WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5: captain picks and best buys

WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5 preview: best buys, captain picks and differentials

WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5 is the last deadline before the Gameweek 6 unlimited-transfer week, and that decides how to use your transfers now. Anything you bring in this week only has to earn its place for seven days before you can rebuild for free, so the test for every move is whether the gain this week is worth a transfer, or whether it can wait. The three-week programs below still matter, because they tell you which players you will want to keep through the rebuild. A Gameweek 5 transfer that lands one of those players does two jobs at once. The deadline is Saturday 4 October at 11:00. If you missed it, our WSL Fantasy Gameweek 4 preview covers the build-up.

Three things shape this round, and the latest model run has moved each of them. First, Brighton's front two at home to Charlton are still the best attacking picks of the week, but Madison Haley has pulled ahead of Kiko Seike as the captain (7.4 against 7.1). Second, our WSL predicted lineups still have Lauren James on 47 expected minutes, which holds her Gameweek 5 projection to 5.6. She remains the best midfielder over three weeks, so that is a captaincy question, not a sell. Third, all 26 clubs in this game's player pool play in Gameweek 5, but in the current schedule the 12 WSL2 clubs (Bristol City, Burnley, Durham, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Southampton, Sunderland, Watford and Wolverhampton) have no fixture in Gameweek 6 or Gameweek 8, while all 14 WSL clubs play in both. That makes every WSL2 player a one-week rental right now. Those later weeks can still move, so check the WSL Fantasy schedule before the Gameweek 6 deadline.

The programs: whose next three gameweeks are worth owning

Chelsea have the best run in the game by a distance. Their [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY program adds up to 8.96 expected goals and 1.46 expected clean sheets over three gameweeks, and they are clear favourites in all three. There is no week in that run to plan around, which makes Chelsea players the easiest holds in the game and the first place to look when the rebuild comes.

Arsenal are second on attack (6.87 xG) and second on clean sheets (1.10), but the order matters. Their [A]MCI → [H]BIC → [A]TOT run opens with the trip to City, close to a coin-flip at 39%. The value comes after it: Birmingham at home in Gameweek 6 is the best single fixture of that week, and the Tottenham trip follows. Manchester City have the mirror image, [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN (5.94 xG), with Brighton at home as the week to target. Arsenal and City attackers are the ones to buy in the Gameweek 6 rebuild, not before it.

Brighton's home game with Charlton is the round's other standout: a 80% win probability, 2.77 expected goals and a 49% clean-sheet chance. But their program is [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU, and the City trip is one of the hardest fixtures of Gameweek 6. That is the definition of a one-week rental, and with the free rebuild straight after it, one-week Brighton picks cost nothing to move on. Manchester United's [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI carries 0.93 expected clean sheets, with the Charlton trip as the week to have their defenders. Everton's [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL is modest on goals (4.37 xG) but steady at the back (0.87). Aston Villa's [H]CRY → [H]LIV → [A]EVE starts well (53% against Crystal Palace) and fades after it.

The WSL clubs, sorted by three-gameweek expected goals (MAN = Manchester United, MCI = Manchester City, LCL = London City Lionesses, BIC = Birmingham City, CHA = Charlton):

TeamFixtureWin probabilityExpected goalsClean sheetProgram (GW5 → GW6 → GW7)3-round xG3-round CS
CHE[A]WHU82%2.8452%[A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY8.961.46
ARS[A]MCI39%1.5523%[A]MCI → [H]BIC → [A]TOT6.871.10
MCI[H]ARS35%1.4521%[H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN5.940.90
BHA[H]CHA80%2.7749%[H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU5.310.84
MAN[H]LIV45%1.6029%[H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI4.990.93
AVL[H]CRY53%1.8034%[H]CRY → [H]LIV → [A]EVE4.570.78
EVE[H]BIC51%1.7133%[H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL4.370.87
LIV[A]MAN29%1.2520%[A]MAN → [A]AVL → [H]LCL4.280.76
LCL[A]TOT37%1.3925%[A]TOT → [H]EVE → [A]LIV3.820.78
WHU[H]CHE5%0.656%[H]CHE → [A]CRY → [A]BHA3.670.47
CRY[A]AVL22%1.0916%[A]AVL → [H]WHU → [H]CHE3.300.37
BIC[A]EVE24%1.1018%[A]EVE → [A]ARS → [H]CHA3.290.56
TOT[H]LCL36%1.3725%[H]LCL → [A]CHE → [H]ARS3.250.41
CHA[A]BHA6%0.716%[A]BHA → [H]MAN → [A]BIC2.590.40

The WSL2 clubs have only two fixtures in the window because of the Gameweek 6 blank, so their totals are not comparable with the table above and are listed separately. Wolves at home to Watford (63% win, 2.46 expected goals) is the standout WSL2 attacking fixture of the round, and Nottingham Forest at home to Burnley is the best defensive one (33% clean sheet).

TeamFixtureWin probabilityExpected goalsClean sheetProgram (GW5 → GW6 → GW7)2-fixture xG2-fixture CS
WOL[H]WAT63%2.4628%[H]WAT → — → [A]BRC (2 fixtures)4.090.41
BRC[H]SOU41%1.5625%[H]SOU → — → [H]WOL (2 fixtures)3.610.45
NEW[A]DUR52%1.8132%[A]DUR → — → [A]NFO (2 fixtures)3.330.66
WAT[A]WOL18%1.288%[A]WOL → — → [H]DUR (2 fixtures)2.970.26
IPS[A]SHU42%1.4729%[A]SHU → — → [H]SUN (2 fixtures)2.930.57
DUR[H]NEW23%1.1216%[H]NEW → — → [A]WAT (2 fixtures)2.840.35
LEI[A]SUN37%1.4126%[A]SUN → — → [H]SOU (2 fixtures)2.690.54
SUN[H]LEI35%1.3624%[H]LEI → — → [A]IPS (2 fixtures)2.650.48
BUR[A]NFO32%1.1130%[A]NFO → — → [H]SHU (2 fixtures)2.640.71
SOU[A]BRC33%1.3921%[A]BRC → — → [A]LEI (2 fixtures)2.640.49
NFO[H]BUR38%1.2233%[H]BUR → — → [H]NEW (2 fixtures)2.300.55
SHU[H]IPS31%1.2323%[H]IPS → — → [A]BUR (2 fixtures)2.110.45

For a fixture-by-fixture view of every club, see the WSL Fantasy market probabilities.

Best goalkeepers for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5

Courtney Brosnan (5.0m, EVE) is the best keeper over the next three gameweeks: 4.4 → 4.2 → 4.2 on [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL, 12.8 in total, and 8% owned. She is joint-top of the position this week as well, so she is the pick if you want a keeper who is good now and stays good through the rebuild. Hannah Hampton (5.5m, CHE) is 54% owned and projects 4.1 → 3.9 → 3.9, 11.9 in total, behind the best program in the game; she is a comfortable hold, not a transfer target.

This is one of the places where this week and the next three disagree. Lysianne Proulx (4.0m, IPS) matches Brosnan at 4.4 this week and is the best value of the position at 1.10 points per million, but her program is [A]SHU → — → [H]SUN, so she is a one-week pick and best used on a Free Hit. Chiamaka Nnadozie (5.0m, BHA) also projects 4.4 against Charlton, but drops to 2.3 at City. Akane Okuma (4.5m, AVL) projects 4.0 → 3.6 → 3.4 on [H]CRY → [H]LIV → [A]EVE, 11.0 in total, with her value front-loaded into Gameweek 5. Ayaka Yamashita (5.5m, MCI) is the Gameweek 6 keeper to remember: 3.4 → 4.1 → 3.5 on [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN, with Brighton at home her best week, level with Phallon Tullis-Joyce's 4.1 at Charlton.

Best defenders for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5

Ellie Carpenter (7.0m, CHE) is the defender to own. She projects 4.9 → 4.7 → 5.4 on [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY, 15.0 over three gameweeks, the best of any defender, on 76 expected minutes and 31% owned. Nothing in that run is a week to avoid, and she projects 5.4 and 5.2 again in Gameweeks 8 and 9, so she is a buy now and a keep through the rebuild. Sandy Baltimore (7.0m, CHE) is second on the same Chelsea program at 4.7 → 4.5 → 5.0 (14.2), but on 53 expected minutes she carries rotation risk. Katie McCabe (6.5m, CHE) (4.4 → 3.6 → 4.2, 12.2, same run) is the third option. The three-per-club limit means you are choosing two of those alongside any Chelsea attacker.

This week's ranking and the three-week ranking disagree sharply. Marisa Olislagers (5.5m, BHA) is the top defender for Gameweek 5 at 6.0 against Charlton, but her [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU program runs 6.0 → 1.5 → 4.0, 11.5 in total. Carpenter is 3.5 points better over the three weeks. If you are buying one defender and keeping her past the rebuild, buy Carpenter; Olislagers is a one-week pick, and at 2% ownership a sharp differential for it. Lynn Wilms (6.0m, AVL) is the same story at 4.8 → 3.5 → 2.9.

Manchester United's defence has moved up in this run. Maya Le Tissier (6.0m, MAN), 29% owned, is now third among defenders over three weeks: 4.5 → 5.9 → 3.5 on [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI, 13.9 in total, with 5.9 at Charlton the best Gameweek 6 number of any defender and 5.1 again in Gameweek 8. She also takes United's penalties. Anna Sandberg (5.5m, MAN) is the cheaper differential at 3%: 4.8 → 5.3 → 2.7 on the same run, with the City derby the week to plan around, and Andrea Medina (5.5m, MAN) (4.5 → 5.2 → 3.5) is the alternative. Ruby Mace (5.5m, EVE) is the value defender who keeps playing: 4.7 → 4.4 → 4.5 on [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL, 13.6 in total, on 81 expected minutes and 11% owned.

For the budget slot, Leah Mitchell (4.0m, IPS) is the best value of any defender at 5.2 at Sheffield United, 1.30 points per million. Her team-mate Kenzie Weir (5.0m, IPS) projects the same 5.2 on the same [A]SHU → — → [H]SUN run, and Oliwia Wos (4.0m, BRC) is the other cheap WSL2 option at 4.5 against Southampton, on [H]SOU → — → [H]WOL. All three are Gameweek 5 buys that go out in the free rebuild, and all three are under 2% owned. One for the rebuild rather than now: Grace Fisk (5.0m, LIV) projects 3.4 → 3.9 → 4.7 on [A]MAN → [A]AVL → [H]LCL, and her line rises every week of the window.

Best midfielders for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5

Lauren James (7.5m, CHE) is still the best midfielder over the next three gameweeks: 5.6 → 5.4 → 6.2 on [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY, 17.2 in total, and her six-week weighted score is third in the whole game behind only Shaw and Russo. The caveat is minutes. Our predicted lineups have her on 47 expected minutes, so her floor is lower than her price suggests and she is not the automatic captain. If you own her (29% do), hold. If you do not, she is a better buy in the Gameweek 6 rebuild than with a transfer now, because you will see the Gameweek 6 lineups first.

Mariona Caldentey (7.5m, ARS) is the rebuild target in the same price band: 3.8 → 6.9 → 5.7 on [A]MCI → [H]BIC → [A]TOT, 16.4 in total. The hidden gem of the window is her team-mate Géraldine Reuteler (6.0m, ARS): 3.6 → 6.2 → 5.3 on the same Arsenal program, 15.1 over three weeks, more than any other midfielder below 7.5m, and under 1% of managers own her. Gameweek 5 at City is the weak week for both, so buy them when transfers are free. Jessica Park (8.0m, MAN) is the steady premium: 5.1 → 5.7 → 3.9 on [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI, 14.7 in total, on 84 expected minutes and 19% owned, and a hold.

The cheapest way into Chelsea's [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY run in midfield is Giulia Dragoni (5.0m, CHE) at 4.2 → 4.2 → 4.8 (13.2), under 1% owned, with Erin Cuthbert (6.5m, CHE) (4.4 → 4.2 → 4.6, 13.2, 2% owned) the alternative. Neither has a bad week in the window. Ornella Vignola (7.0m, EVE) is the steady Everton differential: 4.9 → 4.0 → 4.6 on [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL, 13.5 in total, on 80 expected minutes and 1% owned.

Kirsty Hanson (8.0m, TOT) is now the top WSL midfielder of Gameweek 5 at 6.0 against London City, and she takes a share of Tottenham's penalties. Her [H]LCL → [A]CHE → [H]ARS program dips to 3.2 at Chelsea, but she is worth keeping in mind beyond it: 6.4 and 6.3 in Gameweeks 8 and 9. Fran Kirby (6.0m, BHA) projects 5.8 against Charlton for Gameweek 5 only, on a [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU program that drops to 2.3 at City.

The WSL2 rentals top this week's midfield list. Emily Syme (7.5m, BRC) projects 6.3 against Southampton and 6.8 against Wolves in Gameweek 7 ([H]SOU → — → [H]WOL), on 84 expected minutes. Beth Lumsden (7.5m, NEW) projects 6.2 at Durham on [A]DUR → — → [A]NFO. Poppy Wilson (4.0m, WAT) projects 6.0 at Wolves on [A]WOL → — → [H]DUR, which is 1.50 points per million, the best value of any midfielder, on 82 expected minutes. All three blank in Gameweek 6, which is fine if you plan to rebuild then anyway. Beth Hepple (7.5m, DUR) is one to remember for later: 5.0 this week on [H]NEW → — → [A]WAT, then 7.7 at Watford in Gameweek 7, the best projection of any player that week.

Best forwards for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5

Brighton's front two are the forwards of the round. Madison Haley (6.5m, BHA) projects 7.4 at home to Charlton, the highest of any player in Gameweek 5. Her 0.79 expected goals is the round's best, helped by Brighton's penalties, on 70 expected minutes and 1% owned. Kiko Seike (7.0m, BHA) is next at 7.1 on more minutes (75) and is 9% owned. Their program is [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU, which runs 7.4 → 2.6 → 5.0 for Haley and 7.1 → 2.8 → 5.4 for Seike, so treat both as one-week buys and move them in the rebuild if you need the slot. Both are back to 5.9 and 6.0 in Gameweek 8.

Over three weeks, Alessia Russo (11.5m, ARS) is the best player in the game. Her [A]MCI → [H]BIC → [A]TOT run projects 4.8 → 7.8 → 6.9, 19.5 in total, and she takes Arsenal's penalties. The City away game is the dip, not a reason to sell. Khadija Shaw (12.5m, MCI), 67% owned, is right behind her at 5.1 → 7.9 → 5.7 on [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN, 18.7 in total, on 72 expected minutes and with City's penalties, and she has the best six-week weighted score in the game. Both are holds, and both have their best week of the three in Gameweek 6.

Melvine Malard (8.0m, CHE) is the Chelsea forward: 4.9 → 4.9 → 5.8 on [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY, 15.6 in total, 11% owned, with 0.45 expected goals this week. That is the best three-week line of any forward below Russo and Shaw. The new name is Elisabeth Terland (7.0m, MAN): 5.1 → 6.1 → 3.8 on [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI, 15.0 in total and 0.50 expected goals this week, at 6% ownership. The Charlton trip in Gameweek 6 is her week, and her six-week weighted score is third among forwards. Vivianne Miedema (9.0m, MCI) is the City differential for the rebuild at 6% ownership: 4.1 → 6.4 → 4.6 on [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN. Compare every option on the WSL Fantasy player picks page.

Captain picks for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5

Madison Haley (6.5m, BHA) is the captain at 7.4 against Charlton, with the highest goal expectation of the round and Brighton's penalties. Kiko Seike (7.0m, BHA) (7.1) is the safer alternative on more expected minutes. Both run [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU, so the armband is a one-week call, not a reason to keep them. Emily Syme (6.3) and Beth Lumsden (6.2) are the next tier, ahead of Kirsty Hanson, Poppy Wilson and Marisa Olislagers (all 6.0) and Lauren James (5.6).

Captaincy is a plan, and the next weeks look different. Khadija Shaw is the top Gameweek 6 captain (7.9 against Brighton), just ahead of Alessia Russo (7.8 against Birmingham), with Mariona Caldentey (6.9) and Vivianne Miedema (6.4) next. In Gameweek 7 Beth Hepple leads (7.7 at Watford), then Alessia Russo (6.9) and Emily Syme (6.8). Khadija Shaw is top again in Gameweek 8 (7.3) and in Gameweek 9 (8.5). That is the strongest argument for keeping Shaw and Russo through the rebuild.

Who to sell before WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5

The Gameweek 6 rebuild changes the sell question. Any sale you make now could be made for free in seven days, so a sale only belongs in Gameweek 5 if it gains something this week. These do.

Alexia Putellas (8.5m, LCL) is the clearest sale, and she is 52% owned. London City's trip to Tottenham is a fair fixture (37% win, 25% clean sheet), so this is not about the opponent. Our predicted lineups have her on 55 expected minutes, and she projects 2.6 → 2.6 → 2.0 along [A]TOT → [H]EVE → [A]LIV, 7.2 over three weeks. Why now: a spare transfer turns her 2.6 into Kirsty Hanson's 6.0 for less money, which banks about three points before the free rebuild. Mapi León (5.5m, LCL, 29% owned) is the same story at the back: 52 expected minutes and 2.2 → 2.3 → 1.6. Daniëlle van de Donk (4.5m, LCL, 23% owned) is on 45 expected minutes and 1.9 this week.

Mary Earps (5.5m, LCL, 14% owned) projects nothing across the window, because our lineups have Elene Lete in the London City goal. Why now: a keeper who never plays is a wasted squad slot every week, and swapping her for Brosnan or Proulx is a clean four-point gain this week. Emily Fox (6.5m, ARS, 14% owned) has no projected minutes in the window either. Leah Williamson (5.5m, ARS, 21% owned) is on 32 expected minutes and projects 1.1 → 1.2 → 1.0, and Ona Batlle (6.0m, ARS, 35% owned) is on 41 and 1.5 → 1.6 → 1.4, even with Arsenal's good run to come. Why now: Leah Mitchell or Ruby Mace cost no more and project three to four points more this week alone.

Three you can wait on. Lauren Hemp (8.0m, MCI, 41% owned) projects only 3.1 against Arsenal and 11.5 across [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN, well short of Caldentey or Reuteler, but she rises to 4.9 against Brighton, so the free rebuild is the time to move her rather than a transfer now. Alex Greenwood (6.0m, MCI, 27% owned) projects 1.8 → 3.0 → 2.1 on 60 expected minutes, and Lucy Bronze (5.5m, CHE, 31% owned) 2.5 → 2.3 → 2.7 on 59. Both are sells, but neither gains enough this week to be worth a transfer you could make for free in Gameweek 6. And do not sell Shaw or Russo: both have their best week of the three in Gameweek 6.

Best Free Hit team for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5

WSL Fantasy gives you two Free Hits for the season, and they cannot be played in the Gameweek 6 unlimited-transfer week. Most managers will want to save them for the WSL2 blank weeks still to come, Gameweek 8 first among them, but if your squad is badly out of shape for this week, Gameweek 5 is a cheap time to use one: the squad reverts afterwards, and Gameweek 6 is a free rebuild anyway. This is the best one-week squad the model finds, within the three-per-club limit:

That 3-5-2 projects 65.4 points from the starting eleven, or 72.8 with Madison Haley's captaincy. It leans on Brighton, Ipswich and WSL2 rentals who are little use in Gameweek 6, which is exactly what a Free Hit is for. The exact optimum updates with every model run on the WSL Fantasy optimal teams page.

More analysis for every week of the season is in our WSL Fantasy preview hub, and the rules and scoring are covered in the WSL Fantasy guide.

FAQ

Who should I captain in WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5?

Madison Haley is the top captain pick for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5 at 7.4 points against Charlton, with the highest goal expectation of the round and Brighton's penalties. Her team-mate Kiko Seike projects 7.1 on more expected minutes and is the alternative. Lauren James projects 5.6 on 47 expected minutes.

Should I sell Alexia Putellas before WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5?

Yes, if you have a transfer to spare. Putellas projects 2.6 points at Tottenham on 55 expected minutes and 7.2 across the next three gameweeks. Kirsty Hanson projects 6.0 this week for less.

Which budget defenders are best for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5?

Leah Mitchell (4.0m, Ipswich) is the best-value budget rental at 5.2 points, but Ipswich have no Gameweek 6 fixture. For a cheap defender who keeps playing, Ruby Mace (5.5m, Everton) projects 4.7 → 4.4 → 4.5 over the next three gameweeks.

Best differentials for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5?

Madison Haley (1% owned, 7.4 points) and Marisa Olislagers (2%, 6.0) are the best one-week differentials. Géraldine Reuteler (3.6 → 6.2 → 5.3) and Elisabeth Terland (5.1 → 6.1 → 3.8) are the low-owned picks to hold through the rebuild.

Which teams have no fixture in WSL Fantasy Gameweek 6?

In the current schedule, the 12 WSL2 clubs have no Gameweek 6 fixture: Bristol City, Burnley, Durham, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Southampton, Sunderland, Watford and Wolverhampton. All 14 WSL clubs play.

This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.