As the hours tick down until Friday’s 18:30 BST Fantasy Premier League (FPL) deadline, we roll out a trio of Gameweek 1 differentials for your consideration.
To qualify, the player must have an ownership of 5% or less.
GEORGINIO RUTTER
FPL ownership: 1.1%Price: £6.0mGW1-5 fixtures: FUL | eve | MCI | bou | TOT
Given Brighton and Hove Albion’s favourable early schedule (FUL/eve), Georginio Rutter (£6.0m) shouldn’t be overlooked as a viable source of attacking returns.
The Frenchman made 19 Premier League starts and nine substitute appearances in an injury-curtailed first season on the south coast.
He scored five goals and provided six assists, averaging a modest 4.0 points per start.
Rutter’s underlying goal threat stats hold up well, however.
The ex-Leeds United man’s shot frequency (33.8 minutes per attempt) was superior to Luis Diaz, Jarrod Bowen (£8.0m, both 34.2) and every other Brighton player.
Couple this with the fact that Rutter has been playing as a centre-forward in pre-season and Joao Pedro (£7.5m) is no longer around, and he’s shaping up to offer great value in his price bracket.
Due to his versatility (he can also play as a No 10 or right winger, as below), Rutter’s expected minutes look pretty good.
In all likelihood, he’ll frequently be subbed off, but as a potential out-of-position (OOP) asset, there is still plenty of upside.
Rutter’s displays in pre-season, which included a goal and three assists, certainly bode well for a quick start.
As for Brighton, they were generally an exciting attacking team under Hurzeler last season. They also started to find a much better balance towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign, winning four of their last five league matches by an aggregate score of 13-6.
NICLAS FULLKRUG
FPL ownership: 3.5%Price: £6.0mGW1-5 fixtures: sun | CHE | nfo | TOT | CRY
Let’s be honest – last season was a bit of a write-off for Niclas Fullkrug (£6.0m).
The German arrived at West Ham United on the back of 15 goals for Borussia Dortmund in the 2023/24 season, as Die Schwarzgelben finished as UEFA Champions League runners-up.
Injury put paid to the forward’s Fantasy potential, however, as he managed just three goals and two assists in six league starts and 12 substitute appearances.
But with those fitness issues hopefully behind him, Fullkrug is approaching the new season with far greater enthusiasm.
Indeed, he completed 90 minutes in West Ham’s final friendly against Lille on Saturday, as he made it three goals in as many pre-season matches with a late equaliser.
“I feel like I’m in a really good place. I worked a lot during my holidays – nearly every day. I wanted to work because I wanted to get back to my best. Now I feel good, relaxed and confident I can go on and have a good season.” – Niclas Fullkrug
Fullkrug’s partnership and link-up play with Jarrod Bowen (£8.0m) seems to be developing nicely, too.
“I love Jarrod. I think you can see the link-up is very good. I try to bring the ball to him in his strongest situation, where he can go one-on-one or go in behind.” – Niclas Fullkrug
West Ham roll up to newly-promoted Sunderland for their opener on the back of some decent pre-season form. Graham Potter’s side have racked up three wins and one draw in five matches, with two of those victories against Premier League opposition in the Summer Series (2-1 v Everton and 2-0 v Bournemouth).
With an ownership currently under 4.0%, Fullkrug looks like a decent alternative for those Fantasy managers who can’t afford Bowen, who has been re-classified from a midfielder to a forward this season.
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL
FPL ownership: 4.1%Price: £5.0mGW1-5 fixtures: lee | BHA | wol | AVL | liv
While Jack Grealish’s (£6.5m) loan move to Everton may have hogged the headlines, the arrival of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£5.0m) from Chelsea may turn out to be their smartest piece of business this summer.
The playmaker arrived on Merseyside for a fee of £25m plus add-ons earlier this month.
He made just two Premier League starts for Chelsea last season, but prior to that, he racked up 12 goals and 14 assists under Enzo Maresca in 2023/24, as Leicester City won promotion from the Championship.
Dewsbury-Hall was the most advanced midfielder in Saturday’s friendly against Roma, but he is versatile and can play in various roles, such as a No 8.
“He wants me to get involved in the game and impact the game at the top of the pitch with goals and assists, but also help defensively. He knows what type of player I am – I’m an all-rounder – so whichever way that is to impact the team, it will be that way. I’d probably say that’s the role I will play the most where I’m a little bit more advanced, where I’m getting around the box and trying to link play. I can play deeper though if a certain game warrants that.” – Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on his role under David Moyes
While a deeper position isn’t ideal from a Fantasy perspective, it would at least allow Dewsbury-Hall to earn some defensive contribution (DC) points.
He also took some corners against Roma, another route to points.
Priced at just £5.0m, it suggests Dewsbury-Hall could be one of the best budget enablers in the game.
As for Everton, they have some decent early fixtures. Newly-promoted Leeds United are up first, with Brighton and Wolverhampton Wanderers to follow in Gameweeks 2 and 3. The clash against Albion will be the Toffees’ first Premier League home match at their new stadium, with a sell-out crowd expected.
