Fantasy Premier League managers are facing several tricky calls heading into gameweek two after a season-opening round that produced some unexpected results, most notably underwhelming performances from both Manchester United and Liverpool.
According to BBC Sport's FPL expert Pras, the overriding message for managers this week is to resist knee-jerk reactions. "The smartest play right now is patience," he explained. "One blank does not make a player finished, and one haul does not make him essential. Every gameweek adds information. Use it, do not chase it."
That philosophy applies most directly to Manchester United's assets. The club suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat away at Hull, leaving many FPL squads carrying two or three Red Devils players who failed to deliver. Despite the setback, the advice is to keep faith for at least one more week. United host Ipswich next, a fixture considered favourable enough to give Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo a genuine opportunity to bounce back. Should they fail to deliver again, sensible swaps are available: Fernandes, priced at £12m, could be replaced by Cole Palmer (£9.5m) or Antoine Semenyo (£8.5m), while the £8m Mbeumo could make way for Morgan Rogers (£7.5m) or Phil Foden (£7m).
A similar wait-and-see approach is recommended for Liverpool's Alexander Isak. His opening game away at former club Newcastle proved a tough assignment, but the £9m striker now gets a home fixture against Nottingham Forest, which should offer a fairer examination of his form. There is also optimism that Liverpool's transfer business, potentially including the signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain, could boost the wider attack. With favourable fixtures against Ipswich and Fulham following in gameweeks three and four, one difficult away trip is not considered sufficient reason to part with Isak just yet.
Elsewhere, Brentford's Mamadou Sangare has caught attention following an impressive debut against Tottenham, in which he registered two assists while also looking capable of accumulating defensive contribution points. His price has already risen to £5.6m, but the recommendation is not to rush into a transfer. As a defensive midfielder, his output is likely to build steadily rather than explode weekly, and managers are advised to wait for a more suitable opportunity, such as a wildcard, before adding him.
Chelsea also present a dilemma given how widely owned Joao Pedro already is. Managers looking for further exposure to the Blues' attack are pointed toward Cole Palmer or Morgan Rogers, though the suggested entry point is gameweek four rather than immediately. Palmer picked up a minor issue late in the win over Fulham, and Chelsea's next assignment is a tough trip to face Arsenal, making this week a less ideal moment to invest. Eventually, though, holding two or three players from the Joao Pedro, Palmer and Rogers trio is viewed as a workable long-term strategy.
Perhaps the most debated decision of the week concerns the captaincy, with Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes the two standout contenders. Haaland travels to Crystal Palace with Manchester City, who have looked less fluent in attack without the injured Jeremy Doku. Fernandes, meanwhile, has the advantage of a home fixture against Ipswich and a United side eager to respond after their opening-day defeat. The recommendation leans toward Fernandes as the armband choice, given his broader route to points through goals, assists, clean sheet potential and defensive contributions.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.