What more could you want for Christmas? The Premier League is restating on Boxing Day after a break for The World Cup. Ahead of GW17, FPL has allowed all managers to make unlimited free transfers (Effectively giving us an extra wildcard!) As GW17 is fast approaching, in this blog I have analysed the best FPL GW17 Forwards options for managers to consider and broken them down into 3 categories. Premium (12.2m – 8.0m), Mid-Priced (7.5m – 6.6m) and Budget (6.5m – 4.2m). Below I have explored 10 forwards and their potential ahead of the restart.
Link to all our FPL Gameweek 17 blogs including Confirmed Double Gameweek announcements, Initial GW17 Drafts, Teams and Players to target, Predicted GW17 Lineups, Differentials, players to target, fixture analysis, Captaincy metrics, transfer trends, and more. Completely free to access as well!
All the data and fixture ficker used in the article are from Fantasy Football Scout and Fantasy Football Fix
Best Forwards to Consider for FPL GW17 | Price Point Wise
Premium Forwards(12.2m – 8.1m)
Erling Haaland (12.2m)
Erling Haaland is raring to go after his mid-season break, as Norway failed to qualify for The World Cup. At the time of writing this blog, Haaland is owned by nearly 83% of FPL managers. It’s fair to say that The Manchester City forward has adapted well to English football after joining from Borussia Dortmund earlier this year. He has registered 18 goals and 3 assists in 13 league appearances so far this season, scoring a further 5 goals in The Champions league. The Norwegian averages 1.56 goals per 90 mins in the league this season and this form could well continue with two favourable fixtures after the restart against Leeds(A) followed by Everton(H). Manchester City also has x2 Double GWs confirmed for GW20 and GW23. (The only team to have x2 Double GWs in the next 6 GWs.)
Haaland is surrounded by lots of creative players, such as Kevin De Bruyne (12.6m) and Bernardo Silva (6.9m) who have 16 assists between them in the league this season. Many people can’t believe Haaland’s form and I put it down to not only his finishing but also his positioning. Please see below a heat map of Haaland’s average positioning (Left) vs Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus’ average positioning (Right).
As you can see, Haaland is a forward that spends the majority of his time in the centre on the pitch, mainly around the halfway line or the opposition’s box. This is compared to Jesus, who tends to go out wide more often to create more chances. I feel Haaland’s positioning really benefits him and is one of the reasons he is the league’s top scorer. Should the ball ever come into the box or Man City have a goal-scoring opportunity, Haaland will more than likely be involved in some shape or form. For me, Haaland is a must-have for managers and will be the first name on my team sheet for GW17.
Harry Kane (11.6m)
Harry Kane is another great premium selection for managers. The England Captain helped The Three Lions into The Quarter Finals of The World Cup before missing an important penalty, which would have most probably taken their game against France to extra time. Despite this, Kane did actually have a strong campaign scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists in 5 games.
Before The World Cup, Kane was also performing well for Spurs. He had 12 goals and 3 assists in his first 15 league games. Fixtures also play in Kane’s favour with Spurs’ first 3 games being against Brentford(A), Aston Villa(H) and Crystal Palace(A). Kane is a definite starter for Antonio Conte’s side and will play a vital in order for them to stay in the top 4. The 29-year-old is a dangerous player and only Haaland (12.2m) and Aleksandar Mitrovic (6.8m) have registered more shots than Kane in FPL this season. The Spurs striker has scored in all 6 of his previous Boxing Day appearances and no player has scored more goals (9) than Kane on 26th December in the history of The Premier League. Averaging a goal every 55 minutes on Boxing Day, Kane is definitely an option for managers to consider ahead of GW17.
Further Read: Best FPL GW17 Drafts with Fixture Analysis & Players to Target
Roberto Firmino (8.1m)/Darwin Nunez(9.0m)
Roberto Firmino is in a similar position to Haaland, in the sense that he has also had a break from football during The World Cup. The Liverpool forward was somewhat surprisingly not selected for Brazil’s 26-man squad to travel to Qatar. This means that he is keen to get going ahead of the restart.
Firmino has registered 7 goals and 3 assists in 13 league games this season. He also has scored a further 2 goals in The Champions League. Firmino looks set to have a lot of game time in the next couple of months due to injuries in the Liverpool squad. Diego Jota (8.8m) is apparently still a good month away from returning from his hamstring injury and Luis Diaz (7.8m) has recently suffered a setback in his recovery, with reports now suggesting that The Columbian could be out until March next year. Not only will Firmino look to have regular game time, but Liverpool actually has a good run of fixtures. The Reds only face 2 teams from The Big Six in the next 11 GWs, with their first 3 fixtures coming against Aston Villa(A), Leicester(H) and Brentford(A).
Surprisingly, Firmino is selected by just under 8% of FPL managers. However, no forward (minimum of 4 goals in FPL this season) has a better shot accuracy % than Firmino of 77%. I believe he is worth a punt and could be a great differential option.
Teammate Darwin Nunez (9.0m) may take other managers’ fancy. However, Firmino has actually registered more goals and assists in the league this season and unlike Nunez, will be fresh and ready to go after The World Cup. The 23rd December EFL Cup fixture vs rivals Man City will be a good opportunity to see if manager Jurgen Klopp starts Firmino over Nunez or indeed both due to a lack of attacking options. (Firmino started over Nunez in Liverpool’s most recent friendly vs AC Milan)
Nunez vs Firmino Comparison- Per Appearance numbers
- Expected Goals- 0.5 vs 0.3
- Expected Goal Involvement- 0.6 vs 0.5
- Touches in Final Third- 16.5 vs 19
- Shots on Target- 1.6 vs 1.5
- Big chances- 1.2 vs 0.8
- Goal Contributions- 0.7 vs 0.76
Latest Liverpool Injury updates:
Further Read: FPL Players and Teams to Target from FPL Gameweek 17
Mid-Priced Forwards (8.0m – 6.7m)
Callum Wilson (7.4m)
Callum Wilson will be high in confidence after being selected by Gareth Southgate and given the opportunity to represent England in Qatar. Before The World Cup, Wilson scored 6 goals and provided 3 assists in 11 league games. Newcastle currently sits 3rd in the table and has scored 30 goals so far in the league. (This is the 4 most by any team this season in the top division.) The first couple of fixtures against Leicester(A) and Leeds(H) should be plain sailing for The Magpies and a great opportunity for them to pick up more valuable points.
26 out of Wilson’s 28 shots in the league this season, have all come from inside the opposition’s box. The diagram below proves this stat and demonstrates the dangerous shooting positions that the 30-year-old is capable of getting into.
I can definitely see Wilson continuing his domestic form after the restart. He is surrounded by creative and influential players and will receive adequate service from the likes of Miguel Almiron (5.8m), Allan Saint-Maximin (6.2m) and Three lions teammate Kieran Trippier (5.9m). All of whom, have registered 10 assists between them in FPL this season.
Some managers may gravitate more towards Brentford’s forward Ivan Toney (also 7.4m), who narrowly missed out on World Cup selection for England due to Wilson being selected ahead of him as a backup for Harry Kane. Toney is also a promising option and has actually scored 4 more league goals this season than Wilson and played 3 more games. However, with Brentford’s first 3 fixtures coming against Spurs(H), West Ham(A) and Liverpool(H), I believe that Wilson will be more beneficial to managers.
Further Read: Best Newcastle Players to Consider from FPL GW17
Aleksandar Mitrovic (6.8m)
Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 9 goals in 12 Premier League appearances this season and will want to continue this form in GW17. Fulham had scored 24 goals in 15 games before the mid-season break and no player in the league had registered more shots than Mitrovic (56). On average per every 90 mins played the 28-year-old has an expected goal of 0.69 in the league.
The Serbian international looked dangerous and scored 2 goals in 3 games at The World Cup in Qatar. With Serbia not progressing out of the group stages of the competition, Mitrovic has since had time to rest and recover from some fitness problems which have slightly hindered him this season. Having said this, Mitrovic was not included in Fulham’s squad to play a friendly against West Ham last weekend.
Nevertheless, with two favourable fixtures after the restart against Crystal Palace(A) and relegation battlers Southampton(H), before a double GW in GW19. I believe managers will benefit from selecting Mitrovic in their 15-man squads in the next few GWs.
Anthony Martial (6.7m)
Anthony Martial may be an interesting differential for managers to consider in their sides. I personally won’t be selecting him for GW17, however, I will definitely be keeping my eyes on The Manchester United forward and I recommend other managers do as well.
With Cristiano Ronaldo leaving The Red Devils dramatically after a televised interview with Piers Morgan, Martial will look to have more game time in the second half of the season under Erik Ten Hag. The 27-year-old has 2 goals and 2 assists in just 5 league appearances this season. Martial was not selected for France to travel to The World Cup, therefore he will be fit and ready to go for the return of domestic football. United’s number 9 scored against Spanish side Cadiz last week and also started against Real Betis just a few days later. Both of these games were friendlies and Martial was arguably one of the most experienced players representing United in these games. Nevertheless, The Frenchman is United’s only registered, regular first-team forward, in FPL. Teammate Marcus Rashford (6.7m) who is listed as a midfielder, can also play the striker/centre-forward role. However, Rashford has been in great form recently playing out on the wing and scored 3 goals at an average of a goal every 46 minutes for England at The World Cup. Therefore I can see Martial getting more regular game time as United’s main man up front.
The Red Devils have a fine first few fixtures after The World Cup against relegation battlers Nottingham Forrest(H), the bottom of the league Wolves(A), before welcoming Bournemouth(H) to Old Trafford in GW19. If Martial isn’t in your team, watch this space as he will not get a better opportunity to prove himself to manager Ten Hag.
Further Read: Best FPL GW17 Upside Picks from Teams Outside the ‘Top 7’
Budget Forwards(6.6m – 4.2m)
Eddie Nketiah (6.5m)
Before The World Cup, I don’t think many managers would have considered having Eddie Nketiah in their FPL squads. However, with the recent injury of Arsenal’s star striker Gabriel Jesus (8.0m), the young and talented Nketiah is set to have valuable game time under boss Mikel Arteta. Jesus suffered medial ligament damage whilst playing for Brazil against Cameroon in the group stages of The World Cup in Qatar. He could not participate for the remainder of the tournament and has since required surgery with his knee now strapped in a bulky brace. Reports suggest The Arsenal medical staff believe that Jesus could be out until at least the end of February next year. This will play in Nketiah’s favour and allow him a sufficient opportunity to impress the coaching staff.
Despite being selected by just 0.6% of managers, the 23-year-old is no stranger to first-team football and has recorded 2 goals and 1 assist in The Europa League this season. Nketiah also scored 6 goals and provided 3 assists in 7 pre-season games before the start of this season’s campaign. Since Jesus’ injury, Nketiah has started all of the past 3 friendlies for The Gunners and I am backing him to start in GW17 against West Ham(H). Arsenal currently sits top of the table and has been the second-best attacking side in the league scoring 33 goals along the way.
An alternative option to Nketiah could be Aston Villa’s Danny Ings (6.6m), who scored 4 goals in 4 games before The World Cup. However, with Villa’s first couple of fixtures being against Liverpool(H) followed by Spurs(A), I would back the Arsenal youngster.
Further Read: Five Must-Own Players to Have in your FPL GW17 Team
Che Adams (6.4m)
Che Adams is selected by just 1.1% of FPL managers, but at just 6.4m he is a tempting option. The Scottish international has achieved 6 goals and an assist in 15 games in all competitions this season. Adams, who has made 110 appearances for Southampton since joining from Birmingham City in 2019, will look to help his club climb out of the relegation zone after the restart.
With Scotland not qualifying for The World Cup, Adams will be prepared and set for the return of The Premier League. Not only this but The Saints’ number 10 will be eager to impress his new boss Nathan Jones. Southampton and Jones have a prime opportunity to start strongly after Qatar as they only face one of the big six sides in the next 10 GWs (Chelsea in GW24).
Adams may not be the first name on FPL manager’s team sheets. Nevertheless, he is a more than capable budget option who has the potential to reward managers if selected.
Dominic Solanke (5.8m)
Dominic Solanke has scored 3 goals and provided 5 assists in 13 games in The Premier League this season. Although The Bournemouth striker is comparatively cheap by an FPL forward’s standards, Solanke still averages nearly 4.5 points per game.
Having said that, The Cherries struggled for form before The World Cup, achieving just 1 win in their previous 6 league games. It doesn’t get much better for The South Coast men as they have an unfortunate set of fixtures upon return to the league. They have to travel to both Stamford Bridge (Chelsea GW17) and Old Trafford (Manchester United GW19) and face two of the league’s big six in the first 3 games.
I feel you do get your money’s worth with Solanke and he is capable of returning points for managers, not only from scoring goals but from creating them as well. Strangely enough, Solanke has registered more FPL points this season than the likes of Newcastle’s Callum Wilson, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and even Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez. At just 5.8m, Solanke isn’t too bad of a shout for managers to consider.
Further Read: Best 8 Million FPL Midfielders Comparison ahead of FPL GW17
Sam Greenwood (4.2m)
My final and cheapest forward recommendation is Sam Greenwood. 4.2m is the cheapest forward you can purchase in FPL and Greenwood is undoubtedly the best option at this price. Should managers want to prioritise that extra premium player, the Leeds man is your best course of action to free up some money.
The 20-year-old is yet to play more than 75 mins in a league game this season for Leeds. Nonetheless, Greenwood has shown he is capable of achieving the odd big haul. He came off the bench against Bournemouth in GW15 and scored 9 points, registering a goal and an assist in the process.
Greenwood has featured regularly in Leeds’ recent friendlies. He replaced teammate Crysencio Summerville (4.4m) in the 11th minute, due to injury, against La Liga side Elche CF and recorded an assist helping The English side win 2-1. Greenwood also played the second half in Leeds’ most recent friendly which was another 2-1 win but this time against Real Sociedad, who currently sit 3rd in La Liga behind Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Greenwood is not a player that we can expect to start lots of league games, however, he is a bargain and will certainly pick up some points here and there for managers.
Thank you for reading my blog. I really appreciate all of the support. Feel free to leave comments or message me directly on Instagram @bazzabarrett20
Merry Christmas and best of luck to all managers for the return of FPL on Boxing Day!
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Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW17
Drafts and Fixture Analysis/Players to Target
Best FPL GW17 Drafts with Fixture Analysis & Players to Target
FPL Players and Teams to Target from FPL Gameweek 17
A Guide To FPL GW17 Team Structure With Drafts | FPL Restart
Five Must-Own Players to Have in your FPL GW17 Team
Best FPL GW17 Upside Picks from Teams Outside the ‘Top 7’
Dissecting The Twitter FPL GW17 Wildcard Template Team
Hot topics & Must-Read Content for FPL GW17
Latest Injury news and Press Conference Updates for all 20 teams at one place
FPL GW17 Scout Picks based on Stats and Matchups
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Fantasy Premier League- Expected Goals Allowed(xGA) Table GW17-23
Top FPL Gameweek 17 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
Fantasy Premier League- Expected Goals(XG) Table GW17-GW23
FPL GW17 Tips- Preview And Dilemmas Answered
Position Wise Analysis
Best FPL Goalkeepers to Consider From FPL GW17 | GK Analysis
Best 8 Million FPL Midfielders Comparison ahead of FPL GW17
Best Forwards To Consider For FPL GW17 | Price Point Wise
Best Midfielders To Consider For FPL GW17 | Price Point Wise
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Team Previews
Man City GW1-16 Review & Best Man City FPL assets from GW17
Best Newcastle Players to Consider from FPL GW17
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General FPL GW17 News and Updates
FPL GW17 Restart- Confirmed Double GWs, Injuries & Suspensions
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Jack Barrett
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