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 week of the first Leg, and that changes how to use your transfers. Gameweek 6 is one of the season's unlimited-transfer matchweeks, so anything you buy now only has to pay off for one week before you can rebuild for free. The programs below still matter, though. They tell you which players you will want to keep through the rebuild, so a Gameweek 5 transfer that lands one of them does two jobs at once. If you missed last week, our WSL Fantasy Gameweek 4 preview covers the build-up.
The other thing to plan around: in the current schedule, the WSL2 clubs in this game's player pool have a Gameweek 5 fixture but no fixture in Gameweek 6 (or Gameweek 8). All fourteen WSL clubs play in Gameweek 6. That makes every WSL2 player a one-week rental right now. They are useful for Gameweek 5 and then go out in the rebuild. Those later weeks are not final yet, 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 8.89 expected goals and 1.40 expected clean sheets over three gameweeks, with a win probability above 75% in all three games. They have also been the stingiest side so far: 0.43 expected goals conceded per game across the first three gameweeks, with 8 goals scored and 1 conceded. There is no week in that run to plan around, so Chelsea players are the easiest holds in the game.
Arsenal are second on attack (6.90 xG), but the order of the fixtures matters. [A]MCI in Gameweek 5 is a coin-flip game (38% win). The value comes after it: [H]BIC in Gameweek 6 (84% win, 2.94 expected goals) is one of the best single fixtures of the next three weeks, followed by [A]TOT at 68%. Manchester City have the mirror image, [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN (6.07 xG). Brighton at home is City's week to target, and the games either side of it are hard.
Manchester United are the defensive pick this week and next. [H]LIV (40% clean sheet) and [A]CHA (47%) are two very good defensive fixtures. The [H]MCI derby in Gameweek 7 is the week to plan around, not a reason to avoid them. Among WSL sides, Aston Villa have the best attacking fixture of the round after Chelsea: [H]CRY at 59% win and 2.33 expected goals. With [H]LIV and [A]EVE to follow, Villa are a one-week target. Everton's [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL is modest on goals (4.17 xG) but carries 0.91 expected clean sheets. That is fourth-best among WSL sides, behind Chelsea (1.40), Arsenal (1.12) and Manchester United (1.05).
The WSL clubs, sorted by three-gameweek expected goals (MAN = Manchester United, MCI = Manchester City, LCL = London City Lionesses, BIC = Birmingham City, CHA = Charlton):
| Team | Fixture | Win probability | Expected goals | Clean sheet | Program (GW5 → GW6 → GW7) | 3-round xG | 3-round CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHE | [A]WHU | 78% | 2.69 | 48% | [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY | 8.89 | 1.40 |
| ARS | [A]MCI | 38% | 1.58 | 21% | [A]MCI → [H]BIC → [A]TOT | 6.90 | 1.12 |
| MCI | [H]ARS | 36% | 1.55 | 20% | [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN | 6.07 | 0.86 |
| MAN | [H]LIV | 58% | 1.80 | 40% | [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI | 5.37 | 1.05 |
| AVL | [H]CRY | 59% | 2.33 | 27% | [H]CRY → [H]LIV → [A]EVE | 5.16 | 0.73 |
| BHA | [H]CHA | 58% | 1.91 | 38% | [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU | 4.53 | 0.72 |
| EVE | [H]BIC | 46% | 1.46 | 36% | [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL | 4.17 | 0.91 |
| LIV | [A]MAN | 18% | 0.90 | 17% | [A]MAN → [A]AVL → [H]LCL | 3.90 | 0.72 |
| WHU | [H]CHE | 7% | 0.74 | 7% | [H]CHE → [A]CRY → [A]BHA | 3.75 | 0.49 |
| TOT | [H]LCL | 51% | 1.88 | 29% | [H]LCL → [A]CHE → [H]ARS | 3.73 | 0.44 |
| LCL | [A]TOT | 25% | 1.25 | 15% | [A]TOT → [H]EVE → [A]LIV | 3.62 | 0.66 |
| CRY | [A]AVL | 20% | 1.32 | 10% | [A]AVL → [H]WHU → [H]CHE | 3.46 | 0.30 |
| BIC | [A]EVE | 25% | 1.02 | 23% | [A]EVE → [A]ARS → [H]CHA | 3.19 | 0.62 |
| CHA | [A]BHA | 18% | 0.98 | 15% | [A]BHA → [H]MAN → [A]BIC | 2.81 | 0.47 |
The WSL2 clubs have only two fixtures in the window because of the Gameweek 6 blank. Their totals are not comparable with the table above, so they are listed separately. Wolves at home to Watford (66% win, 2.45 expected goals) is the standout WSL2 fixture of the round.
| Team | Fixture | Win probability | Expected goals | Clean sheet | Program (GW5 → GW6 → GW7) | 3-round xG | 3-round CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOL | [H]WAT | 66% | 2.45 | 32% | [H]WAT → — → [A]BRC | 4.11 | 0.49 |
| BRC | [H]SOU | 41% | 1.56 | 25% | [H]SOU → — → [H]WOL | 3.33 | 0.44 |
| NEW | [A]DUR | 50% | 1.72 | 32% | [A]DUR → — → [A]NFO | 3.24 | 0.65 |
| BUR | [A]NFO | 35% | 1.29 | 26% | [A]NFO → — → [H]SHU | 3.01 | 0.65 |
| IPS | [A]SHU | 43% | 1.46 | 31% | [A]SHU → — → [H]SUN | 2.87 | 0.57 |
| DUR | [H]NEW | 25% | 1.14 | 18% | [H]NEW → — → [A]WAT | 2.85 | 0.37 |
| LEI | [A]SUN | 43% | 1.51 | 30% | [A]SUN → — → [H]SOU | 2.85 | 0.61 |
| WAT | [A]WOL | 15% | 1.14 | 9% | [A]WOL → — → [H]DUR | 2.78 | 0.27 |
| SOU | [A]BRC | 33% | 1.40 | 21% | [A]BRC → — → [A]LEI | 2.55 | 0.47 |
| SUN | [H]LEI | 30% | 1.22 | 22% | [H]LEI → — → [A]IPS | 2.54 | 0.46 |
| NFO | [H]BUR | 37% | 1.34 | 27% | [H]BUR → — → [H]NEW | 2.44 | 0.49 |
| SHU | [H]IPS | 30% | 1.18 | 23% | [H]IPS → — → [A]BUR | 2.13 | 0.41 |
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 goalkeeper both this week and over the next three. Her program is [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL, and she projects 4.4 → 4.3 → 4.0 points for 12.7 over three gameweeks, more than any other keeper. Everton's clean-sheet chance against Birmingham is 36%, and only 8% of managers own her. She is a buy you will not need to undo in the rebuild.
Hannah Hampton (5.5m, CHE) is the template keeper at 54% ownership, and there is no reason to move her. Her [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY run projects 4.1 → 3.9 → 4.0, which is 12.0 in total and flat all the way, behind the best defence in the league. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (5.5m, MAN) matches Hampton this week at 4.1 and peaks at 4.6 against Charlton in Gameweek 6. The City derby drops her to 3.1 in Gameweek 7.
For a cheap Gameweek 5 rental, Lysianne Proulx (4.0m, IPS) projects 4.3 at [A]SHU with a 31% clean-sheet chance. Her program is [A]SHU → blank → [H]SUN, so she is strictly a one-week pick. If you want a cheap keeper who keeps playing, Eartha Cumings (4.5m, MCI) runs 3.2 → 4.0 → 3.5 on City's [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN.
Best defenders for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5
This is the position where this week's ranking and the three-week ranking disagree most. Fridolina Rolfö (5.5m, MAN) is the top defender this week at 6.0, and at 1.09 points per million she is the best value of any defender at a WSL club. But her [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI program falls away to 4.6 and then 2.5, and she is on only 52 expected minutes. Treat her as a one-week differential at 4% ownership, not a hold.
If you are buying one defender and keeping her, buy Maya Le Tissier (6.0m, MAN). On the same [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI program she projects 5.7 → 6.0 → 3.3, which is 15.0 over three gameweeks, with 84 expected minutes. Her two best weeks are the next two, so buying now captures the whole peak. She is already 30% owned and will stay popular through the rebuild.
Ellie Carpenter (7.0m, CHE) ties Le Tissier on 15.0 but gets there on a near-flat line: 5.0 → 4.8 → 5.2 on [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY. That flat program is what makes her a player you can hold and stop thinking about. Ruby Mace (5.5m, EVE) is the cheaper durable option: 5.4 → 4.5 → 4.6 on [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL, 14.5 in total, with 84 expected minutes and 11% ownership.
Budget defenders: Hannah Blundell (4.5m, EVE) projects 4.4 → 3.4 → 3.1 on [H]BIC → [A]LCL → [H]AVL at 3% ownership, the cheapest way into Everton's defence. Leah Mitchell (4.0m, IPS) is the best budget rental of the week: 5.3 at [A]SHU, which is 1.32 points per million, and she is barely owned. Her [A]SHU → blank → [H]SUN program makes her a pure one-week buy that goes out in the Gameweek 6 rebuild. Jayde Riviere (5.0m, MAN) is the cheap way into Manchester United's two good weeks (4.8 → 4.1), but she is on 63 expected minutes.
Best midfielders for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5
Kirsty Hanson (8.0m, TOT) is the highest-projected player in the game this week at 7.4 against London City, with 0.48 expected goals. She already has two league goals this season. Her program is [H]LCL → [A]CHE → [H]ARS, and it drops to 3.4 and 4.1 after this week. That makes her a one-week buy who goes back out in the rebuild, and Gameweek 6 makes that rebuild free. Her next big week after that is [A]BIC in Gameweek 8 (6.4).
Jessica Park (8.0m, MAN) is the midfielder to buy and keep for the next fortnight: 5.7 → 5.8 → 3.9 on [H]LIV → [A]CHA → [H]MCI, 15.4 in total, with 76 expected minutes. Lauren James (7.5m, CHE) is the three-week pick in the same price band: 5.0 → 5.1 → 5.9 on [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY, a rising 16.0. The catch is 47 expected minutes. Her output per minute is what carries the projection, so she is the riskier of the two in any single week.
Beth Mead (7.0m, MCI) is joint-best of all midfielders over three weeks at 16.2: 4.7 → 6.9 → 4.6 on [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN. The Brighton week is the peak, so the Gameweek 6 rebuild is the natural time to buy her if you do not already own her. The same goes for the hidden gem of the position. Ceri Holland (6.5m, LIV) is on penalties and projects 4.1 → 5.9 → 6.2 on [A]MAN → [A]AVL → [H]LCL. That rising line is worth 16.2 at 3% ownership. The trip to Manchester United makes Gameweek 5 her weak week, so leave her until the rebuild and buy her then.
Budget midfielders: Wieke Kaptein (5.5m, CHE) is the cheapest way to own Chelsea's program in midfield: 4.2 → 4.2 → 4.8 on [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY, 13.2 in total, 2% owned. She has played 234 of a possible 270 league minutes so far. Fran Kirby (6.0m, BHA) projects 4.9 against Charlton and has created 1.15 xA in three games. Her [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU program dips to 2.5 at City, so she works as a Gameweek 5 pick rather than a hold. Beth Lumsden (7.5m, NEW) projects 5.9 at Durham and is a WSL2 rental only.
Best forwards for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5
Forward is the other position where the rankings split. Amalie Vangsgaard (6.5m, AVL) is the top forward this week at 6.2. Her 0.64 expected goals against Crystal Palace is the highest goal expectation of any player in the round. Her [H]CRY → [H]LIV → [A]EVE program then falls to 4.2 and 3.5. At 1% ownership she is the forward differential for Gameweek 5 specifically.
Over three weeks, Alessia Russo (11.5m, ARS) is the best player in the game, and it is not close. Her [A]MCI → [H]BIC → [A]TOT run projects 4.3 → 7.7 → 6.9, which is 18.9 in total. Her weighted six-gameweek score of 22.2 is the highest in the game. She takes Arsenal's penalties and had 2.11 xG in the first three gameweeks without a goal to show for it. The City away game is the dip, not a reason to sell. She is the hold of the season so far and the captain for Gameweek 6.
Melvine Malard (8.0m, CHE) is the next-best forward over three weeks at 16.2: 5.1 → 5.1 → 6.0 on [A]WHU → [H]TOT → [A]CRY, 12% owned, on 61 expected minutes. Kiko Seike (7.0m, BHA) projects 6.1 at home to Charlton on [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU. She dips to 3.0 at City and comes back to 5.2 against West Ham: two very good weeks out of three, 14.3 in total. Her Brighton team-mate Madison Haley (6.5m, BHA) takes penalties and projects 5.9 → 2.8 → 4.7 on the same [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU program at 1% ownership. For a cheap bench forward, Maya Hijikata (4.5m, AVL) projects 4.1 in the Crystal Palace game.
Compare every option on the WSL Fantasy player picks page, and check the WSL predicted lineups before you commit. Several of the minutes figures above will firm up once Gameweek 4's line-ups are known.
Captain picks for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5
Kirsty Hanson (8.0m, TOT) is the captain at 7.4 against London City, on a [H]LCL → [A]CHE → [H]ARS program that makes her a one-week captain. She is 1.2 clear of the next-best player, which is a big gap in a round this flat. Amalie Vangsgaard (6.2, [H]CRY → [H]LIV → [A]EVE) is the alternative with the higher goal expectation. Kiko Seike (6.1, [H]CHA → [A]MCI → [H]WHU) is the third option.
Captaincy is a plan, and the next two weeks look different. Alessia Russo is the clear Gameweek 6 captain (7.7 against Birmingham), ahead of Beth Mead (6.9 against Brighton). Russo leads again in Gameweek 7 (6.9 at Tottenham), ahead of Ceri Holland (6.2) and Melvine Malard (6.0). If you do not own Russo, the Gameweek 6 rebuild is the moment to fix that.
Who to sell before WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5
Khadija Shaw (12.5m, MCI) is the sell for Gameweek 5, and the reason is this week's minutes, not her quality. She had 5.15 xG and four goals in the first three gameweeks. But she was not in City's starting XI against Charlton, and the model has her on only 41 expected minutes against Arsenal. That is 2.7 points, or 0.22 points per million. Her [H]ARS → [H]BHA → [A]MAN program recovers to 5.0 and 4.0 if she is back. Why now: 66% of managers are holding 12.5m that projects less than a 4.0m rental this week, and the Gameweek 6 unlimited-transfer week means you can buy her back for free if she is fit.
The same reasoning applies to Lauren Hemp (8.0m, MCI, 39% owned). She was also not in the starting XI against Charlton and projects 1.0 → 3.7 → 2.9. Selling her for a Gameweek 5 starter costs you nothing you cannot undo a week later.
Alex Greenwood (6.0m, MCI, 26% owned) is the third City sell, and in her case the program is the problem. She projects 2.7 → 3.8 → 2.8, which is 9.3 over three weeks. Le Tissier costs the same and projects 15.0, and her best two weeks are the next two. Why now: making the swap this week banks Le Tissier's Gameweek 5 as well as her Gameweek 6.
One not to sell: Kerstin Casparij (8.0m, MCI, 34%) projects only 3.3 against Arsenal but jumps to 5.2 against Brighton. You can wait a week on her and decide in the rebuild.
Best Free Hit team for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5
WSL Fantasy gives you two Free Hits for the season. Gameweek 5 is a sensible week to consider one if your squad is badly out of shape. The squad reverts after the week, but with Gameweek 6 being a free rebuild anyway, the reversion costs you very little. Here is the best one-week squad the model finds, within the three-per-club limit:
- GK: Courtney Brosnan (5.0m, EVE) 4.4 · bench: Lysianne Proulx (4.0m, IPS) 4.3
- DEF: Fridolina Rolfö (5.5m, MAN) 6.0 · Maya Le Tissier (6.0m, MAN) 5.7 · Ruby Mace (5.5m, EVE) 5.4 · bench: Leah Mitchell (4.0m, IPS) 5.3, Kenzie Weir (5.0m, IPS) 5.2
- MID: Kirsty Hanson (8.0m, TOT) 7.4 (captain) · Poppy Wilson (4.0m, WAT) 5.9 · Beth Lumsden (7.5m, NEW) 5.9 · Jessica Park (8.0m, MAN) 5.7 · bench: Olivia Holdt (7.5m, TOT) 5.2
- FWD: Amalie Vangsgaard (6.5m, AVL) 6.2 · Kiko Seike (7.0m, BHA) 6.1 · Madison Haley (6.5m, BHA) 5.9
That 3-4-3 projects 64.6 points from the starting eleven, or 72.0 with Hanson's captaincy. It leans on WSL2 rentals who are no 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?
Kirsty Hanson is the top captain pick for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5. She projects 7.4 points at home to London City Lionesses, 1.2 more than anyone else. Amalie Vangsgaard (6.2 against Crystal Palace) and Kiko Seike (6.1 against Charlton) are the alternatives.
Should I sell Khadija Shaw before WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5?
Yes, if you have a transfer to spare. Shaw was not in Manchester City's starting XI against Charlton and projects only 2.7 points against Arsenal on 41 expected minutes. Gameweek 6 is an unlimited-transfer week, so you can buy her back for free if she returns.
Which budget defenders are best for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5?
Leah Mitchell (4.0m, Ipswich) is the best budget rental at 5.3 points, but Ipswich have no Gameweek 6 fixture. For a cheap defender who keeps playing, Hannah Blundell (4.5m, Everton) projects 4.4 → 3.4 → 3.1 over the next three gameweeks.
Best differentials for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5?
Amalie Vangsgaard (1% owned, 6.2 points), Fridolina Rolfö (4%, 6.0) and Madison Haley (1%, 5.9) are the best one-week differentials. Ceri Holland (3%) is the differential to buy in the Gameweek 6 rebuild, rising 4.1 → 5.9 → 6.2 over the next three gameweeks.
Is WSL Fantasy Gameweek 5 a good week for a Free Hit?
It is a reasonable one if your squad is weak for this week. The Free Hit squad reverts after Gameweek 5, and Gameweek 6 is an unlimited-transfer week anyway, so the main cost is using one of your two Free Hits. The best one-week squad projects 72.0 points including the captain.
This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.