Finding the Best Budget Fantasy Premier League Forward

In a season where premiums like Erling Haaland and Mo Salah are commanding significant portions of our FPL budgets, finding the right budget forward has become more crucial than ever.

With the emergence of several in-form budget options, managers are faced with an intriguing puzzle: which cut-price striker offers the best value for money?

Our analysis delves into four fascinating candidates - Chris Wood, Matheus Cunha, Raúl Jiménez, and Yoane Wissa - who are all making compelling cases for inclusion in our FPL teams.

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The Budget FPL Forward Dilemma

We'll guide you through everything you need to know for selecting the best budget forward, from key stats to upcoming fixtures.

First, we’ll analyse their per-match performances from Gameweeks 1 to 9, using the Fix Comparison Matrix tool to account for differences in playing time.

Chris Wood (£6.4m, Nottingham Forest)

Chris Wood has emerged as the standout budget forward this season, boasting impressive per-game statistics. The New Zealand international leads our compared forwards with 0.78 goals per game, significantly outperforming his expected goals (xG) of 0.55. His shot accuracy is particularly noteworthy, with 1.44 shots on target per game from 2.11 total attempts.

Wood's popularity has surged, with 17.5% ownership and nearly 300,000 managers adding him before Gameweek 10. According to the Transfer Analytics tool, he's the second most transferred-in player ahead of the gameweek.

However, Forest's upcoming fixtures present a mixed bag, with challenging matches against Arsenal and Manchester City interspersed with more favourable encounters against West Ham and Ipswich.

Matheus Cunha (£6.6m, Wolves)

The Brazilian forward offers an interesting profile, recording 0.44 goals per game despite a lower xG of 0.26. Cunha leads the group in total shots (3.0 per game) but converts these at a lower rate with 1.11 shots on target. His creative numbers stand out, producing 0.56 big chances created per game and an expected assists (xA) of 0.25.

Many FPL managers might be tempted by Cunha's teammate, Jørgen Strand Larsen, as he's £1.1m cheaper. However, the Opta Heatmaps tool shows that, based on per 90-minute stats, the Brazilian is the stronger option—if budget allows.

With 4.2% ownership and over 156,000 recent transfers in, Cunha could be a shrewd differential pick. Wolves' upcoming fixtures look promising, with matches against Crystal Palace, Southampton, and Bournemouth offering good scoring potential.

Raúl Jiménez (£5.7m, Fulham)

The Mexican striker represents the cheapest option of our analysed forwards at £5.7m. Jiménez has registered 0.44 goals per game, aligning closely with his 0.45 xG. His all-round game is evident in the numbers, with 0.28 expected assists and 0.44 big chances created per game. He has also contributed with one FPL assist this season, demonstrating his ability to be involved in build-up play. His shot volume is healthy, managing 2.56 attempts per game with 1.22 on target.

The 33-year-old forward is Fulham’s top scorer this season with four goals. He’s also taken the most shots (23) and has the most on target (11), as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox tool.

Currently owned by 10.5% of managers, with over 111,000 recent transfers in, Jiménez offers good value. Fulham's mixed fixture run includes attractive home matches against Brentford and Wolves.

Yoane Wissa (£6.0m, Brentford)

Wissa has been efficient in front of goal, scoring 0.67 goals per game from an xG of 0.63. The Brentford forward has been clinical with his chances, converting 1.17 shots on target from 2.17 total attempts per game. His 0.33 FPL assists per game show he can contribute to the team's build-up play, though his lack of big chances created suggests his assist returns might be somewhat fortunate.

The DR Congo international has averaged 9.7 FPL points per home game this season, according to the Opta Heatmaps tool. Only Palmer (9.8) and his teammate Mbeumo (11) have performed better.

At 4.5% ownership and with 177,347 recent transfers in, he's gaining popularity among FPL managers. Brentford's upcoming fixtures look balanced, with Bournemouth and Leicester offering particular appeal.

Fixture Analysis

Using the Fixture Planner tool filtered for attacking fixtures from Gameweeks 9 to 13, Wolves' Cunha seems to have the most consistent run ahead. In contrast, Wood and Wissa are set to face tougher schedules. Meanwhile, Jiménez could take advantage of some favourable home matches.

Conclusion

While Chris Wood leads the statistical charts and has the highest ownership, each forward offers unique appeal. Wood's clinical finishing, Cunha's all-round threat, Jiménez's value, and Wissa's efficiency all present compelling cases for FPL inclusion. Consider your team structure and upcoming fixtures when making your choice, but all four represent viable budget forward options for different strategies.

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