FPL Double Gameweek 26 Preview: Triple Captain Week, Arsenal Dominance, and What Not to Overthink

Double Gameweek 26 is one of the most important weeks of the season, and unlike many doubles, the strategy this time is relatively clear. There are only two guaranteed double gameweeks this season, and this is the first of them. How you approach DGW26 will have a significant impact on rank for the remainder of the campaign.

This is not a week for half-measures. Chip usage, team structure, and asset selection all matter, but the biggest mistake managers can make is trying to be too clever.

Chip Strategy: This Is the Triple Captain Week

With only DGW26 and DGW33 confirmed as doubles, chip usage becomes straightforward.

Bench Boost is best saved for DGW33, which is expected to be the larger double and can be attacked after a Wildcard in GW32, potentially allowing a full bench of doublers.

That leaves Triple Captain, and DGW26 is the correct week to use it.

There is a possibility of another double in GW36, but it is far from guaranteed and not worth holding Triple Captain for. The risk of waiting outweighs the potential reward. If you still have Triple Captain, this is the week to deploy it.

Triple Captain Options: Gabriel Leads, Timber the Differential

The best Triple Captain option in DGW26 is Gabriel (£7.1m).

Arsenal face Brentford (A) and Wolves (A), and Gabriel offers an elite combination of clean sheet probability and attacking threat. The projected clean sheet chances are 41% against Brentford and 56% against Wolves, which alone puts him near the top of the projections. Add in his threat from set pieces, which remains Arsenal’s primary route to goals, and the appeal becomes obvious.

Gabriel will be the most popular Triple Captain this week, and for good reason. He offers a very high floor with genuine upside.

A very close second is Jurrien Timber (£6.4m). While Timber carries slightly less goal threat than Gabriel, that is offset by his higher assist potential due to his advanced positioning on the right flank. For managers chasing rank who want a differential Triple Captain without introducing unnecessary risk, Timber is an excellent alternative.

Rounding out the top three is Declan Rice (£7.5m). Rice’s goal threat has increased this season, and his set-piece duties provide consistent assist potential. He is slightly behind Gabriel and Timber, but all three are viable Triple Captain options. There is no need to overthink this beyond those names.

Arsenal Assets: Triple Up or You’re Behind

With Arsenal doubling and offering one of the best fixture combinations in the league, triple Arsenal is non-negotiable.

If you are not already tripled up, fixing that should be your top priority before the deadline.

The core Arsenal options are clear:

• Gabriel (£7.1m)

• Jurrien Timber (£6.4m)

• Declan Rice (£7.5m)

• David Raya (£5.9m)

For teams that still own Bukayo Saka (£9.9m) in the hope he might be fit, this week is awkward. There will be no Arteta press conference, so we will not get clarity. Saka becomes a difficult sell because of his ceiling, but he also blocks a third Arsenal slot.

Depending on your free transfers, the cleanest solutions are:

• Straight swap Saka → Rice

• Sell Saka to a cheaper midfielder and upgrade a defender to Gabriel or J.Timber

Holding Saka and entering the double with only two Arsenal players is a suboptimal position.

Other Arsenal punts exist, but they come with risk. William Saliba (£6.1m) and David Raya (£5.9m) are viable alternatives depending on structure. Kai Havertz (£7.3m) is avoided due to xMins risk despite recent form. Noni Madueke (£6.8m) could lose his place if Saka returns for the second fixture, making him a short-term transfer and another transfer used to remove him when Saka is back.

Wolves Assets: Useful, But Not Mandatory

Wolves also double in DGW26, but they should be treated differently to Arsenal.

The standout Wolves option is Tolu (£5.4m), followed by João Gomes (£5.3m) and José Sá (£4.2m). These are viable picks, but none of them are must-owns.

The key rule with Wolves is this: do not force them in.

Wolves assets should only be bought if the outgoing player already needs to be sold, such as a Reijnders or a Minteh who have both lost their places and the move improves squad balance. Taking hits or breaking structure purely to add Wolves players is unnecessary.

Single Gameweek Players Worth Holding

Not all value in DGW26 comes from doubling teams.

The algorithm continues to rate Liverpool highly going forward and has no intention of selling Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.7m) for most teams. His suspension is only one match due to the red card being for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity, rather than violent conduct. Liverpool’s fixture run remains strong.

Brentford are another team firmly on the radar beyond DGW26. Future planning includes a potential attacking triple-up of O.Dango (£5.8m), Kevin Schade (£6.9m), and Thiago (£7.0m), with Nathan Collins (£5.0m) also offering a defensive option.

Crystal Palace assets also remain attractive, particularly Ismaïla Sarr (£6.3m) and Daniel Muñoz (£5.8m), both of whom continue to rate well for value and role.

Traps to Avoid: Recency Bias in Full Effect

Two of the most bought players this week are clear traps.

Viktor Gyökeres (£8.8m) is being bought heavily after scoring twice at the weekend, but his minutes are far from secure with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus (£6.4m) both available. In a double gameweek for the best team in the league, you want the best three assets from that team, not a rotation risk.

Martín Zubimendi (£5.3m) is another classic case of recency bias. His 0.03 xG goal against Sunderland is not a reason to buy him. He does not take set pieces, plays in a defensive midfield role, and is simply not one of the top three Arsenal assets to own.

On the sell side, Harry Wilson (£6.1m) is being mass transferred out, and rightly so. The Algorithm always viewed him as overperforming his underlying numbers, and his output was unlikely to continue.

The One Mistake to Avoid

The biggest mistake in DGW26 is overcomplicating it.

This is not the week to chase obscure differentials, force unnecessary Wolves assets, or hold chips out of fear of something better later. Triple Captain an Arsenal defender, make sure you have three Arsenal players, and resist the urge to react emotionally to last week’s points.

Get the structure right, and the rest takes care of itself.

Want This Applied to Your Team?

DGW26 decisions are heavily team-dependent. The right Triple Captain, the correct Arsenal triple-up, and whether Wolves assets make sense all depend on your exact squad.

The Algorithm runs your team and sends personalised recommendations for transfers, Triple Captain, and bench order before the deadline.

👉 Get your personalised recommendations from The Algorithm