Before we get started on our preview for Gameweek 3 of the Fantasy Premier League, keep in mind that we are exceptionally posting this one a bit earlier than usual. Between today and the start of Gameweek 3 on Saturday, there are three days in which a lot can happen still, especially in terms of transfers as the end of the summer transfer window is nearing. We will take that into account as well when it comes to our recommended fantasy picks for Gameweek 3.
Having said that, we are looking forward to a weekend without any real favourable matchups for any side, at least from a fantasy point of view. The three sides with a maximum score after two Gameweeks, for example, all have a challenging fixture coming up. Spurs probably looks best, in form themselves and at home against a decent Bournemouth side, while Liverpool and Arsenal face each other at Anfield on Sunday. Chelsea could look good on paper as well, at home to Fulham, while Manchester City are visiting Brighton, always a potential banana peel. We therefore expect Gameweek 3 to be another interesting one with a few surprising results and hauls here and there.
Don’t forget, the deadline for Gameweek 3 is set at 11h00 (UK time) on Saturday, August 30th, 2025. The free to play FPL or pay to play season/weekend/daily games like FanTeam are ideal ways of following the Premier League action.
Most transferred in/transferred out players (as per August 26th, 2025)
| TRANSFERS OUT | TRANSFERS IN | POSSIBLE REASONS | |
| GK | Sanchez (CHE), Raya (ARS), Sels (NFO) | Vicario (TOT), Raya (ARS), Pickford (EVE) | |
| DEF | Frimpong (LIV), Aït-Nouri (MCI), Wan-Bissaka (WHU) | Timber (ARS), Cucurella (CHE), Calafiori (ARS) | Calafiori form + consecutive attacking returns, Frimpong injury, Aït-Nouri injury doubt |
| MID | Palmer (CHE), Saka (ARS), Wirtz (LIV) | Semenyo (BOU), Johnson (TOT), Kudus (TOT) | Semenyo + Kudus form, Saka + Palmer injury doubts |
| FOR | Watkins (AST), Bowen (WHU), Guiu (SUN) | Pedro (CHE), Richarlison (TOT), Wood (NFO) | Richarlison form, Guiu budget but not playing |
Premium pick
If we consider a true premium fantasy player to be priced £10m or higher, then we only have two players without an injury doubt in the official fantasy game at the moment. Those two players are Erlind Haaland and Mohamed Salah (£14.5m), and we have gone with the latter. The Egyptian has calmly continued where he left off last season, bringing his owners attacking returns on a consistent basis (albeit only during injury time so far!). In Gameweek 1, Salah scored a goal and got 8 FPL points, while he provided an assist for a total of 5 FPL points last weekend. Both events were with virtually the last kick of each game. Sure, we are used to consecutive double-digit hauls from the Liverpool superstar, but this is the kind of start you want from a premium fantasy asset. As nailed-on as they come, on fire from the first moment in the new season and acting like what is probably the most “set-and-forget”-worthy captain in the entire game, in case you are looking for such a player. On Sunday, it’s Arsenal at home for the Reds, which is no easy game by any stretch of the imagination. Then again, it is exactly the kind of game where you want your star players to stand up and show why exactly they are exceptional. Therefore, Mo Salah.
Non-premium pick
Nottingham Forest have had a good start to the season with 4 points from the first two games: a 3-1 victory over Brentford in GW1 and a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park last weekend. They are now facing West Ham United, the side that has probably made the worst impression so far. The Londoners were hammered 3-0 by Sunderland in GW1 and then lost 1-5 at Stamford Bridge last Friday. That makes 8 goals conceded in just two games and, in our opinion, the perfect opportunity for fantasy managers to bet on a Forest forward. And of course, the “Forest forward” is Chris Wood (£7.7m), who failed to get on the scoresheet in Gameweek 2 but who registered a brace in the season opener. He is the man up front for the Tricky Trees and we feel that this is probably one of the very best match-ups Gameweek 3 has to offer. The home side is playing with confidence, while West Ham are, well, not. And on top of that, Wood and his teammates face Arsenal away after this one, followed by Burnley away and Sunderland at home. Apart from the Gunners game, that looks like a short-term fixture run with potential for Nottingham Forest.
The budget enabler
When we wrote our preview for Gameweek 1 of this season, we had a look at the most-transferred-in players in the build-up to the season’s first deadline as well. West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka was the second-most-transferred-in defender at the time, just behind Liverpool Jeremy Frimpong. Now, two Gameweeks in, we are guessing that there are plenty of fantasy managers who are stuck with the former Manchester United defender as West Ham are looking highly unreliable, to say the least. Our solution? Spurs defender Micky van de Ven (£4.5m) who has started the season with 2 consecutive clean sheets as part of what looks like a hugely improved Spurs side. The Dutchman has been a key piece of new manager Thomas Frank’s lineup from the start and he has not disappointed. He was comfortable against Burnley in Gameweek 1 and showed his immense qualities during the visit to Manchester City last weekend. Spurs have got Bournemouth at home coming up this weekend, followed by West Ham away, Brighton away, Wolves at home and Leeds away. We feel that with VDV, you are bringing in a £4.5m who should be price at £5.0m at least and who can easily slot into your fantasy squad’s starting eleven over the coming weeks and perhaps even months.
The differential
The 2025 – 2026 Premier League campaign is just two Gameweeks old at the time of writing and we might already have seen one of the best games of the season. Liverpool’s visit to Newcastle on Monday looked to be over by the time Anthony Gordon got a red card right before the break, with the visitors 0-1 ahead, but what unfolded after that was football drama at its very best. Liverpool got to 0-2 right after the break, but the Magpies fought their way back into the game, with an 88th-minute equaliser as the result. Twelve minutes later though, in the 10th minute of added time, it was 16-year-old Reds sensation Rio Ngumoha who nicked the victory for Liverpool. Incredible scenes and a reason for us to include a Newcastle player as our differential fantasy pick for Gameweek 3. The Magpies have taken just a single point from the first two Gameweeks (Aston Villa away, Liverpool home), but their schedule is softening a bit now with a visit to Leeds in GW3 followed by a home game against Wolves. Therefore, we see opportunities for Harvey Barnes (£6.5m, 0.6% owned) to get a few attacking returns in over the coming weeks, especially with Anthony Gordon now suspended. He might even get some minutes all the way up front as it does not look like Alexander Isak will be returning to the Newcastle lineup anytime soon, either.
The (vice-)captaincy
It’s probably boring, but our captain is Mohamed Salah. He has not disappointed so far and we are hoping for a decisive role for him in the upcoming top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal at Anfield.
Not sure picking the game’s best player as captain for a home game against one of the strongest sides in the league? Then Chris Wood at home to West Ham could be a more than decent alternative and the same goes for Richarlison at home to Bournemouth. The real risk-takers might even consider newly arrived Jack Grealish for Everton’s visit to Wolves, after his star performance on his debut for the Toffees last weekend.
For further discussions have a look at FISO’s FPL forum where you can also see the FPL mini-leagues and FPL side-games available.