If you want to climb the Fantasy Premier League rankings quickly, differentials can be key.
Selecting players with under 10% ownership can give you an edge over rivals and turn your transfers into huge gains. Here are our Top 5 FPL differential picks for GW2, blending attacking threat, defensive stability, and strong fixtures.
Our strategy balances attacking potential with defensive coverage:
⚽ 3 attackers – midfielders or forwards with goal threat
🛡️ 2 defensive players – defenders or goalkeepers with clean sheet upside
This ensures coverage across the pitch while prioritising attacking points, essential for Gameweek 2 success.
Quick Take: Bournemouth’s striker has great long-term fixtures, making him far more than just a GW2 gamble.
The Brazilian forward stands out as our top attacking differential. Last season he netted 10 goals from an xG of 13.22 – suggesting he was unlucky not to score more.
With Wolves at home in GW2 and a favourable run ahead putting the Cherries top of the Fixture Planner for the next six Gameweeks, Evanilson looks like a smart FPL transfer for managers seeking a longer-term forward differential.
Quick Take: Playing higher up the pitch this season, Rice adds attacking potential to his usual reliability.
Often overlooked in FPL, Rice quietly delivered 127 points last season with 4 goals and 7 assists. His DEFCON score of 268 highlights his defensive contributions, offering another steady route to points.
Against Manchester United in GW1, the Match Centre showed Rice operating in a more advanced role with Zubimendi sitting deeper. He also took the most shots of any Arsenal player (3), underlining his attacking intent.
Combined with set-piece duties, Rice now looks like an intriguing Fantasy Premier League differential ahead of Leeds at home in GW2.
Quick Take: With Eze likely leaving, Sarr is set to become Palace’s creative spark and main attacking outlet from midfield.
Sarr delivered 8 goals, 7 assists and an xG of 10.73 last season, showing he had the potential for even more. He also created 17 big chances, underlining his playmaking influence.
Comparing his 2024/25 stats to Eze’s using the Opta Heatmap feature highlights their similar output: both scored 8 goals, but Eze took 43 more shots. Interestingly, their xG was almost identical — with Sarr’s efforts coming from better positions, as shown by his 7 extra shots inside the box.
If Eze gets his Spurs move… does he become a better FPL pick or worse? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/hXwrtF70Qs
— Fantasy Football Fix (@FantasyFootyFix) August 19, 2025
If Eze does depart, Palace may look to Sarr as their main attacking force. With greater freedom and responsibility, his numbers could improve further. A home fixture against Nottingham Forest in GW2 provides the perfect opportunity for Sarr to step up.
Quick Take: Rotation risks exist, but the upside from clean sheets and attacking runs is huge.
White’s ownership is surprisingly low given Arsenal’s defensive strength. The main concern is competition from Timber, plus a tricky run of fixtures in the first five Gameweeks.
However, for GW2 the numbers are firmly in Arsenal’s favour — they top the clean sheet projections with a 60% chance, according to the Predicted Points & Stats tool.
That makes White a bold but potentially rewarding FPL differential, offering both defensive security and attacking upside.
Quick Take: Palace’s right-back is effectively an attacking midfielder in FPL disguise, with returns at both ends possible.
Daniel Muñoz was one of the standout defenders of 2024/25, scoring 143 points with 4 goals and 5 assists. His underlying numbers back it up too: an xG of 5.18 and xA of 5.33 show his output was no fluke — if anything, he could have returned more.
According to the Opta Heatmaps feature, Muñoz averaged 3.9 points per game last season, the fourth-highest among defenders.
His £5.5m price tag has clearly put some FPL managers off, but that low ownership only strengthens his appeal as a differential.
With Palace at home to Nottingham Forest in GW2, he offers both attacking potential and a realistic shot at a clean sheet.
Every transfer counts at this stage of the season, and going for differential picks under 10% ownership can be the difference between red and green arrows.
Evanilson, Rice, Sarr, White, and Muñoz all have strong cases as short- and medium-term options.
As always, balance is key — but if you’re chasing rank gains, these FPL differentials could be the moves that set your season apart.
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