First FPL Draft 2026/27 - My Early Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 1 Team

I've already started building my first draft ahead of Gameweek 1 for Fantasy Premier League 2026/27 and you can see it exclusively right here:

While pre-season friendlies, transfers and injury updates could significantly alter the landscape before the opening deadline, creating an early FPL draft helps establish a squad structure and identify the players likely to offer the best value. In this article, I'll break down my first Fantasy Premier League draft for the 2026/27 season and explain the key decisions behind each selection.

Why Build an Early FPL Draft?

An early FPL draft isn't about finding the perfect team immediately.

Instead, it helps managers:

• Understand pricing across the game

• Identify value opportunities

• Plan captaincy options

• Assess fixture runs

• Compare premium and mid-priced players

• Build flexibility for future transfers

The aim is to create a balanced squad capable of delivering points in the opening weeks while remaining adaptable as new information emerges.

Goalkeepers

The goalkeeper position often provides opportunities to save budget while maintaining a reliable source of points.

For my first draft, I'm prioritising:

• Strong defensive teams

• Goalkeepers with save potential

• Goalkeepers offering good value for money

• Teams with favourable opening fixtures

Defenders

Defensive selections are becoming increasingly important due to attacking returns and clean-sheet potential.

My early draft focuses on:

• Defenders from strong defensive sides

• Players with secure minutes

The opening fixture schedule plays a significant role in these selections.

Midfielders

Midfield remains the most competitive position in Fantasy Premier League.

My first draft includes a combination of:

• Premium captaincy options

• Mid-priced value picks

• Emerging talents

• Set-piece specialists

Finding the right balance between premium assets and value midfielders is likely to be one of the defining challenges of the 2026/27 season.

Forwards

The forward line currently offers several interesting options.

When selecting forwards, I'm considering:

• Expected minutes

• Goal involvement

• Penalty duties

• Fixture quality

• Price efficiency

As pre-season develops, this position may see the biggest changes.

Key FPL Strategy for Gameweek 1

One of the most common questions Fantasy Premier League managers ask is:

What is the best strategy for FPL Gameweek 1?

The answer is flexibility.

The best Gameweek 1 squads generally:

• Focus on proven performers

• Target strong opening fixtures

• Include multiple captaincy options

• Avoid excessive punts

• Retain flexibility for future transfers

  
  

While differential picks can be valuable, building a solid foundation often proves more effective over the opening weeks.

Players I'm Monitoring

Several players remain on my watchlist before the season starts.

Factors that could influence my final squad include:

• Summer transfers

• Pre-season form

• Injury news

• Tactical changes

• Price adjustments

• Newly promoted teams

As more information becomes available, I expect this draft to evolve significantly.

Final Thoughts

This first FPL draft for the 2026/27 season represents the starting point of my Fantasy Premier League planning.

With weeks still remaining before the Gameweek 1 deadline, there is plenty of time for changes, but establishing a structure now makes it easier to react to developments throughout pre-season.

What does your first FPL draft look like?

Let me know which players are currently locked into your team and which positions you're finding most difficult to fill.

Good luck for the Fantasy Premier League 2026/27 season.