The Watchlist returns for 2024/25 as we take a look at the stand-out Fantasy Premier League (FPL) options over the medium term.

It’s the thinking man’s Scout Picks, which deals only in the upcoming Gameweek.

We’ve had our final refresh before Gameweek 1 today, with the headline inclusions discussed below.

MORE ABOUT THE WATCHLIST

Players are selected and ranked according to factors such as club injuries, forthcoming fixtures, Rate My Team’s points projections and whether or not the player in question is likely to be a bargain in FPL.

‘Form’ also comes into the equation after the season kicks off.

Arrows before the name indicate whether a player has climbed or fallen in our reckoning since the previous Gameweek or if they are a new entry into the tables.

The key for the factors you’ll see in the below tables is as follows:

THE WATCHLIST: BEST FPL GOALKEEPERS

Hopefully something for everyone here.

In terms of projected points over the first six Gameweeks, we’ve got the top two goalkeepers for each price bracket: £4.5m, £5.0m and £5.5m.

Alas, we’ve got no starting £4.0m goalkeepers – yet.

All bar Arsenal of the teams these shotstoppers play for sit near the top of our Season Ticker for ‘defence’ over the first six Gameweeks:

But write the Gunners off at your peril. In his meetings with his Gameweek 1-5 opponents last season, David Raya (£5.5m) didn’t fare too badly at all:

Above: Premier League goalkeepers sorted by clean sheets (CS) against Wolves, Brighton, Aston Villa, Spurs and Man City in 2023/24

In terms of ‘value’ (projected points per million), Robert Sanchez (£4.5m) and Dean Henderson (£4.5m) sit top over Gameweeks 1-6.

There are still reservations about Sanchez, though, with Chelsea far from watertight in pre-season and lingering question marks over his longer-term security of starts.

Henderson, who has seen off Sam Johnstone (£4.5m), carries fewer such caveats. Crystal Palace boasted the fourth-best defence for expected goals conceded (xGC) after Oliver Glasner’s arrival, keeping five clean sheets in just 13 matches.

He tops our Watchlist as a consequence.

THE WATCHLIST: BEST FPL DEFENDERS

And no surprise to see many of the aforementioned teams also feature in the defenders’ watchlist.

But while goalkeepers from outside the leading clubs are often competitive with the ‘elite’ (more saves, more bonus), the defenders from the big six – or at least the ones we’ve shortlisted – pack more of a punch.

Pedro Porro (£5.5m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) were first and second among defenders for shots and expected goal involvement (xGI) last season. Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.0m) was second for efforts in the box. When Pep Guardiola let Josko Gvardiol (£6.0m) loose in Gameweek 33, he had 11 attempts and scored four goals in seven matches.

And at the other end, let’s not forget that Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool were the top three teams for lowest xGC last season.

Some of us cash-strapped managers will be hoping that cheaper picks with as good/better fixtures – eg those from Fulham, Palace and Villa – can keep pace in the early weeks.

Daniel Munoz (£5.0m) and Antonee Robinson (£4.5m) are in the same attacking mould as the premium names discussed above, too.

From Glasner’s first match in charge, the Colombian international racked up four assists, a joint-league high among FPL defenders. Four of his eight shots arrived in the six-yard box, too, so there are goals in them there boots.

As for Robinson, he finished among the top 10 defenders for chances created (33) and delivered six assists.

With Villa’s full-back situation uncertain at present, Ezri Konsa (£4.5m) is a safe pair of hands. In the first six Gameweeks, Villa face two of the newly promoted sides and two of the five worst teams (Everton and Wolves) for goalscoring in 2023/24.

We’ve removed Valentin Barco (£4.0m) from our Watchlist after the earlier team news (one positional rival nearing fitness, another potentially coming in). Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£4.0m) is our go-to £4.0m bench fodder defender for now, then: expect starts if not too many clean sheets.

Lewis Hall (£4.5m) meanwhile carries the rotation risk tag as a caveat while there’s an element of doubt about his medium-term starts.

You may be wondering why there’s Gabriel and no William Saliba (£6.0m) or Ben White (£6.5m). Traditionally, we tend to avoid club duplication in each position unless a) there’s a compelling case for a double-up due to fixtures/form or b) there’s a much cheaper alternative to highlight. The second reason is why Jarell Quansah (£4.5m) features alongside Alexander-Arnold.

THE WATCHLIST: BEST FPL MIDFIELDERS

And there are cheaper ‘coverage’ picks in midfield in the form of Christopher Nkunku (£6.5m) and Diogo Jota (£7.5m) at Chelsea and Liverpool. Jota has ‘out of position’ potential as the spearhead of the Liverpool attack; that may end up being the case with Nkunku at Chelsea, too.

Really, though, Cole Palmer (£10.5m) and Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) are the penalty-taking premiums you likely most covet, were money not an object.

Maybe more so than in any other position, the midfield feels like it could be volatile in the opening month or so.

How Enzo Maresca sets up his new-look Chelsea side could have positive or negative repercussions for Palmer and Nkunku. There’s a change of manager at Liverpool, too. Will Jota become more ‘nailed’ under Arne Slot and will Salah still be a 200-point shoo-in? Even further down the list, Ben Brereton Diaz (£5.5m), Emile Smith Rowe (£5.5m) and Yankuba Minteh (£5.5m) are settling into new clubs. Eberechi Eze (£7.0m) could be on the move. There’s scepticism over whether Morgan Rogers (£5.0m) can sustain a run of starts amid stiff competition, particularly when the UEFA Champions League gets underway and possible rotation bites at Villa.

So much is unknown at this early stage.

It all raises the stock of picks like Bukayo Saka (£10.0m), a secure starter who has remained at the same club under the same manager.

Salah, Saka and Palmer, the leading three midfielders for non-penalty xGI in 2023/24, are coincidentally in that same order for projected points in the first six Gameweeks.

Best projected value? None other than Brereton Diaz.

There’s good cause: he was the leading current sub-£6.0m midfielder for NPxGI in the previous season, scoring six goals in just 14 starts:

THE WATCHLIST: BEST FPL FORWARDS

There’s perhaps less contentious ordering when it comes to the forwards.

The free-scoring top two were by some distance the leading strikers for minutes per goal last season.

Next, Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) and Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m) have the medium-term fixtures on their side. Their clubs are the only ones to face two of the newly promoted sides in the first six Gameweeks.

Then there are the line leaders in north London with mixed bags of opening fixtures but operating in sides with plenty of attacking swagger.

A cluster of £6.0m-and-under options round off the list. All bar Chris Wood (£6.0m) of this quartet can boast penalty-taking duties.

Fantasy Football Scout’s exclusive Premium Membership offer is still available – but get it while you can, as it will soon expire!

Our special pre-season package is a 40% discount to our full-price Premium Membership, so for only £3.25 per month (billed annually), you get access to our unique Premium Members Area and the official Premier League data in it.

Plus, there will be all the usual benefits like team reveals, strategy tips and more.

This offer will soon cease, so sign up while you can!