Who to set as captain in Fantasy EPL
We explain how to choose a captain in Fantasy for the English Premier League.
One of the main questions before each round of the English Premier League for Fantasy players in this tournament – who to appoint as captain? In this article we will explain what the fantasy premier league captain provides, how to make the optimal captain choice for each fantasy EPL round and other nuances in this important issue.
What the fantasy captain gives in the EPL
As already explained in the fantasy EPL rules, the player you designate as captain in your team gives you twice as many points as the other players in the squad. In other words – all the points that this player earned in the round are then multiplied by two.
It is not surprising that people try to choose as captain the potentially most productive player, who can take the maximum points among all possible footballers. But often the answer to the question of who to appoint as captain in fantasy is not as obvious as it seems. In other words, it's not always Erling Haaland, if we simplify it to a joke.
Here we will discuss several important factors when choosing a player to make your captain in Fantasy EPL.
Best fantasy premier league captain – a player in perfect form
When talking about whom to choose as captain in Fantasy, the first thing that comes to mind is a player in the striker role. After all, forwards usually score the most goals – both across the season and in an individual round. And the goals they score accumulate points which, thanks to the “captain’s band” in Fantasy, can be doubled (or even tripled if you use the special “Triple Captain” boost).
But experienced Fantasy EPL team owners already know that the best FPL captain is not always a forward. Very often forwards lose form and go through stretches of “dry” matches without scoring. Moreover, they may suffer injuries, suspensions, or simply be given a rest by their managers. Therefore, you should pay attention not only to the striker role, but also to those who play alongside them alongside them in the system – wingers, attacking midfielders, and sometimes full‑backs, who can provide a couple or three goal assists, thereby adding to their points tally.
Don’t forget – goals scored by players not playing in the “forward” position are valued more in Fantasy EPL. And by picking as captain for a match a so‑called wing‑back, whom the coach situationally for one reason or another has sent to play in attack, you can hit the real jackpot of points in Fantasy Premier League.
Therefore, keep an eye on players who are in good form, as well as those whose “native” position in the official Premier League and Fantasy Premier League classification does not match their real position in recent matches, and does not align specifically “toward attack”.
Here are a couple of examples of how a non‑forward can rack up many points:
Full‑back. Coaches often use “full‑backs” to play as wingers, and there they earn points both for assists and for goals. A recent example – Maxime de Cuyper from Brighton, who in just the first round of the 2026/27 Premier League season earned 17 Fantasy points for his owners. And over five rounds – already 38 points. That’s more than some forwards.
Winger. Players in the “winger” position are considered midfielders in Fantasy EPL, although many of them score at a level comparable to forwards, or even significantly more. But, unlike forwards, they also consistently provide assists thanks to their attacking creative play. So – their goals are more valuable + there are points for “assists” to teammates. Bingo!
Especially for you we have created a table with player positions and scenarios when they should be considered when selecting a captain in Fantasy EPL. Here is the table.
Player position | When to consider when choosing |
|---|---|
Goalkeeper | If you are sure he will keep a clean sheet this round (ideally also save a couple of penalties, but that’s hard to predict) |
Defender | If this is a full‑back used in the winger position, or a centre‑back in a team that concedes few goals, and who also frequently scores, joining in set‑pieces |
Midfielder | Worth picking as captain in Fantasy if this is a winger or attacking wing‑back who takes many set‑pieces, including penalties |
Forward | The most common and logical captain choice in Fantasy EPL. Ideally, pick a striker who scores many goals regularly |
In summary of the above, we can say that choosing a captain in Fantasy EPL does not always boil down to handing the virtual “bandage” to a forward who scores a lot. Sometimes it may be a choice in favor of a prolific winger, or even a full‑back that the coach uses in a position closer to the opposition’s goal. And such players can bring more points than most forwards in a round.
Although we admit honestly, picking simply Erling Haaland as captain in your Fantasy EPL often seems the easiest and most obvious solution. And we don’t condemn that. We just recommend looking at Fantasy EPL captain choices more broadly and diversely.
And on this site we will often advise you on captains before Fantasy Premier League rounds, as well as generally give recommendations on lineups, transfers and other matters.