The Fantasy Premier League 2026-27 season gets under way on Friday 21 August, and with deadline day fast approaching, managers are scrambling to finalise their squads. BBC Sport's panel of four experts — Pras, FPL Heisenberg, Gianni Buttice and Holly Shand — have run the rule over all 20 Premier League clubs, picking out each side's talisman, a differential to consider, and one asset best left on the shelf.

Arsenal

Gabriel (£8m) is the standout pick from the champions' ranks. The Brazil centre-back topped the defender scoring charts last season with 209 points, making him the safest — if priciest — route into what remains one of the division's most reliable defences. Ben White (£5.5m) is the differential worth a look; the England right-back carries attacking threat and looks set for regular minutes while Jurrien Timber remains sidelined. New signing Christos Tzolis (£6.5m) is the one to sidestep — Mikel Arteta's rotation among the wide left positions means consistent starts are far from guaranteed for the Greece international.

Aston Villa

Ollie Watkins (£8m) comes in £1m cheaper than last campaign and looks Villa's main focal point following Morgan Rogers's departure to Chelsea. He has averaged 16 goals per season across his last four years at the club and could inherit penalty duties now Youri Tielemans has moved to Manchester United. Matty Cash (£4.5m) is the differential — sitting in just 8% of squads, the right-back produced six goal involvements last season and Villa kept nine clean sheets. Alejandro Garnacho (£6m), who arrives on loan from Chelsea via Manchester United, is tempting on price but managed only one goal and four assists in 1,261 minutes last term. With Emi Buendia to compete with, more reliable options exist at that bracket.

Bournemouth

Since Antoine Semenyo's exit, Bournemouth are a collective rather than a one-man show, but Marcus Tavernier (£6m) comes closest to filling the talisman role. The midfielder produced 11 attacking returns last season, runs set-pieces and is likely to step up on penalties when Justin Kluivert is absent. Adrien Truffert (£5.5m) is the differential gem at just 5% ownership — the left-back ranked second among Cherries players with 165 FPL points, offering both open-play threat and defensive contributions. Evanilson (£6m) is the player to avoid; six goals in 32 league games last season is a thin return, and the market offers more convincing £6m forwards elsewhere.

Brentford

Igor Thiago (£8m) is the clear talisman at Griffin Park after a staggering 22-goal league season that yielded 181 FPL points. The price rise is substantial, but Brentford's dependency on the Brazilian inside the box makes him hard to ignore. Dango Ouattara (£6.5m) is flagged as a differential worth monitoring — a player capable of explosive returns in the right fixtures.

Key themes for 2026-27

A few patterns emerge from the experts' analysis across the full set of clubs. Defenders from well-organised sides continue to offer strong value, with the likes of Gabriel and Truffert demonstrating that the back line remains fertile FPL territory. At forward, the £6m bracket is unusually competitive this season — with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Igor Jesus and Brian Brobbey all available at that price — meaning managers should scrutinise every forward pick at that tier rather than defaulting to the familiar name.

  • Talismans — the bankable, higher-priced assets worth building around: Gabriel (Arsenal), Watkins (Villa), Tavernier (Bournemouth), Thiago (Brentford).
  • Differentials — low-owned picks that could separate your squad from the pack: Ben White (Arsenal), Matty Cash (Villa), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth).
  • Avoid — assets unlikely to justify their price: Christos Tzolis (Arsenal), Alejandro Garnacho (Villa), Evanilson (Bournemouth).

The FPL deadline falls ahead of the first set of fixtures on Friday 21 August. Managers have until then to lock in their 15-man squads, choose a captain and confirm their starting formation. With the new season promising several intriguing sub-plots — Arsenal as reigning champions, Villa adapting post-Rogers, Brentford leaning heavily on Thiago — there is plenty to weigh up before the buzzer sounds.

Frequently asked

When does FPL 2026-27 start?
The Fantasy Premier League 2026-27 season begins on Friday 21 August, which is also the deadline for submitting your opening squad.
Who is the best FPL defender to buy for 2026-27?
According to BBC Sport's FPL experts, Arsenal's Gabriel (£8m) is the standout defensive pick after finishing as the top-scoring defender in 2025-26 with 209 points. For a cheaper option, Adrien Truffert (£5.5m) of Bournemouth is highlighted as an excellent differential at just 5% ownership.
Is Ollie Watkins worth buying in FPL 2026-27?
The experts back Watkins as Aston Villa's talisman at £8m — £1m less than last season. He has averaged 16 league goals over four campaigns at Villa and could become the club's regular penalty taker following Youri Tielemans's departure to Manchester United.