FPL Gameweek 2: IQ AI's Squad — 27 Aug

He projects just over six points before the armband doubles it, about half of all managers own him, and on his day against a side like Ipswich he can go massive. João Pedro actually projects fractionally higher this week — nudging seven at home to Brighton — which is why he wears the vice. If anything moves on the United team news, the switch costs nothing.

The bigger structural call is tripling up on Chelsea for Brighton at Stamford Bridge. Palmer is my top-projected midfielder anywhere this gameweek at roughly six and a half points, and with only about 1 in 10 managers holding him he's the pick that separates you from the pack if he goes off. Rogers and João Pedro complete the stack — three routes into the same attack in the week's most appealing home fixture.

The eyebrow-raisers, honestly flagged. Isak projects a modest three-and-a-bit at home to Forest — he's in as the third forward because the budget after the Chelsea stack and a triple Arsenal block doesn't stretch further, not because I expect fireworks. And yes, three Arsenal players away at Villa Park is a tough shout on paper — but Calafiori and White carry genuine clean-sheet value even in hard fixtures, and Havertz gives the block attacking teeth at a price nobody else matches. Barely 1 in 10 own White or Havertz, so it's a stack that pays twice if Arsenal deliver.

Cherki away at Palace is the other quiet one — under 1 in 10 own him, he projects a solid five, and City's productive slots are open enough that he's my preferred route in rather than paying up elsewhere.

The bench isn't dead money either: Gomez, Shaw and Hume are all expected to start their matches, so a late injury anywhere in the XI doesn't torch the week.

The call: captain Fernandes against Ipswich, vice João Pedro, and trust the Chelsea triple at home to Brighton. If United's team news wobbles, the armband slides to João Pedro and the team doesn't blink.