Gameweek 3 offers Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers one final headache before the September international break.
It’s been a brutal beginning for some managers and a glorious start for others, but there is no rest for the wicked as another round of fixtures comes into view. There are yet more crunch decisions to be made.
Liverpool vs. Arsenal will unnerve managers but strong home fixtures for three members of the traditional ‘big six’ means there are still plenty of opportunities for huge returns.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s dream Gameweek 3 team in FPL.
Goalkeeper
Matz Sels (£5.0m) is more or less fixture-proof given Nottingham Forest’s excellent defensive record, but the Midlands side have conceded once in both their opening matches. Owners of the Belgian have been frustrated by their goalkeeper so far, but the tide should turn in Gameweek 3 when Sels hosts the hopeless West Ham United.
Defenders
Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella (£6.1m) has delivered returns in both gameweeks, starting with a clean sheet and eight-point haul against Crystal Palace and then managing an assist against West Ham last time out. With Fulham at home on Saturday, another return could be on the horizon, with the Spaniard’s attacking potential making him a great FPL candidate.
Pedro Porro (£5.6m) has benefitted from Tottenham Hotspur’s improved defensive performances under Thomas Frank, managing two clean sheets to date. Much like his compatriot Cucurella, the right back poses immense attacking threat and could take advantage of a Bournemouth defence that conceded four to Liverpool in their opener and are still finding their feet after summer exits.
Manchester United’s disgraceful Carabao Cup exit to Grimsby Town midweek will likely put managers off their assets, but Patrick Dorgu (£4.5m) remains a cheap but potentially high-reward option. He should be given the freedom to attack newly-promoted Burnley at Old Trafford this weekend, and could even keep a clean sheet, too.
Midfielders
Similarly to Dorgu, Bruno Fernandes (£9.0m) is still an excellent asset despite Man Utd’s form and his wayward penalty at Fulham last weekend. He managed 13 defensive contributions at Craven Cottage last time out to make up for his skied spot kick and is always a danger in the opposition half. He’s a set-piece taker and a chief creator for the Red Devils, potentially rising to the occasion at home to Burnley.
Mohammed Kudus (£6.6m) produced two assists on his Spurs debut as he bagged ten points and he was hugely impressive at Manchester City last time out despite only managing three points. At home to Bournemouth, the Ghanaian should be at his creative best and is a slightly cheaper alternative to Brennan Johnson (£7.1m).
Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.5m) is much pricier than he was last season but could be essential this week against a West Ham defence who have conceded three or more in all three of their competitive games this term. He’s created four chances, managed 0.49 expected goals and registered an assist in the opening two matches.
Gibbs-White’s compatriot and namesake Morgan Rogers (£7.0m) is an excellent choice this week despite a disappointing start to the term. The versatile attacking midfielder, who was brilliant last season, is at home to Crystal Palace and could take advantage of fatigue in the Eagles’ backline following their trip to Norway in Europa Conference League qualifying on Thursday.
Forwards
To complete our Forest trio, Chris Wood (£7.7m) is one of three strikers in the XI. The New Zealand international has risen in price due to his fantastic start to the season, with two goals on the opening weekend against Brentford. He should punish West Ham’s disjointed defence on Sunday afternoon.
João Pedro (£7.6m) produced a monster 15-point haul against West Ham last time out, producing two assists and a goal in the 5–1 thrashing. Chelsea will be without Cole Palmer (£10.5m) again but that will allow the Brazilian to drop deeper and influence proceedings. Another return seems inevitable against Fulham and he would be an excellent captain pick, too.
No matter the opponent, Erling Haaland (£14.1m) is a fantastic option. While he was surprisingly wasteful against Tottenham last weekend, he bagged two in his opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers and now faces a Brighton & Hove Albion side who have conceded in both their opening matches. The Norwegian, who scored at the Amex Stadium last season, should get among the goals again.
Best FPL Gameweek 3 Team
When Is the FPL Gameweek 3 Deadline?
With no Friday night football this weekend, the Gameweek 3 deadline arrives at 11 a.m. BST (6 a.m. ET, 3 a.m. PT) on Saturday, August 30. All changes to squads must be finalised before this time, which is an hour-and-a-half prior to kick off between Chelsea and Fulham.
After the deadline passes, managers will be able to make changes for their Gameweek 4 team.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025–26 FPL: The Best Squad for Gameweek 3.
