FPL Tips: 6 Highly Owned Players to Avoid in Gameweek 1
High ownership does not mean low risk. Some of the most popular FPL picks heading into Gameweek 1 carry genuine question marks around minutes, role or fitness that their ownership levels fail to reflect. Here are six highly owned players I'm avoiding in GW1, along with the players I'd pick instead.
Set your squad before the Gameweek 1 deadline on Friday, Aug. 21 (1:30 p.m. ET, 90 minutes ahead of the 3 p.m. ET opener). For the full season board, see our FPL Top 400 rankings, and start at the Fantasy Premier League hub for everything 2026/27.
Players to Avoid: Quick Reference
| Player | Ownership | Why Avoid? | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Guehi | 22% | No pre-season, start not guaranteed | Cristhian Mosquera (£5.5m) |
| Nico O'Reilly | 22% | Reduced role under manager Maresca | Josko Gvardiol (£5.5m) |
| Morgan Rogers | 26% | No pre-season, minutes doubt | Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) |
| Declan Rice | 20% | No pre-season, fitness risk | Dominik Szoboszlai (£7.0m) |
| Matheus Cunha | 12% | Sporadic pre-season, managed minutes | Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) |
| Viktor Gyokeres | 13% | Rotation risk alongside Havertz | Joao Pedro (£7.5m) |
Defenders to Avoid in GW1
Marc Guehi (22% owned) - £5.5m
Close to a quarter of the FPL game owns Marc Guehi heading into Gameweek 1, which feels difficult to justify. He has no strong history of defensive contributions, has not had a full pre-season and is far from a certainty to start. There are better value defensive options available at a similar price before committing to him this early.
Nico O'Reilly (22% owned) - £5.0m
O'Reilly is another City asset sitting around the 22% mark, but the eye test under manager Enzo Maresca suggests he is not operating in quite the same advanced role he enjoyed under coach Pep Guardiola. If you are keen on City's defensive options, Josko Gvardiol at £5.5m looks the safer and more rewarding route in to begin with.
Midfielders to Avoid in Gameweek 1
Morgan Rogers (26% owned) - £8.0m
Rogers is the most owned player on this list, and arguably the biggest concern. Chelsea's marquee summer signing has not had a full pre-season, which puts his Gameweek 1 minutes in serious doubt. At 26% ownership, the downside of him not starting is enormous. Bryan Mbeumo or Dominik Szoboszlai offer similar prices with far greater certainty around minutes.
Declan Rice (20% owned) - £7.5m
Much like Rogers, Declan Rice is coming back from the World Cup without a pre-season under his belt, making his availability for the opening gameweek uncertain at best. At over 20% owned, that is a significant risk to carry. Bryan Mbeumo or Dominik Szoboszlai are again the safer alternatives in a comparable price range, while Christos Tzolis is worth considering for those specifically wanting an Arsenal midfielder.
Matheus Cunha (12% owned) - £8.5m
Cunha has featured sporadically in pre-season, which points towards his minutes being carefully managed at the start of the campaign while he builds back up to full fitness. The Manchester United player to own right now is Bryan Mbeumo, who is sharp, expected to lead the line and faces Hull City and Ipswich Town in the opening two fixtures.
Forwards to Avoid in Gameweek 1
Viktor Gyokeres (13% owned) - £9.0m
The opening fixture against Coventry looks appealing on paper, but with Kai Havertz in the squad, the risk of an early substitution or occasional benching will always be present. Joao Pedro and Igor Thiago are both safer options in a similar price bracket and come with fewer question marks around their starting roles.
Final Thoughts
Ownership figures are useful data, but they are not a reason to pick a player. The six names above all carry genuine risks around fitness, pre-season preparation or role certainty that their popularity does not fully reflect. For GW1, I'd rather prioritize secure minutes and clear roles, even if that means starting the season without several highly owned players.
For more on which players to target instead, see our Best Budget FPL Players for Gameweek 1 and the full FPL Gameweek 1 rankings.
