With only Leicester vs Newcastle left to play in Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 31, we break down the key trends from the weekend:
Whether you're chasing mini-league rivals or planning ahead, this quick FPL GW31 analysis gives you the insights you need.
Get 30 days of Premium Plus – completely free! Pay absolutely nothing to unlock the tools that can turn your season around. 🤯
👉Click here now to claim your exclusive 30-day free Premium offer!
The Gameweek 31 captaincy data reveals a clear trend among Fantasy Premier League managers. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Newcastle’s Alexander Isak were the standout captain picks, dominating the armband choices at the top ranks.
| Player | Top 1M (%) | Top 100k (%) | Top 10k (%) | Overall (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salah | 64.7 | 61.7 | 59.9 | 47.1 |
| Isak | 27.1 | 32.8 | 35.5 | 11.3 |
| Marmoush | 2.6 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 2.3 |
| Palmer | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 4.0 |
| Son | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
With Mohamed Salah commanding the highest captaincy percentage across all rank tiers, his blank against Fulham has left many FPL managers frustrated. Captained by 64.7% of the top 1M and 59.9% of the top 10k, Salah delivered just 2 FPL points in Liverpool’s surprising 3-2 defeat. By his standards, it was a quiet outing — just one shot and two attempted assists — marking his second consecutive blank.
Man City’s Marmoush also disappointed, returning just 2 points in a dull 0-0 draw with Manchester United. Despite taking four shots, they amounted to a low xG of 0.18, rarely threatening the goal.
That leaves Alexander Isak as the only major captaincy option yet to play — and the only one who could still deliver. Despite being flagged with a 75% chance of playing against Leicester, top-ranked managers backed him heavily, with his captaincy rate rising from 11.3% overall to 35.5% in the top 10k.
If Isak returns, he could trigger a huge rank climb for those who trusted him with the armband. With Salah and Marmoush both blanking, all eyes now turn to Newcastle’s number 14.
| Player | Top 1M (EO%) | Top 100k (EO%) | Top 10k (EO%) | Overall (EO%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salah | 163.4 | 160.7 | 159.0 | 117.5 |
| Isak | 118.7 | 127.8 | 132.1 | 69.0 |
| Marmoush | 72.1 | 80.3 | 81.8 | 29.7 |
| Mateta | 48.0 | 60.8 | 66.5 | 16.2 |
| Saka | 40.2 | 44.8 | 46.9 | 21.3 |
| Palmer | 32.4 | 34.4 | 38.1 | 43.8 |
| Mbeumo | 39.0 | 34.2 | 31.4 | 36.4 |
| Wood | 16.5 | 11.1 | 8.2 | 26.0 |
The effective ownership (EO) stats for Gameweek 31 offered a clear picture of how heavily Mohamed Salah was backed. Among the top 10k FPL managers, his EO soared to over 159%.
Across all ranks, Salah's overall EO of 117.5% showed his widespread popularity heading into the Fulham match. But with just 2 FPL points and a second blank in a row, those who captained him will be feeling the sting — especially if Isak, still to play, delivers.
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta rewarded his backers with a goal and two bonus points against Brighton, continuing his impressive form. His EO shows a clear trend — rising sharply among higher-ranked managers, reaching 66.5% in the top 10k. It's clear that top FPL managers are seeing real value in the budget forward.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer was a major letdown. He was potentially rested ahead of midweek European action, he didn’t start against Brentford and came off the bench for a single point. Despite the tough fixture, Palmer maintained steady EO across all rank tiers, reflecting the continued trust in him — despite his recent form.
| Chip | Top 1M (%) | Top 100k (%) | Top 10k (%) | Overall (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcard | 17.5 | 19.4 | 21.5 | 4.5 |
| Free Hit | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Triple Captain | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Bench Boost | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
After a surge of Wildcard activations in Gameweek 30, Gameweek 31 has also seen significant usage — especially among top-ranked FPL managers. While just 4.5% of overall managers played the chip, that number jumps to 21.5% in the top 10k, highlighting how many successful managers saw this as the ideal moment to refresh their squads ahead of the run-in.
Other chips see minimal usage across all tiers, with most managers likely saving these for upcoming double gameweeks or blank gameweeks in the season's final stretch.
| Metric | Top 1M | Top 100k | Top 10k | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Transfers | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| Avg. Points Hit | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| Avg. Team Value | 101.8 | 102.5 | 103.0 | 99.4 |
| Avg. Bank | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.5 |
Team value continues to be a key differentiator between successful and average managers. Top 10k managers maintain an average team value of £103.0m, significantly higher than the overall average of £99.4m, demonstrating better price point management throughout the season.
Transfer activity shows more conservative behavior among top managers, with the top 10k averaging 0.6 transfers and taking fewer hits (0.3 points) compared to the broader population. This suggests a more measured approach to team management among top managers.
The data reveals that successful managers have maintained slightly higher bank balances, potentially providing more flexibility for future transfers while maintaining strong team value. This financial management, combined with strategic chip usage and careful captain selection, continues to separate the engaged from the average in FPL management.
Get 30 days of Premium Plus – completely free! Pay absolutely nothing to unlock the tools that can turn your season around. 🤯
👉Click here now to claim your exclusive 30-day free Premium offer!
Join 89% of our members who won their main mini-league last season.
TRY IT NOWAlready a Premium user? Login here
© fantasyfootballfix 2024 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
