FPL Players to Avoid Ahead of GW1- 2023/24 Season

Every FPL season, there come certain players who have an appeal to them which pulls a lot of people towards these players. However, not all of them work out and those managers who own these players end up seeing a fall in their FPL ranks. But it is not impossible to avoid these players in your FPL team, you have to watch out for certain things. In this article, I will make your job easier for you by listing a number of players I think you should avoid having in your FPL team this season.

Link to all our 2023/24 Pre-Season articles including all team pre-season friendly updates, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, differentials, players to target, budget enablers and more. Completely free to access as well!

FPL Players to Avoid Ahead of GW1-2023/24 Season

Note: All the players mentioned in this article as “Players to avoid for GW1” are author’s opinion based on stats and analysis. Have a read and decide for yourselves.

Martin Odegaard, £8.5m

Currently owned by 20.4% of managers, Martin Odegaard starts off our list of players to avoid for your FPL team. Priced at 8.5 million, Odegaard is too expensive for the value he provides. While Odegaard did score 15 goals last season, he did overperform his xG of 8.59 by almost 7 goals and cannot be expected to replicate the same this season. He is also not on penalties as the penalty duty for the Arsenal team rests with Saka, who is a much better option with a higher ceiling at the same price. Odegaard’s role in the Arsenal team also remains a mystery with Xhaka leaving, Partey probably soon to follow and the addition of Havertz and Rice. Could Odegaard be shifted to a deeper role this season?

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Saka, Bruno, Martinelli

Midfielders at 8.5 or below sorted by Expected Goal Involvement(from last season):

Odegaard is only 6th behind Bruno, March, Martinelli, Mbeumo and Saka.

Ben White, £5.5m

Continuing with Arsenal players, we will now take a look at last season’s second highest point-scoring defender, Ben White. White is priced at 5.5 million this season, a one million rise from his price last season and already has an ownership of almost 10%. If White was nailed like last season, there could still be an argument made for him, but with Timber arriving and Tomiyasu back to full fitness we will see a reduction in Ben White’s minutes this season. Not only that, but for 5 million, you can get Gabriel who had a higher xG than White last season and is nailed in the Arsenal team.

Shaw despite playing 7 games lesser than White has a better xG and xA.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Gabriel, Schar, Zinchenko, Estupinan

Further Read: Best Differential FPL Team For The 2023-2024 Season

Alexis Mac Allister, £6.0m

Next on our list of players to avoid in FPL this season is Liverpool’s new signing and World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister. Priced at 6 million this season, Mac Allister already has an ownership of 15.4%. However, Mac Allister’s role in Liverpool is going to differ a lot compared to his role in Brighton. He is expected to play a much deeper number 8 role with the Reds and is unlikely to be on set pieces due to the availability of both Mohammed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Due to his position, he will also be relied less in the attack in Liverpool. Hence Mac Allister is a player you should look to avoid in FPL this season.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Enciso, Gibbs White. Lots of quality mids available at 0.5 more- Eze, Mitoma, March, Mbeumo.

---

---

Kai Havertz, £7.5m

The next player on our list to avoid for FPL this season is another Arsenal player, Kai Havertz. Currently owned by 5.7% of managers, Havertz should be avoided due to many reasons. Firstly, like Odegaard his role in the team is unknown. Will he play a more attacking role or will he take over the number 8 role left over by Xhaka? If he does play that role then he will be playing much deeper than the front four of Arsenal (according to their new formation). There is also uncertainty around the number of minutes Havertz will get with a number of players competing in the same position. Lastly, just by spending 0.5 million more, you can get Martinelli, who is a much better option for your FPL teams.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Foden, Maddison, Sterling

Further Read: FPL Team Structure Guide- 6 Different Team Structures with Drafts, Pros and Cons

Ederson, £5.5m

Currently owned by 14.3% of FPL managers, Ederson is an FPL asset that I think you should avoid having in your team. While he is a guaranteed start for Manchester City, he doesn’t offer much over the clean sheet points. Due to the strong defence in front of him, the Brazilian doesn’t face as many shots and hence doesn’t have as many saves as some other keepers can provide you. I recommended going with either John Stones or Ruben Dias to cover the City defence, as they will not only provide the same clean sheet points as Ederson but will also chip in with the bonus points. For 0.5 million cheaper, you can get Ramsdale or Onana who will provide you with bonus save points too.

Key stat : Ederson does not give save points at all. In fact, he made 46 saves all saves and is ranked 20th among Goalkeepers in the for saves made. At £5.5m, he is not worth it!

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Onana, Ramsdale, Johnstone

Alexander Isak, £7.5m

Alexander Isak had a great season for Newcastle United last season, where he scored 10 goals and gave 2 assists in 17 starts. However, Newcastle don’t have the best start to the season with games against, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton in the first four gameweeks of the season. He was also seen rotating with Wilson last or even playing down the left-handside which reduced his goal threat. If you do want a Newcastle striker, Callum Wilson can be a better option as he is also on penalties. For 0.5 million, you can also get Gabriel Jesus who is Arsenal’s leading striker for the season and also has great opening fixtures.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Gakpo, Nkunku, Alvarez

Further Read: Best FPL Goalkeepers to Target For The 2023/24 FPL Season

Nick Pope, £5.5m

The next Newcastle United player on our list of FPL players to avoid is their goalkeeper, Nick Pope. Not only do Newcastle have difficult games at the start of the season, but for 5.5 million, Pope doesn’t justify this choice. As seen in the above graphic, Newcastle play Villa, City, Liverpool and Brighton in the first 4 games- All Top 8 teams with good attacking threat.

Even if you do want to have those important Newcastle clean sheet points, you can get Sven Botman for just 4.5 million. Not only is he cheap, but is also a nailed centre-back in the Newcastle defence.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Onana, Ramsdale, Johnstone

Reece James, £5.5m

Currently owned by 16.5% of managers this season, Reece James is a player I would look to avoid in my gameweek one draft. While Reece James has great attacking threat when fit, the issue is his ability to remain fit for prolonged parts of the season. Despite being Chelsea’s first-choice right-back, Reece James only managed 14 starts last season. If you do want a Chelsea defender, I would recommend looking at Ben Chilwell, also an attacking full-back, but unlike Reece James, he doesn’t have a constant injury threat making him a more secure choice for your FPL team.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Chilwell, Shaw

Further Read: Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2023/24 FPL Season

Mason Mount, £7.0m

Manchester United’s first big signing of the season might not be the best signing for your FPL teams. Priced at 7 million and currently owned by 8.4% of managers, he is not as good an FPL assest as some might expect him to be. Even if he does take over the role of Eriksen in the United team, for the 0.5 million less you can get either Mitoma or Mbeumo and for 0.5 million extra, you could also get Phil Foden in your team. These players provide you with better-attacking numbers and have more potential for returns than Mason Mount. Mount also takes over the lucrative United midfield spot which can be used by Rashford or Fernandes.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Lots of quality mids available at 6.5 million- Eze, Mitoma, March, Mbeumo.

Tyrone Mings, £4.5m

Currently owned by 15.6% of managers, Mings is a defender I think you should avoid having in your first gameweek drafts. With the arrival of Pau Torres, Mings position in Aston Villa’s defence looks shaky as Torres takes over the left centre back position and will be favoured by Unai Emery, who saw his rise during his time at Villareal. Torres is available at the same price as Mings and you can do a quick swap for him.

Have an eye on the pre- season games to decide who is the nailed Villa 4.5 million defender among Mings, Torres and Cash before locking them in your teams.

Better picks at that price/cheaper: Torres, Botman, Henry

These are all the players I think you should avoid having in your FPL gameweek one drafts. Do let us know which player you think are a clear avoid for this season!

If you like our content do consider supporting us by contributing to the website. ALLABOUTFPL is run by the community and for the community. All our content is and will always remain free.

Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW1 of the 2023/24 FPL Season

Pre-Season Friendlies Updates & Fixtures

2023/24 FPL Pre Season: All Clubs Friendlies Fixtures & Updates
2023/24 Pre Season Summary of All 20 Premier League Teams 

FPL GW1 Must Read Articles:
FPL GW1 Scout Picks Based On Stats, Analysis, And Matchups
2023/24 Season: Predicted GW1 Lineups of All 20 PL Teams
Top FPL GW1 Differential Picks To Consider Ahead Of GW1 Deadline
FPL GW1 Team Reveal & Strategy – AllAboutFPL
FPL GW1 Tips & Preview – Breaking Down The Key Dilemmas
FPL Players And Teams To Target From FPL Gameweek 1 To 6 

Drafts for FPL GW1:

FPL Gameweek 1 Drafts with Haaland + Salah and Trent Trio
FPL GW1 Drafts with 3-4-3 Formation | 2023/24 FPL Season 
Initial GW1 Drafts for the 2023/24 Season with Pros and Cons
Top FPL GW1 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of GW1 Deadline
Four Players Who Have Never Left My FPL GW1 Draft
FPL GW1 Team Reveal & Strategy – AllAboutFPL

FPL Goalkeepers Analysis:

Best FPL Goalkeepers to Target For The 2023/24 FPL Season
Best FPL Goalkeepers at Each Price Point for the 2023/24 Season
FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations- Defenders and Goal Keepers

2023/24 FPL Season Positional Analysis:

Defenders:
Best £4.0 Million FPL Defenders For The 2023/24 FPL Season
Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2023/24 FPL Season
Best £5-£5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2023/24 FPL Season 
FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations- Defenders and Goal Keepers

Midfielders:
£4.5 Million FPL Midfielders Watchlist for the 2023/24 FPL Season
Best £5 & £5.5 Million FPL Midfielders For The 2023/24 FPL Season
Best £6.0 -£7.5 Million FPL Midfielders | 2023/24 Season
Mbeumo vs Mitoma vs Eze vs Diaby- 6.5. FPL Midfielders Comparison and Verdict
Best Premium FPL Midfielders (£8.0 -£12.5 Million) | 23/24 Season

Forwards:
Best Mid-Priced FPL Forwards (£7.0 – £8.0m) | 2023/24 Season
Best FPL Forwards in The £6.0 & £6.5M Price Bracket
Best FPL Budget Forwards (£4.5 – £5.5 Million) | 23/24 Season

Ultimate Guide & FPL Calendar:

Ultimate FPL Pre-Season Guide & Tips for the 2023/24 Season
2023/24 FPL Season Schedule: Key Dates, Information & Timeline

Fixture Analysis:
FPL Fixture Analysis For The 2023/24 FPL Season | PL Fixtures

General FPL Blogs:
FPL Team Structure Guide- 6 Different Team Structures with Drafts, Pros and Cons
Premier League Penalty & Set Piece Takers | 2023/24 PL Season
Best FPL Picks Outside Top 6 Teams | 2023/24 FPL Season
FPL Differentials- Players To Watch Ahead Of The 2023/24 Season
FPL Budget Enablers(Top Budget Picks Position wise)
Under Priced FPL Assets from Big 6 Teams
Best Differential FPL Team For The 2023-2024 Season
Players to Avoid in FPL Ahead of FPL Gameweek 1
Initial Reaction to FPL Player Price Reveals for the 2023/24 FPL Season
List of Free to Join Prize FPL Mini Leagues Ahead of 23/24 Season
FPL Tips and Best Practices to Have an Enjoyable FPL Season
FPL Team ID- What is it? How to get a Low Team ID for 2023/24 FPL Season
Best FPL Team Names for the 2023/24 FPL Season

If you’re new to FPL, here is a link to all our FPL Beginners Guide including FPL Beginner’s Guide- How to play?, Bench boost, Team value, Triple captain, Effective ownership, Price Changes, Free Hit, Bonus Points, and more.

Link to all our 2023/24 Pre-Season articles including all team pre-season friendly updates, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, and more. Completely free to access as well!

Thanks for reading the “FPL Players to Avoid Ahead of the 2023/24 Season” blog. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for regular blogs. Also, follow our 120000+community on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated on regular Posts and FPL updates.

What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 1 of the 2023/24 FPL Season?

We’ll be covering team previews for all 20 teams, FPL team structures, must-own players, player comparisons, differential picks, fixture analysis, captaincy metrics, multiple FPL drafts with pros and cons, chip strategy, rules guide, beginners guide, FPL tips, and more. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for all our blogs and subscribe to our free newsletter through the link below. We’ll also be posting regularly about the same on our social media accounts so follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook keep our notification ON.

Our content is always free and if you like our content do drop a comment, follow, subscribe, and support us. Your love is what keeps us going:)