In this article, we will look at the potential differential picks for your Fantasy Premier League team for Gameweek 7 in the 2023/24 season.
Read more about GW5 in our guide: FPL Gameweek 7: Tips, Captain, Transfer Targets & Team Selection
Best differentials for FPL 2023/24 Gameweek 7 and beyond: Our Watchlist
Goalkeeper differential
Raya (4.8m, Arsenal) – 4/10
- It looks Raya is set to be the new Arsenal’s number-one goalkeeper
- Good at saves and bonus points
- Arsenal second lowest for xG conceded this season
- The price drop to 4.8m makes him very affordable
- Tougher fixtures for Arsenal on the horizon (but he could get points for saves)
- Ramsdale still could get a few starts
Read more: Best FPL Goalkeepers to Pick
Defense differential
Schar (5m, Newcastle)
- Newcastle fixtures are improving
- If you are on Wildcard, consider Newcastle defenders
- offers attacking threat, 3.4 attacking returns per season on average during the last 5 seasons
- long term differential up to GW10
- Good pick for managers who want a Newcaslte defender but do not have cach for Trippier
Emerson (4.5m, West Ham)
- one to monitor for GW7 onwards, could be a differential pick.
- Now when West Ham’s fixtures improve, he should not be overlooked.
Our rating: 2/10
Reguillon (4.4m, Manchester United)
- Manchester United’s fixtures are improving
- offers attacking threat
- 37 % clean sheet odds for GW7
Our rating: 2/10
Read more: Best FPL Defenders to Pick
Midfield differentials
Gibbs-White (5.9m, Nottingham)
- In less than 2% of teams
- fixtures are improving for Nottingham
- A differential midfielder to consider in the GW7 wildcard
- A key man for Nottingham, on penalties
Our rating: 3/10
Doucuré (5.5m, Everton)
Verdict: Potential differential
- 2G this season from 2.1 xG
- A good fixture in GW7 against the leaky Luton defense
- He is overlooked by the FPL community as he is not an explosive fantasy asset
- But he is the player that has already had two 120+ points seasons before
- He can slowly rack up points for goals and assists, but do not expect double-digit hauls
- Top for xGI among Everon players
- But Everton will not score many goals
Our rating: 3/10
Read more: Best FPL Midfielders to Pick
Attack differentials
Morris (5.5m, Luton)
- Deferential pick
- Double gameweek in GW7
- The main man for Luton in the previous season in the Championship with 20G + 7A
- Talisman, already with 1G + 1A
- Potentially on penalties
- Up to GW10 fixtures looks good
Our rating: 4/10
Solanke (6.5m, Bournemouth)
- 3 attacking returns so far despite tougher fixtures.
- Now when fixtures are improving for Bournemouth, he should not be overlooked.
- Could be long term differential
Our rating: 3/10
Read more: Best FPL Forwards to Pick
Who is a differential in Fantasy Premier League?
In the context of the FPL, a “differential” refers to a player who is not widely selected by other managers but has the potential to perform exceptionally well, thereby providing an edge over opponents. For example in this article, we considered as differentials only players who are selected by less than 5% of FPL managers.
The impact of differentials on your FPL score
The impact of differential players can be profound. For instance, if a differential player scores a goal, only a small number of managers will benefit from the points awarded for that goal. This means that those managers will move ahead of their rank competitors who did not have that player.
Read more: What is Effective Ownership in FPL?
On the other hand, if a widely owned player, such as Haaland, scores, almost everyone will benefit from his goal, which means, almost no one can move in the ranking,
Strategies to identify differentials
- Understanding player performance statistics can provide insights into potential differentials. This includes not only goals and assists but also underlying stats, such as shots on target, key passes, crosses, and other metrics that might indicate a player is in good form.
- A player’s Fixture Difficulty Rating (FDR) can be a useful tool for identifying potential differentials. The FDR rates upcoming matches based on their perceived difficulty, which can influence the likelihood of a player performing well.
- If a regular starter is injured or suspended, a less popular player may get the chance to play and could become a valuable differential.
Common pitfalls when picking differentials
One of the common mistakes in identifying and selecting differentials is chasing last week’s points. Managers often pick players who performed well in the last game week without considering their overall performance and upcoming fixtures.
Over-reliance on differentials is another pitfall. A balanced team with a mix of popular and differential players could work better than a team full of differential. To avoid these mistakes, it’s important to carry out thorough research, take calculated risks, and maintain a balanced team.
