The FPL Template: The Players Almost Everyone Owns

The Template Check, GW3: Which Shields We Actually Need

Haaland and Bruno Fernandes are dead level in our projections over the next six gameweeks — both good for around 48 points — but only one of them is in 7 in 10 squads. That's the whole story of this week's template in one line: Haaland (£15.5m, ~7 in 10) is a shield, Bruno (£12.0m, ~5 in 10) is still just about a decision.

Let's be honest about what a shield is. If a player everyone owns hauls and we don't have him, we drop places we can't easily win back. That's why owning what everyone owns isn't lazy — it's rank protection. And right now three players are non-negotiable: Haaland, João Pedro (£7.6m, also ~7 in 10, projected around 38 over six), and — rapidly — Bruno. Half the game has him and our model has him matching Haaland's output. Going without both premiums is the kind of brave that ends badly.

The midfield behind them is where the value sits. Mbeumo (£8.0m, ~3 in 10) and Rogers (£7.5m, ~2.5 in 10, now in Chelsea blue) both project around 37–39 points over six — genuinely premium output at mid-price money, and neither is fully template yet. If we're covering one gap this week, it's one of those two. Szoboszlai at £7.0m is the cheaper, steadier version — usually good for 4–5 a week, rarely massive.

At the back, Arsenal are the crowd's choice: Raya, Calafiori and Gabriel all feature, though Gabriel (£8.0m) is a lot of money for clean sheets. O'Reilly (£6.5m, only ~2 in 10) actually projects best of the defenders — one for later, not a panic move.

Where's the crowd heading? Over a million managers have moved for Cherki this week — and note he's not even in the template XI, so that's the herd chasing upside, not safety. Another million between them have gone for Newcastle's Wissa and Elanga. We don't need to lead those moves; we need to not be last if they stick.

The safe skip? Calvert-Lewin. Roughly 2.5 in 10 own him, but 23–24 points over six from a £6.0m forward is replaceable output — he won't hurt us if he scores, because he rarely goes big.

The call: own Haaland, João Pedro and Bruno — those three are the shields. Use the next free transfer on Mbeumo or Rogers, whichever fits. Skip Calvert-Lewin without a second thought.