FPL Gameweek 20 Preview: A Clear Captain, A Good Week to Roll, and Letting the Fixtures Do the Work
- Sam
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Gameweek 20 is a relatively calm one by FPL standards. There are no major shocks in the data, no obvious must-buy or must-sell moves, and no need to force anything. In weeks like this, the edge usually comes from doing less, not more.
That makes GW20 a classic “stick rather than twist” gameweek.
Captaincy: Haaland and Move On
Captaincy is very straightforward this week. Erling Haaland is the clear standout at home to a Chelsea side that are out of form, currently without a manager, and missing Moises Caicedo.
No other option really challenges him in the projections. He is expected to be the most-captained player again, and this is not a week to look for clever alternatives. Sometimes the correct decision is also the obvious one, and this is one of those weeks.
If you are protecting rank, this is ideal. If you are chasing, there simply isn’t a high-quality differential captain to justify the risk.
Transfers: A Sensible Week to Roll
For most teams, GW20 is a good week to roll a free transfer. There are no glaring buys and no urgent sells across the board. Bear in mind this is written before press conferences, so that might change! That flexibility becomes more valuable with midweek fixtures and future fixture swings coming up.
One name that the algorithm is beginning to look at more critically is Kevin Schade. This is despite his recent 20-point haul. His fixtures are turning, and as always, the model looks forward rather than backward. That does not mean he needs to be sold immediately in every team, but it does mean his position is no longer as secure in our FPL teams as it was a couple of weeks ago.
Fixture Watch: Teams Worth Leaning Into
Several teams are either entering or already in the middle of strong fixture runs, and this is where gradual gains can be made over the next few weeks.
West Ham remain attractive options, particularly through Lucas Paquetá, who scored 13 points last week, and Jarrod Bowen, whose role and output remain consistent.
Newcastle’s fixtures continue to rate well. Lewis Hall offers good value in defence, while Anthony Gordon is firmly on the radar as an attacking option over the coming run.
Everton defenders are also still of interest, with James Tarkowski continuing to perform well in underlying defensive metrics.
Brighton assets also remain viable in this window, though team-specific structure will matter more than forcing a move.
Rotation and Midweek Fixtures
With another round of midweek fixtures on Tuesday, rotation risk increases slightly. This is another reason why GW20 suits a conservative approach. Saving a transfer gives you more flexibility to react to injuries, minutes issues, or unexpected benchings rather than locking yourself into a move now.
Depth matters more than upside this week.
Chips: Reset, But No Rush
All chips have now reset for the second half of the season. Everyone once again has access to Wildcard, Bench Boost, Triple Captain, and Free Hit.
That said, GW20 is not a chip week. There is no structural advantage to using one now. The focus remains on waiting for clarity around double and blank gameweeks before committing to any chip strategy. Those decisions will be team-specific and data-led once the schedule becomes clearer.
Summary
GW20 is a steady gameweek. Captain Haaland, avoid forcing transfers, and let fixtures do the work over the next few weeks. With rotation in play and chips freshly reset, patience is likely to outperform aggression.
Sometimes the best FPL weeks are the quiet ones.
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