Bournemouth FPL: Who To Own, Captain And Avoid

The attack side is friendlier — seventh-best in the league on our numbers, with an average run of fixtures — which is why the two names at the top of our list still earn their keep even in this stretch.

Andoni Truffert (DEF, £5.5m) is the pick. About 21 points projected over the six, owned by fewer than 1 in 20 managers, and — crucially for a defender in this fixture run — he doesn't need the shutout to pay. He gets forward, which means he can nick returns at Everton and Brentford at home even when the clean sheet dies at the Etihad or Anfield. That's the profile you want when the fixtures are this lumpy.

Marcus Tavernier (MID, £6.0m) actually carries the best raw projection of the lot — around 23 points across the window — and hardly anyone has him, roughly 2 in 100. Set pieces, minutes, a settled role. He won't go massive often, but he clears blanks more weeks than not, and at £6.0m that's exactly the job description.

Petrović (GK, £4.5m) is the honest budget shout — a £4.5m keeper behind a top-five defence is proper value long-term, but be realistic about the next six: he'll be earning save points more often than shutout points. Buy him for after this run as much as during it. Rayan and Evanilson sit further down our order for a reason — the productive minutes in this attack are spread thin, and neither projects strongly enough over the six to jump the queue.

The caveat is plain: EVE (H) and BRE (H) are the only fixtures here you'd call genuinely kind, and the sample on this defence being elite is one pre-season of belief plus our numbers. If City and Liverpool put four past them, the doubters will feel smart for a fortnight.

The call: Truffert is the buy — attacking returns don't ask the fixture's permission. Tavernier if you need a £6.0m midfielder who actually starts. Petrović goes on the watchlist for GW7, not the team for GW1. Skip the forwards entirely.