Erling Haaland leads our FPL captain picks for Gameweek 7, with Manchester City’s home match against Ipswich Town making him the clear favourite for the armband.
Bukayo Saka provides the strongest premium alternative, while Pascal Groß, Rayan Cherki and Maxim De Cuyper offer different levels of risk for managers willing to move away from the most popular captain.
Gameweek 7 deadline: Saturday, 17 October at 11:00 BST. Managers should check the confirmed team news before activating a chip or selecting a player with a potential rotation risk.
Latest update – 17 October 2026: Haaland takes first place after scoring in five consecutive Premier League Gameweeks and twice against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek. Saka ranks second, while Groß and De Cuyper enter the round as the joint-highest-scoring players in FPL.
Last updated: 17 October 2026.
FPL Gameweek 7 Captain Picks
| Rank | Player | Opponent | Captaincy category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erling Haaland | Ipswich Town (H) | Best overall pick |
| 2 | Bukayo Saka | Nottingham Forest (A) | Best premium alternative |
| 3 | Pascal Groß | Crystal Palace (H) | Best form pick |
| 4 | Rayan Cherki | Ipswich Town (H) | High-upside differential |
| 5 | Maxim De Cuyper | Crystal Palace (H) | Defensive differential |
The fixtures have been checked against the official Premier League Matchweek 7 schedule.
5. Maxim De Cuyper – Crystal Palace at Home
Maxim De Cuyper is the most aggressive captaincy option in the top five.
Although listed as a defender in FPL, De Cuyper has regularly operated in a more advanced position for Brighton. That role has helped him produce three double-figure hauls and reach 53 points after six Gameweeks.
His attacking involvement is only part of the appeal. Brighton have kept four clean sheets, while Crystal Palace arrive without injured striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. A clean sheet would give De Cuyper a useful base before any attacking return is considered.
Captaining a defender remains risky. One Palace goal would remove four clean-sheet points, and De Cuyper cannot match the goal expectancy of Haaland or Saka.
However, his unusual role gives him several routes to a large score. He is a genuine differential for managers chasing rank rather than simply protecting their position.
4. Rayan Cherki – Ipswich Town at Home
Rayan Cherki offers another way into Manchester City’s outstanding Gameweek 7 fixture.
The French midfielder has scored four goals and supplied two assists, giving him 44 FPL points. He also leads City’s midfielders for both shots and chances created.
Ipswich have not kept a clean sheet this season and have already conceded eight goals in three away matches. Their defensive numbers suggest City should create enough opportunities for more than one attacker to return.
Cherki played only 45 minutes against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek, improving his chances of starting on Saturday. He has also started five of City’s first six Premier League matches.
Rotation remains the main drawback. Phil Foden is available again after suspension, while Jérémy Doku and several other attackers are competing for places.
Cherki is therefore more suitable as a differential captain than a safe alternative. Managers who want City coverage without taking that risk should remain with Haaland.
3. Pascal Groß – Crystal Palace at Home
Pascal Groß remains one of the strongest FPL assets of the early season.
He collected another assist against Sunderland in Gameweek 6, taking his total to three goals, five FPL assists and 53 points. He is now level with De Cuyper as the highest-scoring player in the game.
Groß has returned points in several different ways. He creates chances, takes a large share of Brighton’s set pieces and remains involved in penalties. Those responsibilities make his output more sustainable than that of a midfielder relying entirely on open-play goals.
Brighton have scored 18 times, more than any other Premier League club. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, have conceded 12 goals and allowed more shots inside the penalty area than any other side.
The concern is ceiling. Groß often accumulates points through assists and bonus rather than producing the multiple-goal hauls associated with Haaland. That makes him slightly less attractive when City have such a favourable home fixture.
He remains the best captain for managers who do not own Haaland or Saka. His form, secure minutes and dead-ball duties provide a strong combination for the home meeting with Palace.
2. Bukayo Saka – Nottingham Forest Away
Bukayo Saka is the leading alternative for managers who decide not to captain Haaland.
The Arsenal winger has produced three goals this season and leads all FPL midfielders for big chances. He also has the most shots inside the penalty area among Arsenal players.
Saka added a goal and an assist from the bench against Lille in the Champions League. His reduced midweek minutes should leave him ready to start at Nottingham Forest.
Forest have struggled at home and are dealing with several fitness concerns. Morgan Gibbs-White is a doubt, while their defensive numbers suggest Arsenal should receive opportunities even if the match remains competitive.
Saka’s penalty duties strengthen his case. He can deliver without Arsenal dominating open play and receives an extra point for each goal compared with a forward such as Haaland.
The fixture is not as favourable as Ipswich at home, while Arsenal have occasionally shared their attacking returns across several players. Saka is still the best vice-captain and the strongest option for managers determined to oppose Haaland.
1. Erling Haaland – Ipswich Town at Home
Erling Haaland is comfortably the best captain for Gameweek 7.
The Manchester City striker has scored six goals in six Premier League appearances, finding the net in each of the last five Gameweeks. He then scored twice against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Haaland leads the league for shots on target and remains City’s first-choice penalty taker. He has also been one of their most secure starters when fit.
Ipswich have conceded 15 big chances across their three away matches, an average of five per game. They are also yet to record a Premier League clean sheet this season.
City have won all six of their league matches and scored 16 goals. Haaland is the player most likely to benefit if they turn their territorial dominance into another comfortable victory.
His high ownership also matters. A Haaland return would be particularly damaging for managers who own him but give the armband to somebody else.
There are attractive differentials this week, but none offers the same combination of form, fixture, penalties and expected minutes. Haaland is the clear captain and also a reasonable Triple Captain option.
Should You Triple Captain Haaland in Gameweek 7?
Gameweek 7 is one of the strongest early opportunities to use the Triple Captain chip.
Haaland is in form, Manchester City are at home and Ipswich have struggled defensively away from home. The fixture therefore contains most of the qualities managers normally seek before committing the chip.
There is still no guarantee of a major return. City played in the Champions League on Wednesday, and a comfortable lead could result in Haaland being substituted early.
Managers who prefer to wait will have other opportunities. City host Hull City in Gameweek 16, while Saka has home matches against promoted opponents later in the season.
Using the chip this week is defensible, but it is not compulsory. Haaland remains the best standard captain regardless of the Triple Captain decision.
Other Gameweek 7 Captain Options
João Pedro returned from injury with a 12-point haul against Bournemouth. He has five Premier League goals and remains Chelsea’s main central threat, although Everton away is more difficult than the fixtures available to Haaland, Saka and Brighton’s attackers.
Cole Palmer is available and continues to offer penalties, set pieces and secure minutes. He remains capable of a double-digit score, but João Pedro enters the Everton match in better form.
Thierno Barry is an interesting differential on the opposite side of that fixture. He has recorded more big chances than any other Premier League player and faces a Chelsea defence without a clean sheet this season.
Marcus Tavernier has a favourable home match against Sunderland. He leads Bournemouth for several attacking indicators and offers a lower-owned route into a defence that has conceded 12 goals.
Dominic Solanke and Savio face Coventry City at home on Monday night. The fixture is attractive, but Tottenham’s poor start and uncertain attacking hierarchy make both players difficult to captain.
Players to Avoid as Gameweek 7 Captains
Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo remain injury doubts for Liverpool’s trip to Brentford. Neither should be considered for the armband without confirmation that he will start.
Bruno Fernandes has penalties and secure minutes, but Manchester United have scored only twice across their last three Premier League matches. Leeds have also been difficult to beat at Elland Road.
Morgan Gibbs-White is carrying a muscle problem and faces Arsenal. Even if declared available, the combination of fitness uncertainty and a difficult opponent limits his captaincy appeal.
Final FPL Captaincy Verdict
Haaland is the clear Gameweek 7 captain. He has scored in five consecutive league matches and now faces an Ipswich side without a clean sheet.
Saka is the best premium alternative and the preferred vice-captain. His penalty duties, goal threat and secure role give him a realistic chance of punishing managers who move away from Haaland.
Groß provides the strongest form-based alternative, while Cherki offers another route into Manchester City’s attack. De Cuyper is the high-risk defensive captain for managers seeking a major rank gain.
- Best Overall Pick: Erling Haaland
- Best Premium Alternative: Bukayo Saka
- Best Form Pick: Pascal Groß
- Best Attacking Differential: Rayan Cherki
- Best Defensive Differential: Maxim De Cuyper
- Best Triple Captain Option: Erling Haaland
The official Fantasy Premier League captaincy analysis also places Haaland at the centre of the Gameweek 7 decision.
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