Fantasy football secret hack people are just realising can give you big FPL advantage

Fantasy Premier League football is back – but did you know there’s a clever hack that can help you gain an advantage against your fellow players? The first FPL gameweek is upon us, with the deadline to confirm your team for round one just 90 minutes before Manchester United take on Fulham on Friday evening (August 16).

However, failing to get a team ready in time for the opening gameweek might not be the worst thing in the world. Sure, you may miss out on points by not having a squad together for the Premier League’s opening weekend – but there are a number of advantages you can reap by simply holding off until each team has played their first round of games.

Plus, it saves you the stress of doing research which could still result in picking the wrong team. After all, these things take time. But what is there to gain from sacrificing GW1 points and signing up later? Here, Express Sport breaks down all of the FPL’s secret bonuses that latecomers can make the most of.

Unlimited free transfers

Yes, you read that right. If you’ve already signed up and registered ahead of the GW1 deadline, your team is set in stone barring the one free transfer you get per gameweek. Those who register after are able to get unlimited free transfers until the gameweek two deadline.

That means you’ll have a lot longer to study the form of the opening Premier League games, before deciding on who gets in your squad. Those who participated in the first gameweek will need to utilise their free transfer, wildcard bonus or accept point deductions to make alterations.

This could negatively impact your Fantasy League seasonal score if squad members sustain injuries early on, compelling you to forfeit accumulated points by making premature season changes.

Looking back is always easier

With the first gameweek behind us, it should be clear which players are likely to be regular starters and those destined for the bench. Players earn a point for every 60 minutes played, and two points for appearances longer than 60 minutes per game – this is just the beginning of accumulating points.

The more time players spend on the field, the higher their chances of scoring a goal or providing an assist – which can rapidly increase your weekly points. You’ll want to select a team full of starters to optimise your chances of earning the most points – and after the first gameweek, you’ll have a better idea of who’s likely to be a mainstay.

Price fluctuations

FPL player prices vary throughout the season. If you pack your squad with the top FPL point-earners from the first gameweek, you’re likely to benefit from price increases before the GW2 deadline.

While you initially have £100m to assemble your starting team and substitutes, this quickly changes once you’ve chosen a few star players. That extra £0.5m could be incredibly valuable in the future when selecting transfers.

Avoiding challenging opening fixtures

Fulham, Chelsea, Leicester and Ipswich are all set to face incredibly tough opening matches this weekend. While high-priced players such as Cole Palmer (£10.5m), Emile Smith-Rowe (£5.5m), Nicolas Jackson (£7.5m) and Bernd Leno (£5m) may prove beneficial in the long run, they could potentially drag your gameweek one points score down if the bookies’ predictions hold true.

Understanding actual player positions

By waiting until the second round, you’ll have the opportunity to thoroughly analyse where players are truly positioned on the field. For instance, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is primarily utilised as a full-back, he started transitioning into midfield towards the end of last season.

If this continues, and his main position is listed as right-back this season, then technically, you’ll be able to include an additional midfielder in your team. As we’re all aware, midfielders, given their greater freedom, are more likely to score goals than defenders.

Joining mini-leagues that began in GW1 is still possible

According to the FPL’s website: “You can still join all the mini-leagues that started scoring points in Gameweek 1. You’ll quickly makeup lost ground. You can also invite friends and colleagues to join a league that starts scoring in Gameweek 2. A win-win situation!” The deadline for GW2 is Saturday, August 24 at 11am, with Brighton and Manchester United kicking off at the Amex at 12.30pm.