Best FPL Gameweek 1 Picks: Is Salah Essential & Can Watkins or Wirtz Beat the Captain Differential?

With just two weeks until Fantasy Premier League’s Gameweek 1, preseason drama is heating up. In this blog, we review top draft picks, examine whether Mohamed Salah is essential in your team, analyse options like Ollie Watkins, Florian Wirtz, or Alexander Isak, and share chip strategy ideas for a strong season start.

Why Mohamed Salah Still Looks Essential

Salah was FPL’s standout performer last season, scoring 28 goals and providing 19 assists for 344 FP—more than 100 points clear of anyone else.

He kicks off Gameweek 1 with a home clash that looks favourable, and his reliability early in the season makes him an attractive prime captaincy choice in most drafts.

Viable Alternatives—Isak, Gakpo, Wirtz & Watkins

• Alexander Isak remains an exciting pick if his transfer gets finalised. Until then, he’s unavailable. His potential Liverpool role could rival Salah’s—but only once confirmed.

• Florian Wirtz (£8.5m) impressed in preseason, playing in a creative metres role at Liverpool. A premium differential mid worth monitoring.
• Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) starts Gameweek 1 at home with great fixtures and could be a great captain alternative, especially if Gakpo or Liverpool rotate heavily early on.

Budget Picks & Rotation Strategy

• Goalkeepers: Solid options like Kelleher, Areola, or Bentley often start around £4.5m, offering rotation flexibility but minimal haul risk.
• Defenders: Look for players with defensive contributions (e.g., Merilló vs. Williams). Arsenal’s Gabriel (approx. £6.0m) is a set‑and‑forget pick given Arsenal’s historical defensive record. Rotation pairs (e.g., Nodes or Udogie + Esteve) combine across fixtures efficiently.
• Midfield & Cheap Enablers: Midfielders like Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Mohamed Kudus (Spurs), and Paketa (West Ham) present value enablers in the £6–£10m bracket.

Chip Strategy for a Strong First Half

Most top FPL managers plan to play the bench boost early, likely in Gameweek 2, before using a wildcard in GW10–12, then saving the free hit or triple captain for later. This balances limited preseason intel with maximising early returns—especially when fixtures settle in. Starting the season with strong depth gives flexibility as you ramp up squad value.

FPL Gameweek 1 Team Selection with underrated picks

Conclusion

• Mohamed Salah remains the safest premium pick for early captaincy and consistent points.
  
• Watkins, Wirtz, and Isak offer differential value if rotations favour them.
  
• Defender rotation pairs and budget midfield enablers like Palmer and Kudus help maintain depth.
  
• Use your bench boost early, follow up with a wildcard mid-season, and deploy triple captain/free hit later when fixtures tighten.