Eliteserien Fantasy 2026 Round 20 Preview

Eliteserien Fantasy round 20 preview: best buys, captain picks and differentials

Eliteserien Fantasy round 20 is a four-day round. It opens on Friday 4 September at 19:00 and does not finish until Sarpsborg 08 host Vålerenga on Monday 7 September, with the deadline at 17:55 on the Friday. Twelve rounds remain, including the rescheduled round 12 that now sits between rounds 24 and 25 on 25 October – so the transfers you make now have a long runway.

The obvious names are obvious. Everyone knows Zlatko Tripic and the Bodø/Glimt forwards are good. What decides your mini-league is the six or seven squad spots after them, and this round the model is pointing at a group of cheap Tromsø and Sarpsborg assets plus one 3.8m goalkeeper almost nobody is looking at.

Round 20 fixtures: where the points are

Four matches stand out. Note that the two best attacking fixtures of the round are also the two earliest kick-offs, so this is not a round to leave until Sunday.

Rosenborg's 37% clean sheet chance is the highest of the round, and it is not hard to see why: Hamarkameratene generate just 1.21 xG per game this season, the fourth-weakest attack in the division. Bodø/Glimt are the outstanding team in the league on the underlying numbers – 2.40 xG created and 0.96 xG conceded per game, a non-penalty xG difference of +1.45, with 10 clean sheets in 18 – and they face a Fredrikstad side shipping 1.78 xG per game.

The programme matters as much as the single fixture. Viking have the best three-round run in the game: [A]Sandefjord → [H]Kristiansund BK → [H]Lillestrøm, and that middle fixture carries an 81% win probability and 3.26 expected goals. Bodø/Glimt are almost as good – [A]Fredrikstad → [H]Sandefjord → [A]Brann – and then host Kristiansund BK in round 23 in a match the model projects at 3.74 expected goals. Check the full run on the Eliteserien Fantasy schedule and the underlying odds on the market probabilities page.

The warning attached to this round: Rosenborg and Aalesund both spike now and fall away immediately. Rosenborg go from a 65% home win to hosting Tromsø at 38% in round 21. Aalesund go from 49% at home to Start to a 13% trip to KFUM. With one free transfer a week and hits costing 4 points, that changes what is worth buying.

Best buys: goalkeepers

Leopold Wahlstedt (5.0m, Rosenborg) is the highest-scoring keeper for round 20 at 4.1 xP, on the back of that 37% clean sheet chance. He has been ever-present – 19 appearances, 68 points – and Rosenborg have six clean sheets on the season.

Over the longer horizon the value is elsewhere. Leander Øy (4.4m, Sarpsborg 08) returns 3.6 xP this round and has the highest six-round weighted score of any keeper in the game at 13.5, while averaging 5.1 points per appearance. If you need to raise funds without weakening the position, he is the move.

The genuine differential is Håvar Jenssen (3.8m, KFUM), the cheapest starting goalkeeper in the game. Round 20 at Molde is a poor fixture at 2.8 xP, but his weighted six-round score of 13.1 puts him in the top five keepers over the horizon and his weighted points-per-million of 3.44 is the best figure in the entire player pool. KFUM host Aalesund in round 21 with a 45% clean sheet chance – the highest single-round clean sheet number anywhere in the next two rounds. Buy him now to free up money, or buy him next week for the fixture.

Best buys: defenders

Adrian Pereira (5.7m, Rosenborg) tops the position for round 20 at 5.0 xP. He has played 65, 79, 71, 85 and 70 minutes in his last five and Rosenborg's fixture is the best defensive spot on the card. Be clear about what you are buying, though: his trajectory reads 5.0 → 3.7 → 3.8 over the next three rounds. This is a one-or-two-round asset, not a season keeper.

If you want the defender you can leave alone, it is Fredrik Sjøvold (7.8m, Bodø/Glimt). He has the highest six-round weighted score of any defender at 14.8, he is on 7.07 points per appearance, and he is a genuine attacking threat from the back – 7.60 xA across 1,558 minutes this season, more assist value than most midfielders in the league. His round 23 projection of 5.0 xP against Kristiansund BK is the best single-round defensive score in the horizon.

Joachim Soltvedt (6.1m, Brann) is the middle option at 4.7 xP now and 5.0 in round 21, weighted 14.5. He has 3.43 xG and 4.08 xA on the season from defence, and 45 shots is a remarkable number for a defender. That is why his floor does not depend on Brann keeping clean sheets – just as well, because they have only three all season.

Budget pick: Anders Hiim (4.5m, Sarpsborg 08) is the steady one – 3.6 xP, 18 appearances, 80+ minutes in every one of his last five, and a weighted score of 12.1 that holds up right through the horizon. Samukelo Kabini (5.5m, Molde) is the alternative at 4.4 xP with a 32% clean sheet chance.

Differential: Sander Håvik Innvær (4.7m, Tromsø) has the best points-per-million in the position at 1.04, on 4.9 xP. Tromsø are a real clean-sheet team – nine shutouts in 18, second only to Bodø/Glimt, and 1.28 xG conceded per game. The caveat is real: his minutes this season read 82, 20, 1, 0, 75, so he has been in and out of the side. Confirm him on the predicted lineups page before the Friday deadline.

Best buys: midfielders

Zlatko Tripic (12.6m, Viking) is the best asset in the game and it is not close. He has 137 points from 17 appearances (8.06 per game), 6 goals and 15 assists, and an xGI90 of 0.88 built mostly on 9.50 xA – the highest creative output in the division. He takes the penalties. His weighted six-round score of 20.6 is the highest of any player at any position, and his trajectory is 5.7 → 6.6 → 5.6. If you own one 10m-plus asset, it should be him.

Heine Åsen Larsen (6.3m, Tromsø) is the value pick of the round: 5.7 xP, the same score as Tripic at half the price, and 0.90 points per million. He has 8 goals from 7.11 xG and 50 shots this season, and he is on penalty duty for Tromsø. Weighted score 17.5.

Sondre Sørli (6.5m, Sarpsborg 08) at 5.5 xP is the most durable option in the bracket – 18 appearances, 1,563 minutes, 4.25 xG and 3.41 xA. His weighted score of 17.8 is second only to Tripic among midfielders. Emil Konradsen Ceide (7.7m, Rosenborg) at 5.4 xP is on 5.00 points per appearance from 19 games and gets the best midfield fixture of the round.

Budget pick: Sondre Milian Granaas (5.1m, Molde) at 4.2 xP is the one to hold. He has played 90, 90, 23, 89 and 90 minutes in his last five, has 3.08 xG and 2.56 xA on the season, and his weighted score of 13.4 does not collapse the way the cheap Aalesund options do.

Differential: Endre Osenbroch (4.8m, Aalesund) has the best midfield points-per-million in the round at 0.94, and 5.25 points per appearance from 16 games with 1,090 minutes and five goals. Read the trajectory before you buy, though: 4.5 → 2.5 → 4.3. Aalesund's round 21 trip to KFUM is a 13% win probability. He is a one-round buy, and in a game with one free transfer a week that only makes sense if you were changing that seat anyway.

Best buys: forwards

Ola Brynhildsen (10.0m, Bodø/Glimt) is the top forward for round 20 at 5.8 xP with a weighted score of 19.7. The interesting part is the underlying data: 2.36 xG and 2.14 xA from 570 minutes, an xGI90 of 0.71, and just one goal and one assist to show for it. He has played 80, 77, 79, 62 and 64 minutes across his last five, so the minutes are there and the finishing is overdue.

Peter Christiansen (10.7m, Viking) is the better buy if you are planning more than a week ahead. He is 5.2 xP now but 6.8 in round 21 – the single highest projection any player carries in the next six rounds – and his weighted score of 20.3 is second only to Tripic. Nine goals from 8.69 xG and 47 shots in 18 games; the volume is genuine.

Value pick: Andreas Helmersen (8.3m, Bodø/Glimt) at 4.4 xP is the most efficient forward in the league on the underlying numbers – an xGI90 of 1.01, with 8 goals from 5.88 xG in only 616 minutes – and he takes Glimt's penalties. He has started the last four. Daniel Seland Karlsbakk (8.8m, Sarpsborg 08) carries the highest single expected-goals figure of any player in round 20 at 0.55, plus penalty duty.

Differential: Marcus Haagensen Reed (4.7m, Aalesund) at 3.8 xP is the best forward points-per-million in the round at 0.81, with 3 goals from 2.33 xG in 510 minutes. Same warning as Osenbroch – he drops to 1.7 xP in round 21 – so treat him as a short-term enabler, not an investment.

Captain picks for round 20

1. Ola Brynhildsen (10.0m, Bodø/Glimt) – 5.8 xP. The safest high ceiling on the card. Bodø/Glimt are projected for 2.44 goals against a Fredrikstad side with a 9% clean sheet chance, and Brynhildsen's minutes are locked in. He is also the pick you can set on Friday afternoon and forget.

2. Zlatko Tripic (12.6m, Viking) – 5.7 xP. Fractionally behind on this round's projection but ahead on everything else: penalties, 8.06 points per appearance, and Viking projected for 2.23 goals at Sandefjord, who have a clean sheet chance of just 11%. If you would rather back form than fixture, take Tripic.

3. Simen Bolkan Nordli (6.9m, Rosenborg) – 6.2 xP. He is the model's single highest score for round 20, in the best fixture of the round, at a mid-range price. The catch is that he is coming back from a lay-off with a 2 September return date, three days before Rosenborg kick off, and his recent minutes read 54, 0, 0. The armband here is conditional: if he is confirmed in the XI on Saturday morning, he is the highest-ceiling captain available. If you cannot wait for that confirmation, take one of the two above.

Looking one week ahead, the captaincy picture flips to Viking – Christiansen at 6.8 xP and Tripic at 6.6 xP are both projected above anything else in round 21. Captaincy is a plan, not a single pick, and owning a Viking premium solves both weeks.

Who to sell

Kasper Waarts Høgh (11.7m, Bodø/Glimt) is the priority. He is the second-most expensive asset in the game and the model has him on zero projected minutes and 0.0 xP in every one of the next six rounds. That is 11.7m of dead budget in a squad worth just over 100m – more than 11% of your team doing nothing.

Ole Blomberg (9.8m, Bodø/Glimt) is the harder call. He is a genuine asset – 91 points from 14 appearances – but for round 20 the model has him at a 0.32 starter factor and 39 projected minutes, worth only 2.4 xP. His projection recovers to 5.0 by round 23, so this is a rotation problem rather than a permanent one. If you need funds this week, he is where they are.

Thomas Lehne Olsen (8.0m, Lillestrøm) has 25 projected minutes and 1.5 xP away at Brann, and a weighted six-round score of just 7.9. Felix Horn Myhre (7.2m, Brann) and Sævar Atli Magnusson (8.9m, Brann) are both on zero projected minutes for round 20.

At team level, avoid the defences of Fredrikstad (9% clean sheet chance against Bodø/Glimt, and 1.78 xG conceded per game on the season), Hamarkameratene (10% at Rosenborg) and Sandefjord (11% against Viking). Aalesund defenders score well this round, but understand the trade: Aalesund have not kept a single clean sheet in 17 matches and concede 2.03 xG per game, the worst in the division. Their round 20 value is a bet on Start's weak attack, not on a defence.

Best Rich Uncle team for round 20

Eliteserien Fantasy's free-hit equivalent is Rich Uncle – unlimited transfers for a single round, with no budget limit at all. That changes the maths completely: with no budget to respect you simply take the highest projected score at every position, subject to the three-per-club cap.

The best legal XI for round 20 is a 3-5-2, worth 57.9 projected points before captaincy:

Two notes. If Nordli is not confirmed to start, swap him for Emil Konradsen Ceide (7.7m, 5.4 xP) – that keeps Rosenborg at exactly three players. And the whole XI costs 84.9m, comfortably inside a standard budget, which means this is also a strong wildcard target if you would rather save Rich Uncle for a heavier fixture skew later in the season. Our solver rebuilds the exact optimum live on the optimal teams page, and the full chip picture is on the chip strategy page.

Round 20 checklist

• Deadline is Friday 4 September at 17:55, and the two best fixtures kick off that evening.
• Sell Kasper Waarts Høgh – zero projected minutes for six straight rounds at 11.7m.
• Captain Ola Brynhildsen, or Simen Bolkan Nordli if he is confirmed to start.
• Buy Viking assets now, not next week – their round 21 and 22 fixtures are the best in the game.
• Treat Rosenborg and Aalesund players as short-term: both programmes fall away sharply in round 21.

Every projection in this preview comes from our model and is updated daily. Compare the full pool on the Eliteserien Fantasy player picks page, check who is actually starting on the predicted lineups page, confirm spot-kick duty on the penalty takers page, and dig into season form on the player data page. Last week's analysis is in our round 19 preview, and every round is collected in the Eliteserien Fantasy preview hub alongside the rest of our fantasy football previews.

FAQ

Who should I captain in Eliteserien Fantasy round 20?

Ola Brynhildsen is the safest pick at 5.8 xP, with Bodø/Glimt projected for 2.44 goals away at a Fredrikstad side that has a 9% clean sheet chance. Zlatko Tripic at 5.7 xP is the alternative if you prefer form and penalty duty – he is on 8.06 points per appearance. Simen Bolkan Nordli carries the highest raw projection at 6.2 xP but is returning from a lay-off, so only captain him once he is confirmed in the Rosenborg XI.

Which budget players are best for Eliteserien Fantasy round 20?

Håvar Jenssen (3.8m, KFUM) is the cheapest starting goalkeeper in the game and has the best weighted points-per-million of any player at 3.44. In defence, Anders Hiim (4.5m, Sarpsborg 08) at 3.6 xP is the steady option and Sander Håvik Innvær (4.7m, Tromsø) has the best points-per-million in the position at 1.04. In midfield, Sondre Milian Granaas (5.1m, Molde) at 4.2 xP holds his value across the whole horizon.

Who should I sell before round 20?

Kasper Waarts Høgh (11.7m, Bodø/Glimt) is the clearest sell – the model projects zero minutes and 0.0 xP for him in each of the next six rounds, and he ties up more than 11% of a full squad budget. Ole Blomberg (9.8m) is projected for only 39 minutes and 2.4 xP this round, and Thomas Lehne Olsen (8.0m, Lillestrøm) has the weakest six-round outlook of any forward in his price bracket.

Which teams have the best fixtures after round 20?

Viking. They face Sandefjord away, then Kristiansund BK at home with an 81% win probability and 3.26 expected goals, then Lillestrøm at home. Bodø/Glimt are close behind and host Kristiansund BK in round 23 in a match projected at 3.74 expected goals. Avoid buying Rosenborg and Aalesund assets for the long term – both drop off sharply from round 21.

Is the Rich Uncle chip worth playing in round 20?

Probably not. The best possible round 20 XI costs only 84.9m, which means you can build most of it inside a normal budget without spending the chip. Rich Uncle removes the budget limit for one round, so its real value comes in a round with a heavy fixture skew or a double gameweek. Round 20 has neither.

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