Forward is the most top-heavy position in FPL this year: a clear elite few, then a steep drop. The plan is simple — own one of the best, or go cheap and spend the money elsewhere. Here are the top forwards for 2026/27 by our FPL AI Rating. Full board: FPL AI Player Rankings.
The top forwards
- Erling Haaland (MCI, £15.5) — 89, the one true premium
- Igor Thiago (BRE, £8.0) — 87
- João Pedro (CHE, £7.5) — 87
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin (LEE, £6.0) — 86
- Ollie Watkins (AVL, £8.0) — 85
- Richarlison (TOT, £6.0) — 80
The budget standout
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (LEE, £6.0, rating 86) is the value play of the position — only Haaland and the two £7.5–£8.0 forwards rate higher, and he costs a fraction of them. The perfect enabler if you splash on Haaland up top.
Where our AI is cooler than the crowd
Some popular names don’t match their price or ownership in our model:
- Viktor Gyökeres (ARS, £7.5) — 79
- Benjamin Šeško (MUN, £7.0) — 73
- Brian Brobbey (SUN, £6.0) — 70, yet owned by over 20% — a classic popularity trap
It’s not “never buy” — but the rating says there is better value elsewhere right now.
How to use this
Own one elite forward, then save at the position and load up in midfield and defence. Balance it with our best midfielders, best defenders and overall value picks. How the ratings work: the methodology.
Full list: FPL AI Player Rankings (Top 50). Test your picks against other readers in our mini-league.
Ratings are generated by our AI model from official FPL data and refreshed every gameweek.