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FPL GW23 Review · 2025/26

GW23 Reviewhow did you do?

January 27, 2026By FPLai

Scoreboard

How the field scored

44Average

59Green Arrow

74Elite

Key takeaways

Gameweek 23 for the 2025/26 season proved brutal for many, with a low average score of 44. Captaincy was a tale of two cities; heavily-backed options delivered minimal returns, while a less owned alternative rewarded its backers handsomely. This challenging week offered stark reminders about ownership concentrations and the potential rewards of overlooked assets, setting the stage for crucial lessons ahead of GW24.

- Best decision of the GW: Backing Semenyo (MCI) with the captain's armband yielded a significant 16 points. - Biggest popular mistake: The vast majority of managers saw their captaincy hopes dashed by Haaland's (MCI) 2-point return. - One actionable takeaway for GW24: Diversifying captaincy choices away from heavily concentrated options can provide significant rank boosts in unpredictable gameweeks.

Captaincy verdict

Haaland

72.9% owned

Base1 Captain2

Missed

Semenyo

48% owned

Base8 Captain16

Missed

Thiago

37.6% owned

Base2 Captain4

Missed

Guéhi

37.5% owned

Base6 Captain12

Missed

Gabriel

37.2% owned

Base1 Captain2

Missed

Heroes & villains

Heroes

Estêvão

CHE · 2.3% owned

Starred in Chelsea's impressive 3-1 away victory against Crystal Palace.

13pts

Szoboszlai

LIV · 5.7% owned

Instrumental in Liverpool's goal-scoring despite a narrow 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth.

13pts

João Pedro

CHE · 29.6% owned

A significant contributor in Chelsea's productive attacking display against Crystal Palace.

12pts

Bowen

WHU · 8.3% owned

Led the line effectively in West Ham's 3-1 home win against Sunderland.

12pts

Villains

HaalandMCI · 72.9% owned — The season's most essential asset failed to deliver in a 2-0 clean sheet win, resulting in a significant rank fall for the majority.

GabrielARS · 37.2% owned — A high-ownership defender blanked and conceded three goals at home, punishing a large portion of managers.

RayaARS · 33.3% owned — Arsenal's goalkeeper conceded three goals in a home loss to Manchester United, leading to a minimal return for over a third of the FPL populace.

The lesson

Diversify Captaincy Risk

With overwhelming ownership on a single captain, a blank can be devastating for overall rank. Spreading risk or identifying high-upside alternatives, even within the same team, can pay dividends when the favourite fails.

Actionable for GW24

Unearth Low-Owned Gems

Players like Estêvão (2.3% owned) and Buendía (0.4% owned) topped the charts, rewarding managers who looked beyond highly owned assets for form and strong fixtures, indicating the power of differentials.

Actionable for GW24

Clean Sheets Are Not Guaranteed

Arsenal's popular defensive assets (Gabriel, Raya) blanked due to conceding three goals at home. Relying solely on fixture strength for defensive returns carries inherent risk; form and opposition strength are critical factors.

Actionable for GW24

Get GW24 captain picks

Utilise robust analysis tools to dissect these outcomes and refine your strategy for future gameweeks.

GW24 captain picks

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the average FPL score in Gameweek 23?

The average FPL score in Gameweek 23 was 44 points. A score of 59+ was needed for a green arrow, while 74+ was considered an elite score.

Who were the highest scoring FPL players in Gameweek 23?

The top FPL performers in Gameweek 23 were: Estêvão (13 pts), Szoboszlai (13 pts), João Pedro (12 pts), Bowen (12 pts).

Did the top FPL captain picks deliver in Gameweek 23?

Haaland disappointed as captain in GW23 with 2 captain points (1 base points).

Which FPL players disappointed in Gameweek 23?

The biggest FPL disappointments in Gameweek 23 were: Haaland (1 pts), Gabriel (1 pts), Raya (1 pts).