.5 points
- Richarlison rivals him with 8.5 points
All The Movement Stems From Chelsea
Before the new FPL season kicked off, Cole Palmer was the most-selected player leading into Gameweek 1.
However, after making little impact in Chelsea’s opening match against Crystal Palace, Palmer was unexpectedly left out of the squad that faced West Ham in Gameweek 2.
This was reportedly due to an injury he picked up during the warm-up just before the match.
The exact extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed, but the Chelsea asset, priced at £10.5m, is currently the most transferred-out player ahead of Gameweek 3.
Many FPL managers are also anticipating a price drop for the England international in the coming week.
Looking at Palmer’s performance against Crystal Palace, it’s clear his impact was below par compared to the standards he set for himself in previous seasons.
He played the full 90 minutes, registering one shot inside the box and two from outside, resulting in an xG (expected goals) of 0.17.
Palmer had seven touches in the opposition box and attempted four crosses, none of which found their target.
He completed 33 passes, made two successful dribbles, and committed one foul.
It’s easy to see why many Palmer owners were already feeling uneasy after his opening-weekend performance.
On the other side of the spectrum, within the same team, João Pedro has not only become the most transferred-in player ahead of the next gameweek, but he is also now the highest-owned asset in FPL, with 56.2% of managers selecting him.
Looking at João Pedro’s performances in his first two Premier League appearances for Chelsea, it’s clear why his £7.6m price tag remains so attractive, even after already seeing a £1.0m rise.
So far this season, João Pedro has played a total of 163 minutes, scoring once and providing two assists.
His xG currently stands at 0.69, with an xA (expected assists) of 0.14.
His physicality has been notable as well: Pedro has won 12 ground duels and eight aerial duels, committing only two fouls in the process.
Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures look promising: they face Fulham, who have conceded in both of their opening Premier League games, followed by a match against Brentford and then a trip to Manchester United, who have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their first two outings.
It’s evident that FPL managers view João Pedro as a player capable of outperforming his current price tag.
With forward options feeling trickier to navigate than in recent years, he stands out as one of the safer bets when it comes to potential point returns.
The Two Flying Defenders From Arsenal
When thinking about two Arsenal defenders in the context of FPL, the pair of names that naturally come to mind are Saliba and Gabriel.
However, it is the two defenders on either side of them who have been making a massive impact in the early stages of this FPL season.
Riccardo Calafiori and Jurriën Timber not only have the most points among all defensive assets in FPL, but they also have the most points amongst all players across all positions in the entire game.
Riccardo Calafiori tops the list with a total of 26 FPL points from two games.
His points are split evenly, with 13 earned in Arsenal’s game against Manchester United and another 13 in their most recent match against Leeds.
Jurriën Timber sits just below Calafiori with 24 FPL points.
Remarkably, Timber only played 19 minutes against Manchester United and picked up a yellow card in the process, resulting in a return of exactly zero points for him in Arsenal’s first game.
All of his 24 points came in the match against Leeds over the weekend.
Comparing Calafiori’s and Timber’s statistics across these two games makes for some interesting reading.
Calafiori has played a total of 136 minutes, compared to Timber’s 84.
Timber has scored two goals and provided one assist, while Calafiori has scored once and provided two assists.
With the extra minutes, Calafiori has ventured into the opposition box more often, recording seven touches compared to Timber’s four.
Timber has completed 40 passes, slightly fewer than Calafiori’s 44.
Calafiori has attempted no through balls, completed two dribbles, and attempted four crosses into the box.
Timber, on the other hand, has played two through balls, completed five dribbles, and attempted no crosses.
Both players have won two aerial duels, but Timber has won nine ground duels compared to Calafiori’s five.
Timber has successfully completed six tackles and two interceptions, while Calafiori has completed only one tackle and one interception.
Calafiori has committed three fouls compared to Timber’s two, and both players have received one yellow card this season.
Considering Timber has played fewer minutes than Calafiori, his statistics are impressive.
However, Calafiori’s consistency across both games might make him the more attractive option for FPL managers.
Timber is currently priced at £5.5m, but he may be in line for a price increase this week, which would put him level with Calafiori, who is currently priced at £5.6m.
With both of these players likely having solidified their place in Arsenal’s starting lineup, it will be interesting to see which of the two finishes the season with more FPL points.
Who Leads The Ranks For Defensive Contributions?
When news broke about a new points system that would reward players for defensive contributions, FPL managers quickly had to adjust their thinking when it came to squad selection.
The new metric, called CBIT, rewards defensive assets who record a combined total of 10 or more clearances, blocks, interceptions, or tackles.
Bonus points for achieving these defensive contributions are set at two points.
Midfielders and forwards can also be rewarded with these two bonus points, but they must complete a combined 12 defensive actions that fall under the CBIT metric.
With two weeks of Premier League action now completed, who currently has the most defensive contributions in FPL?
The answer will come as no surprise to dedicated football enthusiasts or even to casual fans who only follow the Premier League periodically.
It is Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool has looked shaky in defence so far this season.
The champions conceded two goals against Bournemouth in their opening match and then allowed another two to creep in against a ten-man Newcastle side on Monday night.
In both of those games, Liverpool had to score late to secure victory, and Monday’s added-time winner from teenager Rio Ngumoha showed that Liverpool still appears to possess the winning mentality needed to compete for the top spot in the Premier League.
But how much of an impact has Virgil van Dijk made in Liverpool’s first two games, and for FPL managers who selected the £6.0m defensive asset?
Remarkably, van Dijk has made 36 defensive contributions across the two matches he has played this season.
Twenty-one of those came against Bournemouth, and 15 came in the clash with Newcastle.
Without clean sheets, van Dijk’s FPL returns have not been impressive, producing only six points so far.
However, Liverpool kept the most clean sheets last season.
If they can resolve their defensive issues in the coming weeks, van Dijk could become one of the most consistent point scorers in the game, provided he continues to maintain his level of defensive contributions.
The Players Who Are Currently Leading The xGI Ranks
It is always helpful to look at the expected goal involvement (xGI) of players when deciding who to bring in and who to transfer out of your FPL squad.
With only a minuscule portion of the season played, let’s take a look at who has appeared the most promising so far in terms of goal involvement.
Erling Haaland
Despite City’s 2-0 loss to Tottenham over the weekend, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland still leads the rankings for the highest xGI, with a total of 2.76.
The Manchester City forward has scored two goals this season, recorded no assists, and currently has 15 FPL points.
Antoine Semenyo
Bournemouth beat Wolves 1-0 in Gameweek 2, and our suggested differential captain provided the assist for Marcus Tavernier, who found the net in the fourth minute.
As the most in-form midfield option heading into the new gameweek, Antoine Semenyo currently sits just below Haaland in the xGI rankings with a score of 1.68.
He has scored two goals, provided one assist, and has accumulated a total of 21 FPL points.
Danny Welbeck
A surprising inclusion in third place on the xGI rankings is Danny Welbeck, with a score of 1.66.
Welbeck has played a total of 112 minutes this season but has no goal involvements to show for it.
He currently has just one FPL point across the two gameweeks, and his price has already dropped to £6.4m.
His high ranking on the xGI table, combined with his poor FPL return, suggests that Welbeck is currently heavily underperforming for Brighton.
Top 3 FPL Gameweek 3 Captain Picks:
- Erling Haaland vs Brighton
- Chris Wood vs West Ham
- Morgan Gibbs-White vs West Ham
Differential Captain Pick Of The Week
Brennan Johnson
The Spurs midfield option has looked extremely promising in the first two games of the season, scoring a goal against Burnley on the opening weekend and another against Manchester City at the Etihad over the weekend.
Thomas Frank’s side will face tough opposition in Bournemouth, but if Spurs can play with the well-deserved confidence they showed in their last outing, Brennan Johnson might be primed for yet another FPL points return.
Playing Your Free Hit?
Some managers might be considering using their Free Hit chip this weekend due to being heavily invested in arguably the two best sides in the league, Liverpool and Arsenal, who face off against each other in gameweek 3.
Those who are considering activating it might find some value below in our FPL Tips for GW3:
GK: Jordan Pickford (£5.5m)
DEF: Rúben Dias (£5.5m)
DEF: Marc Cucurella (£6.1m)
DEF: Reece James (£5.5m)
MID: Mohammed Kudus (£6.6m)
MID: Tijjani Reijnders (£5.7m)
MID: Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.5m)
MID: Brennan Johnson (£7.0m)
FWD: João Pedro (£7.6m)
FWD: Erling Haaland (£14.1m)
FWD: Chris Wood (£7.7m)
BENCH: Martin Dúbravka (£4.0m)
BENCH: Iliman Ndiaye (£6.5m)
BENCH: Ola Aina (£5.0m)
BENCH: Reinildo Mandava (£4.0m)
Final Thoughts
With Gameweek 2 complete, FPL managers can reflect and plan for the next round of matches.
Early results do not define your season, so avoid making knee-jerk decisions.
Patience with key players, especially those with favourable upcoming fixtures, is often rewarded.
At the same time, watch for players showing early form or potential price rises, as spotting value before others can give you an edge.
It is easy to chase big scores from the previous week, but focusing on consistent playing time, performance, and fixture difficulty usually works best.
Stay informed by following FPL injury updates, press conferences, and transfer news to make smart, timely decisions.
Good luck for Gameweek 3!
May your transfers hit the mark and your captain deliver a big haul.
