Fantasy Premier League: Key Players for Gameweek 31

As the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season progresses, Gameweek 31 presents crucial opportunities for managers to gain an edge. Several players are emerging as strong contenders for high point totals, offering significant returns for those willing to invest. This analysis highlights four players poised for success ahead of Friday’s 18:30 GMT deadline.

Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – £10.6m

Cole Palmer has established himself as a top-scoring midfielder in Fantasy over the last six Gameweeks, accumulating five goals, one assist, and 47 points. Whereas a portion of his attacking returns have reach from penalties, his underlying numbers demonstrate consistent performance. He leads all midfielders with 18 shots across Gameweeks 25-30. Even excluding penalties, Palmer’s non-penalty Expected Goal Involvement (NPxGI) of 3.36 is second only to Bruno Fernandes (£10.2m) among midfielders over the same period.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has confirmed Palmer was substituted early against Paris Saint-Germain to ensure his fitness for upcoming matches, alleviating concerns about his playing time this weekend. Palmer will face an Everton side against whom he scored in the reverse fixture in December. Everton has managed a clean sheet in only one of their last eight Premier League matches and was without both first-choice centre-backs in their most recent outing.

Malick Thiaw (Newcastle) – £5.0m

Malick Thiaw is the most-transferred-in defender for Gameweek 31, with over 164,000 transfers, ahead of Newcastle’s home match against Sunderland. Thiaw’s appeal stems from his ability to generate points through multiple avenues. He currently leads all Fantasy defenders with four goals scored in the 2025/26 season and has delivered defensive contribution points in four of his last five Gameweeks, including a season-high 22 defensive contributions in the Tyne-Wear derby.

Newcastle’s clean sheet prospects are a key factor driving investment. Sunderland has scored just one non-penalty goal in their last eight competitive matches, increasing expectations of a second consecutive Premier League shutout for the Magpies.

Anton Stach (Leeds) – £4.7m

Anton Stach is a compelling budget pick in Fantasy. He has delivered an attacking return or defensive contribution in 12 of his last 16 Premier League appearances, averaging 4.9 points per start. This is superior to more expensive players like Bryan Mbeumo (£8.6m) and Mohamed Salah (£14.0m), who average 4.8 and 4.6 points per start, respectively. Stach likewise outperforms Elliot Anderson (£5.5m), Fantasy’s leading midfielder for defensive contributions, with an average of 4.4 points per start.

Stach ranks fourth among midfielders for chances created from corners and free-kicks, with 55. Leeds will face Brentford, who have conceded 10 goals in their last six Gameweeks, including five to Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Joachim Andersen (Fulham) – £4.5m

Joachim Andersen has regained his starting position in the Fulham lineup after a brief absence due to illness. He contributed to a clean sheet and defensive contribution points at Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 30. Andersen excels in defensive contribution points, achieving the threshold in 63% of his starts this season – a figure surpassed only by Marcos Senesi (£5.1m) among all Fantasy defenders.

Fulham hosts relegation-threatened Burnley in Gameweek 31. Burnley currently ranks bottom for Expected Goals (xG) this season, with 25.88.