FPL Gameweek 3: Expert Trends in Transfers, Captaincy & Chip Strategy

As Fantasy Premier League enters Gameweek 3, expert managers are making decisive moves amid fitness concerns and shifting form. From wildcards to captaincy debates, here’s the insider scoop you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Transfers—What Are the Experts Doing?

Transfer Volume & Chip Strategy

• Free transfers and hits: 30% of experts are using one transfer, 28% are making two, and 4% are even taking a –4 hit to reshape their squads.
• Chip usage: 9% are activating wildcard or free hit strategies, while only 1% are using bench boost, and none are deploying triple captain this week.
• Players on the Way Out
• Cole Palmer is being dumped by 42% of experts, likely due to his injury/rotation risk.
• Bukayo Saka, despite limited broader consensus, is seeing 100% of expert managers selling him.
• Florian Wirtz, Mark Guan, and Ollie Watkins also face significant sell-offs as experts rotate squads.
• Top Transfers In
• Chris Wood leads the buying spree—up from 5% to 21% ownership among experts.
• Midfield reinforcements: Ismaïla Sarr, Semenyo, Matheus Cunha, and Bruno Fernandes are seeing notable interest.
• João Pedro is also rising, while Kudus, Richarlison, and Brennan Johnson get modest traction

Crafting the Expert Template

Following transfers, the expert template reveals:

• Defence: Minimal changes—Van de Ven is a new addition at 33% ownership.
• Midfield: Bruno Fernandes climbs into prominence (47% ownership), displacing Palmer. Sarr, Semeno, and Cunha enter the conversation.
• Attack: Wood and Pedro continue to feature, while Watkins and others decline.

Use this template to benchmark your own team moves against proven strategies.

Captaincy Picks—Who’s Wearing the Armband?

• Bruno Fernandes commands the captaincy from 83% of his owners.
• Erling Haaland follows, with 79% of owners backing him.
• Salah and João Pedro have limited captaincy uptake relative to ownership.
• Sarr and Wood offer interesting alternative captaincy options, with 60% and 43% channeling their armbands, respectively.

Bonus Expert Polls—Bruno & Ekitiké

• Bruno Fernandes: 38% of experts would buy him, 63% prefer to hold, and none are selling—a powerful vote of confidence.
• Hugo Ekitiké: Only 16% consider buying, while 60% prefer to wait, and 24% aren’t considering him at all—despite general public interest being much higher.

Smart Moves for Your Team

Action Type	Recommendation
Transfers Out	Target Wood, Sarr, Semenyo, Cunha, Fernandes, and Pedro based on expert trends.
Transfers In	Only use a wildcard, free hit, or bench boost if it addresses major team weaknesses.
Captaincy	Bruno and Haaland lead, but Sarr or Wood may offer high upside and lower risk.
Chips	Only use wildcard, free hit, or bench boost if it addresses major team weaknesses.

Comment below on your Gameweek 3 strategy—did you follow the experts or bet against them? Share your moves, and let’s climb the ranks together!