FPL Budget Picks: The Best FWD Under £9.5

Forwards under £9.5m: who's actually worth the money

Thirty-five forwards qualify at £9.5m or under. Most of them are romance. Here's what the money actually buys, in the order our model prefers — and it's not close at the top.

João Pedro (CHE, £7.7m) — nailed starter, a very kind run starting with Hull at Stamford Bridge, and our projections have him clear of every forward in this bracket over the next six. About 7 in 10 of you already own him. The other 3 in 10 are volunteering to lose.

Wissa (NEW, £6.2m) — the value story of the piece. Starts every week, favourable fixtures beginning at Leeds, and projected within touching distance of players costing £3m more. Only about 2 in 10 own him. At £6.2m that's a forward slot solved and change left over.

Isak (LIV, £9.1m) — starts, obviously, and Fulham at Anfield is fine. But the run after that is genuinely nasty, and £9.1m buying fewer projected points than £6.2m Wissa is the maths writing the verdict for you.

Thiago (BRE, £7.9m) — starter, tough fixtures, and priced above Wissa while projecting below him. Pass.

Calvert-Lewin (LEE, £6.0m) — starts, but Newcastle first and a tough run behind it. The 2-in-10 who own him can do better for the same money.

Barry (EVE, £5.6m) — quietly decent projection for £5.6m despite tough fixtures. A proper cheap third forward if the budget's tight. Hardly owned.

Havertz (ARS, £7.5m) — starts, but a very tough run and modest projected returns. £7.5m for that is expensive scenery.

Evanilson (BOU, £6.0m) — starter, average fixtures, average projection. Fine, forgettable.

Brobbey (SUN, £5.9m) — starts but opens with Arsenal and it doesn't get kinder.

McBurnie (HUL, £5.5m), Emersonn (IPS, £5.5m), Gonzalo (FUL, £6.0m) — all expected to start, none proven at this level, all facing tough runs. Emersonn's projection is the most interesting of the three, but "interesting" isn't a reason to spend a transfer.

The call

João Pedro is the pick — the fixtures, the minutes and the projection all agree, which almost never happens. If he's already in your team (he probably is), the real move here is Wissa as the best alternative and second forward: £6.2m, starts every week, kind fixtures, barely owned. Buy Wissa, bank the difference, and let it fund something premium elsewhere. That's what a budget bracket is actually for.