Check out the top best FPL 2025/26 differential players picks and the new rules this season
Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is back for the 2025-26 season, and the new season comes with all kinds of new changes and updates, check out all the details below.
The new season comes with fresh rule changes to new chips and price shifts, which FPL managers need to quickly adapt.
Fantasy Premier League (FPL) 2025-26 best differentials, cheap players bargain buys, new rules, points, chips and scoring system explained
🎮WHAT’S CHANGED FOR FPL 25/26 🎮
Managers now have two uses of every chip, one in the first half of the season (GW1–19) and one in the second half (GW20-38).
That means we no longer need to be quite as cautious. There’s more flexibility, more opportunity – and more potential… pic.twitter.com/cvAgQvAVzo
— CharlieVantFPL (@CharlieVantFPL) July 27, 2025
The biggest BARGAINS in FPL 25/26 🤑
£4.0: Aaron Hickey 🐝, Maxime Estève 🟣, Ayden Heaven 👹,
£4.5: Adrien Truffert 🍒, Caoimhín Kelleher 🐝, Michael Kayode 🐝, Destiny Udogie ⚪, Djed Spence ⚪,
£5.5: James McAtee (if he leaves) 🔵, Stefanos Tzimas 🌊, Donyell Malen 🦁,… pic.twitter.com/QDMlcAykxB
— Hive (@BrentfordHive) July 21, 2025
Aside from the new updates, managers can also check the top 6 biggest differentials to consider for the upcoming season.
FPL 2025-26 new changes and updates
Double Chip Usage
The new season will feature the same old four chips—Bench Boost, Free Hit, Triple Captain, and Wildcard—but managers can now use them twice. Managers will get to use them once during the first half of the season and once in the second. However, the Assistant Manager chip is no longer available.
Defensive Action Bonus Points
Outfield players will now be able to earn bonus points for defensive actions. Defenders get 2 bonus points for every 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions, or tackles. Meanwhile, Midfielders and forwards will receive 2 points per 12 defensive actions.
Updated Bonus Points System (BPS)
The new season will feature 3 BPS points for Goalkeepers for making saves inside the box, up from 2. Penalty saves will now award 8 BPS (down from 9), while saved shots inside the penalty area will get more value. Goal-line clearances are now worth 9 BPS (up from 3), while successful tackles will now award 2 points.
Revised Assist Rules
Deflected passes will now count as assists if a scorer receives them inside the box. Meanwhile, unforced defensive errors will also result in assists, provided that the pass leading to the error came from the attacker. Moreover, players that win a penalty or free kick via handball will also win it as an assist.
AFCON Transfer Boost
In order to help with player absences during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, all managers will get five free transfers during Gameweek 16.
Price Changes
The new season features a list of new price changes, including the following:
- Mohammad Salah is now £14.5m (up from £12.5m)
- Erling Haaland is now £14m (down from £15m)
- New signing Florian Wirtz is priced at £8.5m
- Jordan Pickford is now at £5.5m
- Rayan Ait-Nouri is priced at £6m
I finished 12k 🌎 overall in FPL last season – and like last year, the cheap midfielders will be the key to an early rank boost 🚀
Here’s my favourite £6.5 mids list (ranked) to take advantage of fixtures and grab those early points👇
A thread 🧵 #FPL #FPLCommunity pic.twitter.com/7O6t4lRyEJ
— FPLAntoneeRobbo (@FPLAntoneeRobbo) July 28, 2025
Position changes
Besides the above changes, several players have also undergone changed positions. FPL has now listed Cody Gakpo, Omar Marmoush, Mateus Cunha, and Iliman Ndiaye as midfielders. Meanwhile, Jarrod Bowen is now a forward, and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly is reclassified as a defender.
FPL 2025-26 6 cheap differentials to consider
Given below are the top 6 differentials to consider for the upcoming season:
- Elliot Anderson (£5.5m, 1.5% ownership)
Anderson could step into a key attacking role for Nottingham Forest after creating 37 chances and making 8 goal contributions last season.
- Keane Lewis-Potter (£5.0m, 0.5% ownership)
Lewis-Potter is now listed as a defender and he could further play a larger role under Brentford’s new boss Keith Andrews. He is known for his dribbling and attacking instincts, and he could deliver solid attacking returns from a defensive slot.
- Enzo Fernandez (£6.5m, 4.2% ownership)
Fernandez finished last season in excellent form and will continue to be a key set-piece taker under Maresca at Chelsea. He made 13 goal contributions in his last 27 appearances.
- El Hadji Malick Diouf (£4.5m, 0.8% ownership)
Diouf joins West Ham from Slavia Prague and offers attacking potential from left-wing-back, making 11 goal contributions last season.
- Dwight McNeil (£6.0m, 1.3% ownership)
McNeil registered eight assists and strong underlying creative stats last season, making him an underrated pick.
- Daniel James (£5.5m, 1.4% ownership)
Welsh winger Daniel James has seemingly sharpened his finishing in the Championship and now returns to the Premier League with Leeds. Equipped with his speed on the counter and 41 goal contributions over his last two seasons, he has the potential to become an FPL gold.
Here’s a thread for Defensive Contribution points for Midfielders!
This MEGA THREAD shows EVERY midfielder’s average potential to achieve defensive action points and rating each of them!
Bookmark for the start of the season and follow for more useful graphics! 😁
— FPL Meerkat (Charlie) (@FPLMeerkat) July 24, 2025
Cheap Midfielders
Christie – 15.34 (£5.0m)
Anderson – 14.92 (£5.5m)
Andre – 14.33 (£5.5m)
Baleba – 14.00 (£5.0m)
Adams – 13.75 (£5.0m)
Caicedo – 13.49 (£5.5m)
Gana – 13.45 (£5.5m)
J. Gomes – 12.52 (£5.5m)
Gravenberch – 11.90 (£5.5m)
Kamara – 11.85 (£5.0m)
Zubimendi – 11.39 (£5.5m)
Garner – 11.29 (£5.0m)
Tonali – 11.27 (£5.5m)
🧤 FPL Cheap Clean Sheet Rotation Pairs (GW1–12)
📊 Below are the best cheap pairings (outside of ARS, LIV, MCI, CHE & NEW):
✅ Leeds + Manchester Utd (33.8% CS)
✅ Bournemouth + Forest (11 Home Games)
✅ Everton + Wolves (Face the promoted teams 5 times)#FPL #FPLCommunity pic.twitter.com/E5pY4G2QuH— FPL Nik (@AnalystNik11) June 18, 2025