Bundes Manager Efterår 2026 Round 2 Preview

Bundes Manager Round 2 preview: best buys, hidden gems and who to sell

Round 2 of Bundes Manager Efterår 2026 starts on Friday 4 September with VfB Stuttgart at home to 1. FC Köln, and it is decided by one fixture more than any other: newly promoted Schalke 04 host Bayern München on Saturday evening. The model gives Bayern an 82% win probability and 3.15 expected goals - by some distance the most lopsided game of the round.

But that is not where the round is won. Harry Kane is in 60.7% of squads and Michael Olise in 42.3%. Owning them does not separate you from anyone. The round is decided by the other eight or nine spots - which cheap Stuttgart and Gladbach players you back behind the obvious names, and which heavily owned players you get out of before their programme falls apart.

Round 2 fixtures: where the goals and clean sheets are

The programmes behind those numbers matter just as much. Bayern's next three are [A]Schalke 04 → [A]Elversberg → [H]Union Berlin - 82%, 83% and 81% win probability. That is as clean a three-round window as the Bundesliga produces, and it is the single strongest argument for spending up on Bayern assets now. You can hold up to four players from one club in this game, so a genuine Bayern block is legal.

Leverkusen follow up with [H]Union Berlin → [A]Augsburg → [H]RB Leipzig (66%, 58%, 53%) - not spectacular, but consistently above average. Stuttgart are the opposite: a 63% home game this week, then [A]Hoffenheim at just 36%. Treat Stuttgart as a one-round play. Borussia Dortmund are the reverse again - only 43% away at Hoffenheim now, but 77% at home to Paderborn in Round 3.

You can check every one of these numbers yourself on the Bundes Manager schedule and the market probabilities page.

Goalkeepers: pay up or go cheap, nothing in between

Manuel Neuer (5.59m, BAY) - 103k xP, the best goalkeeper score in the round on a 44% clean sheet chance at Schalke. Bayern conceded just 1.24 expected goals per game in the Bundesliga last season, second only to Dortmund's 1.17, and the next three fixtures keep that up.

If you would rather put the 5.59m into an attacker, the value option is Fabian Bredlow (3.99m, STU) at 72k on a 30% clean sheet chance against Köln. He is owned by 0.7% of squads and returns almost the same points per million as Neuer (18.0 versus 18.5) for 1.6m less. Mark Flekken (4.51m, LEV) at 79k and a 34% clean sheet chance is the sensible middle.

Defenders: the Bayern back line, and one 2.48m gem

Dayot Upamecano (4.25m, BAY) is the best-value defender in the game right now - 109k xP, a 40% clean sheet chance and 25.7 points per million, with a projected 87 minutes. Over the next six rounds he scores 345k on a decay-weighted basis, and he costs less than the far more popular Bayern defender below him in the ownership table.

Konrad Laimer (5.08m, BAY) is the highest-scoring defender for the round at 116k. He is a defender who attacks: 5 goals and 13 assists across 3,899 minutes last season, 0.32 expected goal involvements per 90 from the back. Trajectory: 116k → 113k → 106k → 92k, weighted 370k.

The differential in that back line is Min-Jae Kim (4.04m, BAY) - 101k xP, 38% clean sheet chance, 25.1 points per million, and just 1.6% ownership. Same fixture as Upamecano, a fraction of the ownership.

Outside Bayern, Kevin Diks (3.98m, BMG) is worth a look at 95k. He is Gladbach's penalty taker, projected for 88 minutes at home to Elversberg with a 32% clean sheet chance, and only 3.8% of squads own him. Josha Vagnoman (3.59m, STU) gives you 88k at 24.4 points per million on the Köln fixture.

Budget pick: Philipp Sander (2.48m, BMG) - 62k xP at 25.1 points per million, projected 88 minutes, and owned by 0.2% of squads. The transfer fee on him is under 25k. Even as a pure one-round buy against Elversberg he pays for himself several times over, and he frees up the money that lets you carry Kane or Olise.

Compare the full list on the Bundes Manager player picks page, and confirm the starters on predicted lineups before the Friday deadline.

Midfielders: Diaz is the highest score in the game

Luis Diaz (8.23m, BAY) - 197k xP, the highest score of any player in Round 2, and the best six-round weighted total in the whole game at 674k. Last season he produced 25 goals and 19 assists in 3,968 minutes, which is 0.89 expected goal involvements per 90. Trajectory: 197k → 202k → 206k across the Schalke, Elversberg and Union run. If you buy one expensive player this round, this is the one.

Michael Olise (9.27m, BAY) is right behind at 189k with a weighted 656k. He is the better creator - 28.06 expected assists last season against Diaz's 13.88, 0.97 expected goal involvements per 90 - but he costs 1.04m more and is owned by 42.3% against Diaz's 28.2%. Diaz is the better buy on both price and ownership.

Joshua Kimmich (5.19m, BAY) at 104k is the cheap route into the same fixtures if the two wingers are out of reach.

The best value in the position is Afonso Moreira (3.48m, LEV) - 108k xP at 31.1 points per million, projected 82 minutes at home to Union Berlin, with 0.56 expected goal involvements per 90 last season. Ibrahim Maza (4.04m, LEV) gives you 102k from the same fixture if you prefer a bit more minutes security.

Hidden gem: Tiago Tomás (3.50m, STU) - 105k xP, 29.9 points per million, and owned by 0.7% of squads. He scored 8 goals in 1,615 minutes last season (0.54 expected goal involvements per 90) and Stuttgart are 63% favourites at home. Grischa Prömel (3.96m, STU) is the safer-minutes version at 96k and 0.4% ownership.

Budget pick: Hugo Bolin (3.00m, BMG) - 90k xP at 30.0 points per million, 85 projected minutes, 0.7% ownership. Under 30k in fee for one of the five best value scores in the round.

One to wait on: Said El Mala (5.70m, Köln) scores only 68k this week because Köln are 17% underdogs at Stuttgart, but his weighted six-round total is 349k - one of the ten best in the game. He scored 13 goals in 2,038 minutes last season. Buy him next round, not this one.

Forwards: the best points-per-million score in the game

Dzenan Pejcinovic (3.48m, STU) is the standout pick of Round 2. 137k xP for 3.48m is 39.4 points per million, the best ratio of any player in the game, and only 5.8% of squads own him. He scored 11 goals from 9.87 expected goals in 1,589 minutes last season - a genuine finisher, not a fluke. Stuttgart's programme turns after this week, so treat him as a one- or two-round buy: the fee is 35k, which is nothing against a 137k projection.

Patrik Schick (7.12m, LEV) - 157k xP at 22.1 points per million, Leverkusen's penalty taker, and 27 goals from 26.82 expected goals last season. Weighted 488k over six rounds, which is the most stable premium forward line in the game outside Bayern.

Deniz Undav (7.99m, STU) is the differential premium at 158k and just 7.9% ownership - 25 goals and 15 assists last season, 0.86 expected goal involvements per 90. His Round 3 drops to 95k when Stuttgart travel to Hoffenheim, so this is a fixture-timed buy rather than a season-long hold.

Harry Kane (14.06m, BAY) - 175k, Bayern's penalty taker, and 1.14 expected goal involvements per 90 last season off 50.66 expected goals. Nobody argues he is not good. The question is the 14.06m: that is 27% of the 51.5m bank on one of eleven players, and his fee alone is 141k. With 60.7% of squads already holding him, he protects your rank rather than improving it. If you own him, keep him. If you do not, Schick plus Pejcinovic costs 10.60m and projects 294k this round against Kane's 175k.

Serhou Guirassy (8.23m, DOR) is a Round 3 buy, not a Round 2 buy. Dortmund are only 43% away at Hoffenheim this week (132k), then 77% at home to Paderborn where he jumps to 204k - his weighted six-round total of 529k is fourth best in the game.

Younes Ebnoutalib (3.48m, EIN) rounds out the cheap options at 91k and 26.1 points per million, off 13 goals in 1,549 minutes last season.

The live solver builds the exact best XI under the 51.5m bank on the optimal teams page - it is the authoritative version of everything above.

Who to sell in Round 2

Nathaniel Brown (4.56m, BAY) - 55.9% owned. The single most over-held player in the game. He scores 109k this round, the same as Upamecano, but he is projected for 58 minutes against Upamecano's 87, he costs 0.31m more, and his weighted six-round total is 284k against 345k. His trajectory falls away hard: 109k → 87k → 76k → 57k → 45k. Swap him for Upamecano or Kim and keep the same fixtures.

Joane Gadou (3.10m, DOR) - 28.9% owned. Just 39k xP, the weakest return of any heavily owned player in the round. Dortmund travel to Hoffenheim with a 21% clean sheet chance. Weighted 167k.

Tidiam Gomis (2.67m, LEI) - 33.5% owned. Fine for now (78k this round, 103k in Round 3 at home to Hamburger SV), but Leipzig's Rounds 4-6 are [A]Bayer Leverkusen → [H]Eintracht Frankfurt → [A]Bayern München and his scores collapse to 39k, 55k and 20k. Plan the exit for after Round 3.

Robin Zentner (3.59m, MAI) - 26.2% owned. 58k on a 24% clean sheet chance away at Hamburger SV. Bredlow costs 0.40m more and gives you 72k on a 30% clean sheet chance.

Anthony Caci (2.57m, MAI) - 25.7% owned at 47k, and Edin Dzeko (2.98m, S04) - 12.1% owned at 1k xP, are the two clearest cuts. Dzeko's Schalke are the team Bayern are expected to put three goals past.

Summary: the Round 2 shape

Everyone will have the Bayern attack. The edge is in the cheap slots: Pejcinovic at 3.48m, Bolin at 3.00m, Sander at 2.48m and Tiago Tomás at 3.50m together cost 12.46m and project 394k - roughly what two premiums cost you for less than a quarter of the return per million. Fund them by moving off Nathaniel Brown and Joane Gadou, who between them sit in more than 80% of squads and deliver 148k.

More rounds and more analysis in the Bundes Manager preview hub, our wider fantasy football guides, and the same Bundesliga model applied to Bundesliga Fantasy player picks.

FAQ

Who are the best buys in Bundes Manager Round 2?

Luis Diaz (8.23m, BAY) has the highest score of any player at 197k xP and the best six-round weighted total in the game at 674k. The best value pick is Dzenan Pejcinovic (3.48m, STU) at 137k, which is 39.4 points per million - the strongest ratio in the round. Patrik Schick (7.12m, LEV) at 157k is the most reliable premium forward outside Bayern.

Is there a captain in Bundes Manager?

No. Bundes Manager has no captain multiplier and no chips - every player in your eleven scores at face value, so the question is simply which eleven produce the most points under the 51.5m bank. That makes points per million the number that decides most transfers, and it is why cheap high-scorers like Pejcinovic and Hugo Bolin matter more here than in games with a captaincy bonus.

What are the best differentials for Bundes Manager Round 2?

Min-Jae Kim (4.04m, BAY) is owned by 1.6% of squads and scores 101k on the same Schalke fixture as the far more popular Bayern defenders. Tiago Tomás (3.50m, STU) is at 0.7% ownership with 105k, Hugo Bolin (3.00m, BMG) at 0.7% with 90k, and Philipp Sander (2.48m, BMG) at 0.2% with 62k. Deniz Undav (7.99m, STU) is the differential at the top end - 158k with only 7.9% ownership.

Who should I sell before Bundes Manager Round 2?

Nathaniel Brown (4.56m, BAY) is the priority. He is in 55.9% of squads but is projected for only 58 minutes and his six-round weighted total of 284k trails the cheaper Dayot Upamecano's 345k. Joane Gadou (3.10m, DOR) at 39k and Edin Dzeko (2.98m, S04) at 1k are the other clear exits.

Which team has the best fixtures in Bundes Manager right now?

Bayern München, comfortably. Their next three rounds are away to Schalke 04 (82% win probability), away to Elversberg (83%) and at home to Union Berlin (81%). They also conceded just 1.24 expected goals per game in the Bundesliga last season, second only to Borussia Dortmund. The game allows up to four players from one club, so a genuine Bayern block is a legal and defensible plan for this window.

This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI - verified by Nicolai @ TheFantasyTool