Fantasy Premier League (FPL) 2023-24: Best First Draft

Choosing the first draft for the upcoming season of the fantasy football game can be a challenging task.

The new season of the Premier League will also see a new season of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) start simultaneously. It is possible to select one’s team from a £100m budget now and start preparations for the 2023-24 campaign. 

With the transfer window open, a lot of new players will be stepping into the Premier League and becoming available for selection for the FPL managers around the world. Having said that, the managers are already working on creating a first draft of their ideal fantasy team from the players that are available. 

There are several players who are poised to have a high-scoring season in terms of the Fantasy Premier League. These players can be brilliant for a first draft which can be altered later on. Here are some players that the FPL managers can consider while working on their first draft for the upcoming season:

Goalkeepers

Bernd Leno (Fulham) - £4.5m

Bernd Leno is a great pick who comes cheap and is a regular starter at the same time. He finished with 142 points in the previous campaign and will be vital to Fulham’s success this year. The custodian made 144 saves which was the second-highest for any goalkeeper last season.

Mark Flekken (Brentford) - £4.5m

Mark Flekken, signed from Freiburg, is poised to be the starter at Brentford, taking over from David Raya who is close to leaving the club after a sensational display in the previous campaign. At £4.5m, he is a cheap and decent deputy.

Defenders

Amari’i Bell (Luton Town) - £4.0m

Amari’i Bell of Luton Town is a key player for the side and therefore becomes a regular starter. He is of extreme value with an FPL price tag of £4.0m. The Hatters are going to be a surprise package and someone like Bell could be a good selection for starters.

James Tarkowski (Everton) - £4.5m

James Tarkowski is an integral part of Everton. He is an aerial threat during corners under Sean Dyche and his game plan. His price tag of £4.5m makes the centre-back a good option to leave funds available for attacking players.

Sven Botman (Newcastle United) - £4.5m

Sven Botman of Newcastle United is also priced at £4.5m and an option to look for in order to incorporate costly players in attack. He is a regular starter at NUFC and the team is defensively capable of keeping clean sheets and accumulating points.

Luke Shaw (Manchester United) - £5.5m

Luke Shaw is one of the best left-backs in the Premier League. He is attacking involvement from free-kicks and forward runs makes him a good candidate to accumulate attacking returns. On top of that, he got 124 FPL points last season (his best) and is set to replicate the form in the new season.

Mason Holgate (Everton) - £4.0m

Getting a decent defender for £4.0m is a marvellous opportunity for FPL managers. Mason Holgate is a key part of Everton’s squad whether he is on the bench or in the starting lineup. He can be a good player to fill the empty spot on the bench and leave funds available to incorporate costlier players in other positions. 

Midfielders

Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) - £9.0m

Marcus Rashford got 205 points last season in FPL and will be a popular pick into the new season. He scored 17 goals and seven assists in the league, becoming an integral part of the Red Devils. The English international is a must-have from the get-go as MUFC plays two of their first three fixtures at Old Trafford.

Kai Havertz (Arsenal) - £7.5m

Arsenal spent £65 million to land Kai Havertz from Chelsea. The Gunners will incorporate the striker in their starting lineup and he thrives playing as a forward. As he is tagged as a midfielder, scoring goals and making assists will reward his FPL managers with a lot of points. A price tag of £7.5m is also not too heavy on the wallet.

Bryan Mbuemo (Brentford) - £6.5m

Bryan Mbuemo is one of the attacking wingers who is categorised as a midfielder in FPL. Brentford relies on the attacker for goals and he scored nine last season in addition to providing nine assists. He has the potential to be a brilliant differential at a £6.5m price.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) - £6.0m

Morgan Gibbs-White was essential to Nottingham Forest's survival in the Premier League last season. He accumulated 145 points by scoring five goals and providing 12 assists last season. A lot of FPL managers will be looking at him due to his attractive price tag of £6.0m.

Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) - £5.0m

Alejandro Garnacho has the potential to be an incredible differential at a price tag of £5.0m. While he may not start a lot of games for MUFC, he is lethal from the bench owing to his pace and attacking intent. Erik Ten Hag loves to use him towards the end of the matches for maximum impact.

Forwards

Erling Haaland (Manchester City) - £14m

Erling Haaland is a must-have after his exploits during the previous season. He faces four of the six promoted teams over the last two seasons in the first six Gameweeks. In terms of numbers, Haaland was the highest FPL points-getter last season, scoring 272 points, bagging 36 goals and making nine assists.

Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) - £8.0m

Gabriel Jesus is set to lead Arsenal’s forward line and may link up with Kai Havertz as well. He scored 11 goals and made seven assists for Arsenal despite missing a chunk of the season due to injury. The Gunners play Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Fulham in their first three games which makes Jesus a safe bet in the beginning.

Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) - £12.5m

Harry Kane is a must-have. There are chances that may leave Spurs but if he stays in the Premier League, then FPL managers must make space to include him in the side. Even at £12.5m, he is a player who is worth the expense. He accumulated 263 points (only nine behind Haaland) after scoring 30 goals and providing nine assists.