Eliteserien Fantasy 2026 Round 18 Preview

Eliteserien Fantasy round 18 tips: best buys, captain picks and differentials

Round 18 of Eliteserien Fantasy 2026 is a blank round. Only seven matches are played, because Bodø/Glimt and Start have no fixture. The deadline is Friday 14 August at 17:55, when Rosenborg host Viking to open the round.

The projections have moved again since midweek, and two things changed. Zlatko Tripic has climbed back to 5.4 and is now level with the best attackers on the card, and Noah Holm has taken over as the top-projected forward. The bigger news is a wave of squad turnover: five players owned by more than 13% of managers are no longer selectable in the game at all. Nothing in round 18 projects above 5.7, so the gap between the third-best pick and the fifteenth is under a point. This is a week where the cheap slots and the forced changes decide your rank, not the premiums.

The blank round: bench your Bodø/Glimt players, do not sell them

Bodø/Glimt and Start are both idle. With four bench slots and one free transfer, the right move for most squads is to bench the blanking players rather than pay to move them out. Glimt are the best side in the league by a distance: 2.38 xG per game, 0.96 xG conceded per game, nine clean sheets in 17 matches and five in their last six. They return in round 19 at home to Rosenborg on a 73% win probability with 2.87 projected goals.

Fredrik Sjøvold (7.8m, Bodø/Glimt) is the most-owned defender in the game at 38.7% and scores nothing this round, but rounds 19 to 23 read 4.8 → 4.5 → 4.7 → 3.3 → 5.5 for a six-round weighted score of 11.9 despite the zero. Ole Blomberg (9.8m, Bodø/Glimt) is the stronger asset: 6.0 → 5.6 → 5.9 → 4.9 → 6.8 from round 19, weighted 15.1, and he has produced 0.79 xGI per 90 this season. Paying a four-point hit to cover one blank week is a losing trade on either.

The exception is Start's goalkeeper. Jasper Silva Torkildsen (3.9m, Start) is 11.6% owned and projects 0.0 in every round from 18 through 23 — he is not expected to play at all. Moving him on costs you nothing.

Round 18 fixtures: three home teams, then a flat card

Three home sides stand clear. Brann have the best overall fixture, and Fredrikstad the highest clean-sheet probability of the round.

Fredrikstad's 34% needs explaining, because their own defence is not the reason for it. They have kept two clean sheets in 16 matches and concede 1.78 xG per game. The number comes from the opponent: Kristiansund have the weakest attack in Eliteserien at 1.01 xG per game. You are betting on Kristiansund failing to score, not on Fredrikstad defending well — although they have kept clean sheets in each of their last two matches, which helps.

Below that tier the card flattens fast. Rosenborg - Viking on Friday night is a coin flip at 38% each way, and there is a wrinkle worth knowing: Rosenborg have kept four clean sheets in their last six matches. The odds say even money, but the form says Viking's attackers have a harder night than their price implies. Molde host Tromsø at 42%, and Vålerenga travel to Aalesund at 40% — against the only side in the league with zero clean sheets in 15 games and 1.93 xG conceded per match.

Avoid Sandefjord, Hamarkameratene and Kristiansund assets entirely: all three are away at the round's strongest home sides on clean-sheet probabilities of 14%, 11% and 18%. Check the full card on the Eliteserien Fantasy schedule and the underlying odds on the market probabilities page.

Goalkeepers: Fredrikstad's clean sheet, or save the money

Martin Børsheim (4.8m, Fredrikstad) is the top-projected keeper of the round at 4.1, driven by that 34% clean sheet chance against the league's weakest attack. At 4.8m he undercuts every 5.0m keeper projected below him.

If you would rather spend elsewhere, Leander Øy (4.3m, Sarpsborg 08) is the best rate in the position at 3.9 points and 0.91 per million behind a 28% clean sheet, with the steadiest six-round profile on the board (3.9, 3.0, 3.7, 3.6, 3.9, 3.6). Håvar Jenssen (3.8m, KFUM) is the enabler: the cheapest starting keeper in the game at 3.2 this round, with a weighted 12.9 that matches keepers costing more than a million more.

One correlation play: pairing Børsheim with a Fredrikstad defender doubles up on the same 34% clean sheet, and that back line is cheap enough to make it affordable.

Defenders: Soltvedt leads the whole round

Joachim Soltvedt (6.1m, Brann) carries the highest projection of any player in round 18 at 5.7, and the best decay-weighted score of any defender in the game at 17.1: 5.7 → 4.2 → 5.1 → 5.5 → 2.9 → 3.5. Be clear about why. Brann have kept exactly one clean sheet in 16 matches and concede 1.63 xG per game — he is not a clean-sheet defender. He is an attacking one, with 3 goals, 2 assists, 0.44 xGI per 90 and 4.99 defensive contributions per 90. That combination is what beats the pure defensive picks. At 25% ownership he is not a differential, but at this price he is close to essential.

Daniel Eid (5.6m, Fredrikstad) is the second-best defender of the round at 5.4, on the back of the Kristiansund fixture, 85 projected minutes, 2.95 xA and 5.77 defensive actions per 90. Know what you are buying: his run drops to 2.7 and 2.0 in rounds 19 and 20. This is a one-to-two round move, not a hold.

Hidden gem: Kolbeinn Finnsson (5.1m, Vålerenga) is owned by 1.9% and returns 4.4 this round before spiking to 6.7 in round 19, when Vålerenga host Molde on an 81% win probability. His weighted 15.6 is second among all defenders, and 88 projected minutes means no rotation worry. He has 3.14 xA and 7.20 defensive actions per 90 this season — a defender who earns points at both ends. This is the best-value defensive buy on the board.

Budget defenders: Fredrik Holmé (4.4m, Fredrikstad) gives you 4.3 at 0.98 points per million — the best rate of any starter in the game — with 88 projected minutes behind the round's best clean-sheet number, and a hefty 8.80 defensive actions per 90 for a floor that does not depend on the shutout. Jonas Lange Hjorth (4.8m, KFUM) is the version that holds: 3.9 now, but weighted 14.6 with 4.7 and 5.2 spikes in rounds 19 and 21 at 1.0% ownership. Denzel De Roeve (5.8m, Brann) at 4.5 is the second route into the round's best fixture.

Midfielders: the round's best attacker is 4.7% owned

Sondre Sørli (6.5m, Sarpsborg 08) is the buy of round 18. He carries the highest projection of any attacking player on the card at 5.5, with 0.31 projected goals and 0.21 assists at home to a Sandefjord side rated at a 14% clean sheet. He is owned by 4.7%. His weighted 17.1 keeps him inside the top five midfielders over the horizon, and 3.88 xG plus 3.11 xA in 1398 minutes this season makes him a genuine dual threat rather than a one-week fixture punt.

Zlatko Tripic (12.6m, Viking) has risen to 5.4 and remains the template anchor at 65.7% ownership. His weighted 23.6 is the highest of any player in the game, he takes 93% of Viking's penalties, and his 6 goals and 13 assists at 0.86 xGI per 90 is the best creative return in Eliteserien. His ceiling rounds are 19 and 21 at 7.9 and 7.8, when Viking host Aalesund at 84% and Kristiansund at 82%. Hold.

Differential: Niklas Castro (8.1m, Brann) projects 5.3 with 0.26 goals and 0.32 assists in the round's best fixture, takes 88% of Brann's penalties, and is owned by 3.7%. He has 2 goals and 2 assists from just 234 minutes this season. The caveat is 79 projected minutes on a 0.85 starter factor — he is not nailed. If he starts, penalty duty plus the top fixture of the round at near-zero ownership is the best risk-adjusted move available. Check the predicted line-ups for Eliteserien Fantasy before committing.

Lucas Ravn-Haren (6.6m, Vålerenga) is the strongest two-round buy in the game: 5.0 now and 7.6 in round 19, for a weighted 18.1 that is the best of any midfielder outside Tripic. He has 6 goals in 919 minutes at 0.26 xG per 90 and is 2.0% owned. Emil Konradsen Ceide (7.6m, Rosenborg) at 4.9 is the way into Friday's opener — 3.95 xA this season and a strong run of 5.9, 4.8 and 5.6 in rounds 20 to 22. Felix Va (6.4m, Lillestrøm) at 4.8 is the reliable mid-price hold, with 0.46 xGI per 90, 84 projected minutes and no rotation doubt. Kristall Mani Ingason (6.7m, Brann) carries a strong 0.38 projected goals in the round’s best fixture, but only 57 projected minutes — the model is not confident he starts.

Budget midfielders: Endre Osenbroch (4.7m, Aalesund) has the best rate of any midfielder at 0.91 per million for 4.3 points, holds Aalesund's entire penalty share, and has 5 goals and 2 assists in 920 minutes. Bilal Njie (5.4m, KFUM) matches the 4.4 with a better horizon — weighted 15.2 including 5.1 in round 21 — at 0.2% ownership and 0.37 xG per 90. Sondre Milian Granaas (5.0m, Molde) is the third cheap route at 4.0 and 0.80 per million.

Forwards: a weak position, and a new leader

No forward projects above 4.8, so this is the position to save money in. Noah Holm (7.6m, Brann) has moved to the top of the position at 4.8, in the round's best fixture, with 5 goals at 0.43 xG per 90 and 0.51 xGI per 90.

Mathias Grundetjern (7.6m, Vålerenga) at 4.6 is the better two-round play: he takes all of Vålerenga's penalties, faces the league's leakiest defence, and his round 19 reads 6.6 for a weighted 16.3 at 5.7% ownership. He has scored 2 goals from 4.71 xG this season — a shortfall of nearly three goals against the model, which is exactly the profile you want to buy rather than sell. Thomas Lehne Olsen (8.0m, Lillestrøm) also sits on 4.6 with the highest single goal projection of any forward at 0.48.

Peter Christiansen (10.6m, Viking) is only 4.2 this week but has the second-highest weighted score in the game at 20.3, with 7.0 and 6.9 in rounds 19 and 21 and 8 goals at 0.65 xGI per 90. He is a hold, not a round-18 buy. Below 7m, Henrik Langaas Skogvold (6.7m, Fredrikstad) at 4.3 is the only cheap forward worth owning — which is why most squads should run 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 this week and push the money into midfield.

Captain picks for round 18

The highest projection in the round belongs to a defender, but captaincy is about ceiling, so the armband goes to an attacker.

1. Sondre Sørli (6.5m, Sarpsborg 08) — 5.5. The top attacking projection on the card, at home, against the weakest defence of the round on a 14% clean sheet. The best combination of expected points and low ownership available.
2. Zlatko Tripic (12.6m, Viking) — 5.4. The safe choice, and stronger than he was midweek. Penalties, 84 projected minutes and the highest six-round weighted score in the game. The one caution is the opponent: Rosenborg have four clean sheets in their last six.
3. Niklas Castro (8.1m, Brann) — 5.3. The differential armband: the round's best fixture plus 88% penalty share at 3.7% ownership. Only if the line-ups confirm he starts.

Joachim Soltvedt at 5.7 is the round's highest projection and a defensible armband if you already own him, but a defender's ceiling is capped next to a penalty-taking attacker. Kristall Mani Ingason at 5.1 is ruled out by his 57 projected minutes.

Look ahead before committing: round 19 gives Viking a home game at 84% and Vålerenga a home game at 81%, so Tripic, Christiansen and Grundetjern are the natural armbands next week. That strengthens the case for owning at least one of them now.

Who to sell before the deadline

Five widely-owned players are no longer available to select in Eliteserien Fantasy. If you still hold one, that squad slot is dead and the transfer is forced rather than optional:

• Kasper Waarts Høgh (11.7m, Bodø/Glimt) — 31.5% owned. The most expensive forward in the game and the single biggest chunk of frozen budget on the board.
• Jens Hjertø-Dahl (6.9m, Tromsø) — 26.8% owned.
• Tobias Guddal (5.2m, Tromsø) — 19.3% owned.
• Felix Horn Myhre (7.2m, Brann) — 17.7% owned.
• Markus Seehusen Karlsbakk (7.0m, Lillestrøm) — 13.6% owned.

Beyond those, three high-ownership players have collapsed projections and do not deserve a bench slot either. Henrik Falchener (6.3m, Viking) is 24.5% owned with zero projected minutes and a weighted 2.4 — the clearest sell in the game. Dino Islamovic (8.0m, Rosenborg) is 10.5% owned, also on zero minutes, freezing 8.0m for a weighted 2.4. Henrik Udahl (5.8m, Hamarkameratene) is 27.8% owned but projects 1.8 on 55 minutes and a 0.37 starter factor, away at Brann.

Two softer calls. Leo Cornic (6.3m, Tromsø) is 28.8% owned and projected for no minutes this round, but returns to 3.1 in round 19 and 4.6 by round 22 — bench rather than sell if the slot allows. And Emil Breivik (7.7m, Molde) at 51.4% ownership is the biggest downgrade opportunity in the game: 3.9 this round and a weighted 12.5, against Sørli's 17.1 for 1.2m less.

Best Rich Uncle team for round 18

Round 18 is the wrong week to spend Rich Uncle or Attack! Attack!. Only seven matches are played, no team clears a 62% win probability, and round 19 is dramatically better: Viking host Aalesund at 84% with 3.45 projected goals, Vålerenga host Molde at 81% with 3.19, and Bodø/Glimt host Rosenborg at 73% with 2.87. If a chip is coming, target that round.

For reference, this is the shape the numbers point to if you are forced to play the chip now. Rich Uncle removes the budget constraint but not the three-per-club cap, and the best legal one-round eleven lands in a 3-5-2 on 55.1 projected points, with Brann and Vålerenga both maxed at three.

The implied captain is Sørli, with Tripic the safer alternative. Ingason is the one name to swap out if the line-ups go against him. You can solve the exact optimum yourself against live projections on the optimal teams page for Eliteserien Fantasy, which rebuilds the best legal squad every time you load it, and check your own squad against it on the Eliteserien Fantasy team page.

Transfer summary

With one free transfer, the priority order is simple. Clear a player who can no longer be selected first — Høgh, Hjertø-Dahl, Guddal, Horn Myhre or Karlsbakk. If you hold none of those, move on a non-playing asset instead (Falchener, Islamovic, Torkildsen). Then upgrade into Sørli, Finnsson or Ravn-Haren, in that order. Keep your Bodø/Glimt players benched rather than taking a hit to move them.

Full per-round numbers for every player are on the Eliteserien Fantasy player picks page, and you can compare expected starters on the predicted line-ups page before the Friday deadline. More Eliteserien analysis is in our Eliteserien Fantasy preview hub, including the earlier round 13 preview. New to the game? Start with our fantasy football guides.

FAQ

Who should I captain in Eliteserien Fantasy round 18?

Sondre Sørli (6.5m, Sarpsborg 08) is the top pick at 5.5 projected points, the highest of any attacking player in the round, at home against a Sandefjord side rated at just a 14% clean sheet. Zlatko Tripic (12.6m, Viking) has risen to 5.4 and is the safer template armband thanks to his 93% penalty share and league-best 0.86 xGI per 90, although Rosenborg have kept four clean sheets in their last six. Niklas Castro (8.1m, Brann) at 5.3 is the differential option in the round's best fixture.

Which teams blank in Eliteserien Fantasy round 18?

Bodø/Glimt and Start have no fixture in round 18 — only seven matches are played. Bench those players rather than selling them. Glimt lead the league on 2.38 xG and 0.96 xG conceded per game with five clean sheets in their last six, and they return in round 19 at home to Rosenborg on a 73% win probability, with Ole Blomberg projected at 6.0 and Fredrik Sjøvold at 4.8 for that round.

Which players can no longer be selected in Eliteserien Fantasy?

Five widely-owned players have dropped out of the selectable pool: Kasper Waarts Høgh (11.7m, Bodø/Glimt, 31.5% owned), Jens Hjertø-Dahl (6.9m, Tromsø, 26.8%), Tobias Guddal (5.2m, Tromsø, 19.3%), Felix Horn Myhre (7.2m, Brann, 17.7%) and Markus Seehusen Karlsbakk (7.0m, Lillestrøm, 13.6%). If you hold any of them the slot is dead, so clearing it takes priority over any upgrade.

What are the best differentials for Eliteserien Fantasy round 18?

Kolbeinn Finnsson (5.1m, Vålerenga) is 1.9% owned, projects 4.4 now and 6.7 in round 19. Lucas Ravn-Haren (6.6m, Vålerenga) is 2.0% owned with 5.0 this round and 7.6 next, the best two-round midfield profile outside Tripic. Bilal Njie (5.4m, KFUM) is 0.2% owned at 4.4 points and a weighted 15.2. Niklas Castro (8.1m, Brann) is 3.7% owned with 88% penalty duty in the strongest fixture of the round.

Which budget players should I buy in round 18?

Fredrik Holmé (4.4m, Fredrikstad) gives 4.3 points at 0.98 per million, the best rate of any starter in the game, with 88 projected minutes behind the round's best clean-sheet probability of 34% and 8.80 defensive actions per 90. Jonas Lange Hjorth (4.8m, KFUM) is the version that holds beyond one round at a weighted 14.6. In midfield, Endre Osenbroch (4.7m, Aalesund) has the position's best rate at 0.91 per million plus Aalesund's full penalty share, and Håvar Jenssen (3.8m, KFUM) is the cheapest starting goalkeeper worth owning.

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