Whether you’re sitting top of the table or eyeing a late comeback, here’s how to finish on a high
The Scout provides strategy advice to help managers achieve mini-league success in the final Gameweek of 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League.
If you’re leading
If you’re top of your mini-league heading into Sunday’s final round of matches, Gameweek 38 is all about consolidating your lead.
Your rivals are the ones who need to take risks to try to overtake you, so play it safe with the captaincy.
Although the title race is now over after Manchester City’s draw at AFC Bournemouth, Erling Haaland (£14.7m) remains the best captain pick for his home match against Aston Villa.
The Norwegian has scored in five successive Premier League appearances for the first time since Gameweeks 4-8.
Aston Villa have already qualified for next season’s UEFA Champions League, and they face German side Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League final tonight, so Unai Emery could then rotate his side on Sunday afternoon.
When it comes to transfers, a popular strategy (which is known as “blocking”) is to bring in the player (or players) that your nearest rivals own who you believe could do the most harm to your lead, as this effectively reduces their chances of catching you.
There is no need to take any points hits – let the managers who are chasing you do that.
If you’re chasing
It’s ultimately all or nothing at this point if you’re chasing in your mini-league.
You have to try to exploit the likelihood that the manager you’re chasing will take a “no-risk” approach. You should adopt a more aggressive strategy, particularly when it comes to the captaincy.
Crucially, the battle to avoid relegation between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United is going down to the final day of the season.
Both clubs have forwards in form and also have home matches in Gameweek 38.
Richarlison (£6.4m) has been involved in three of Spurs’ last five goals – scoring two and assisting the other – and now faces his former club Everton.
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m) has delivered a double-figure haul in two of his last three appearances at the London Stadium and is now at home against Leeds United.
Indeed, Bowen is a popular recruit ahead of Sunday’s 14:30 BST deadline, with 76,000+ transfers making him the most-bought player overall.
Nottingham Forest midfielders Elliot Anderson (£5.6m) and Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.5m) are among the three most-bought midfielders or forwards – earning 72,000+ and 63,000+ new owners respectively – for their own home contest against AFC Bournemouth.
Gibbs-White has hauls of 20 and 13 points in his last four starts and is another strong captain option.
If you’re needing to take a points hit as part of your Gameweek 38 punt, Anderson’s multiple routes to returns suggest he’s one of the most likely players to immediately repay you.
He has produced a return (a goal, an assist or defensive contribution points) in 27 of his 36 appearances this season. That equates to a 75 per cent success rate, more than any other midfielder or forward this season.