The 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season has brought plenty of surprises already, especially among budget forwards.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at five intriguing options: Raúl Jiménez, Chris Wood, Yoane Wissa, Matheus Cunha, and Jørgen Strand Larsen.
We'll dive into their stats, ownership trends, and future prospects to help you make smarter decisions for your FPL squad.
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Raúl Jiménez has made an impressive start to the 2024/25 season, despite not being in the starting lineup for the first three gameweeks, with Rodrigo Muniz preferred upfront.
Using the Match Centre, we can see that over Fulham's last five games, Jiménez has emerged as a key player, leading the team in goals (4), expected goals (3.6), and total shots (9), highlighting his talismanic qualities for the Cottagers.
Though the Mexican forward has only registered 1 assist, his expected assists (xA) of 2.11 and 3 big chances created suggest he's more involved in Fulham's build-up play than his assist tally shows. We may see him start contributing more assists, alongside his goal-scoring, for FPL managers.
Currently owned by 8% of managers, Jiménez has had a surge in popularity, with 145,201 transfers in before Gameweek 9, the highest among our featured forwards. His projected points over the next five gameweeks range from 3.4 to 5.1, including an enticing home fixture against Wolves in Gameweek 12, where he's projected to score 5.1 points.
Chris Wood leads our featured forwards with an impressive 5 goals, outperforming his expected goals (xG) of 4.17. The New Zealand striker has taken 16 shots, with 11 of them on target, giving him the highest accuracy rate (68.75%) among the group.
Although Wood hasn't recorded any assists this season, his xA of 0.47 and 1 big chance created suggest that goals will likely remain his main source of FPL points. With an ownership of 13.6% and 50,781 transfers in before Gameweek 9, Wood is moving beyond his previous status as a differential pick.
His projected points over the next five gameweeks are consistently above 4, peaking at 5.7 in Gameweek 13. According to the Predicted Points & Stats tool, Wood is expected to score the most points of any forward priced £6.5m or under during this period.
Wissa made his return from injury in Gameweek 8, playing 24 minutes in Brentford's loss to Manchester United, after missing the previous three games. The DR Congo international has scored 3 goals in the 5 games he’s played this season, slightly outperforming his expected goals (xG) of 2.91. With 9 total attempts and 4 on target, Wissa appears to be more selective with his shooting.
He has also provided 1 assist, outperforming his expected assists (xA) of 0.29. Despite being owned by just 2.1% of managers due to his recent absence, Wissa was a popular FPL pick before his injury. Ahead of Gameweek 9, he's attracted 30,761 new owners.
Wissa’s projected points for the next five gameweeks range from 3.1 to 4.6, and according to the Fixture Planner, Brentford has some of the best attacking fixtures over the next three gameweeks.
Matheus Cunha and Jørgen Strand Larsen offer an intriguing comparison as teammates in a Wolves side that has struggled at the start of the season.
Both players have scored 3 goals so far as shown in the Opta Heatmaps tool, but their expected goals (xG) stats tell a different story. Cunha’s xG of 2.11 suggests he's performing as expected, with a slight underperformance, while Strand Larsen’s xG of 1.62 indicates he’s possibly outperforming expectations. This suggests Strand Larsen may be more clinical, but it also raises questions about the sustainability of his goal-scoring form.
Cunha is the more active shooter, with 22 total attempts and 8 on target, while Strand Larsen has been more selective, taking 10 shots with 6 on target. In terms of creativity, Cunha stands out with 4 big chances created and an impressive expected assists (xA) of 1.75. Strand Larsen has contributed 2 big chances created and an xA of 1.07. Both players have registered 1 assist each, suggesting their creative contributions have yet to fully convert into points.
Ownership-wise, Cunha is currently the more popular FPL pick, owned by 2.6% of managers compared to Strand Larsen’s 1.2%. However, Strand Larsen has seen a small surge in transfers, with 17,024 new owners before Gameweek 9, compared to Cunha’s 13,546. This may be driven by Strand Larsen's lower price point (£5.5m vs. Cunha's £6.5m).
Both players have similar projected points for the next five gameweeks, with Cunha’s ranging from 2.9 to 4.4, and Strand Larsen’s from 2.9 to 4.3. The home fixture against Southampton in Gameweek 11 looks particularly promising for both players.
Each of these forwards brings unique strengths to the table:
When comparing these options:
As always, consider how these players might fit into your overall team structure and budget. Keep an eye on their form in the coming weeks, and don't be afraid to make bold moves if you spot an opportunity to get ahead in your mini-leagues. Remember, in FPL, timing is everything!
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