Best Budget Forwards in FPL 2026/27: £5.5m–£6.5m Strikers Ranked

The best budget forwards for 2026/27

The budget-forward bracket could decide how Fantasy Premier League managers build their opening squads in 2026/27. Erling Haaland costs a record £15.5m, while several other proven forwards demand a significant portion of the £100m budget.

Finding a reliable striker between £5.5m and £6.5m can release money for premium midfielders, attacking defenders and a stronger bench. However, this price range is full of traps: some forwards have good fixtures but uncertain minutes, while others are regular starters for teams expected to struggle.

This guide ranks forwards priced from £5.5m to £6.5m. Every player included is currently registered as a forward in the 2026/27 FPL game. The rankings focus mainly on the opening six Gameweeks and should be reviewed after the final pre-season matches and before the Gameweek 1 deadline on Friday 21 August 2026.

Before finalising your structure, read our budget midfielders guide and Gameweek 1 mistakes guide so you are not choosing cheap forwards at the expense of secure minutes.

Quick verdict

Best budget FPL forwards at a glance

The FPL Assistant scores below are editorial ratings based on expected minutes, fixtures, goal threat, penalties, recent form and selection risk. They are not official FPL projections.

What is the current community consensus?

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the clear leader in the budget-forward conversation. He is regularly ranked first in early discussions because of his £6.0m price, penalty duties, 14 goals and favourable opening schedule.

Brian Brobbey is the most popular £6.0m forward by ownership, while William Osula has received early Scout backing after starting Newcastle's final seven league matches and scoring five goals. The fastest-rising name is Igor Jesus, whose four goals in four pre-season matches have pushed him into community drafts.

Our ranking moves Jesus above Brobbey because of his exceptional pre-season form. Calvert-Lewin remains comfortably first because his minutes, penalties and fixtures are more repeatable.

1. Dominic Calvert-Lewin — Leeds United

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 8.8/10

Calvert-Lewin is the clear standout in this price bracket. He scored 14 league goals and supplied two assists last season, finishing with 142 FPL points. He also ranked third among forwards for expected goals, fourth for shots inside the penalty area and fourth for big chances.

He is Leeds' first-choice penalty taker, and Leeds avoid every club that finished in last season's top seven until Gameweek 6. The warning is fitness: he missed Leeds' first two friendlies with a minor injury before returning to team training.

Buy him if you want the safest combination of minutes, penalties, fixtures and proven points. Avoid him if he fails to start Leeds' final pre-season matches or suffers another setback.

Verdict: The best budget forward and the closest thing to a safe selection in this bracket.

2. Igor Jesus — Nottingham Forest

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 8.2/10

No budget forward has enjoyed a better pre-season than Igor Jesus. He has scored in four consecutive friendlies and has looked sharp in Oliver Glasner's developing system.

Jesus and Chris Wood started together against Sporting CP, so the competition does not necessarily have to be one-for-one. However, Taiwo Awoniyi and Arnaud Kalimuendo are also in the price pool, and Jesus' larger-sample league numbers were less convincing than his current form.

Buy him if he continues starting alongside or ahead of Wood in the final friendlies. Avoid him if Forest rotate the four strikers heavily.

Verdict: The form pick of pre-season, but significantly riskier than Calvert-Lewin.

3. Brian Brobbey — Sunderland

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 8.0/10

Brobbey became Sunderland's first-choice centre-forward from Gameweek 16 last season and is currently the most popular £6.0m striker. He has the physical profile to lead the line and begins with an appealing trip to newly promoted Ipswich Town.

The problem is everything after that. Sunderland's first six fixtures are among the worst in the league, the club has European matches and Brobbey is not expected to take penalties. His selection therefore relies heavily on open-play goals.

Buy him if secure starts matter more to you than fixture difficulty. Avoid him if you plan to hold a Gameweek 1 forward for several weeks without rotating.

Verdict: Credible, but his ownership looks high compared with Sunderland's fixtures.

4. William Osula — Newcastle United

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 7.8/10

Osula started Newcastle's final seven league matches last season and scored five goals during that run. Newcastle rank third for fixtures over the opening six Gameweeks, which gives him genuine upside.

If Osula were guaranteed to start, he would challenge Calvert-Lewin for first place. Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa are also £6.0m, however, and Newcastle have changed manager following Eddie Howe's departure.

Buy him if he starts the final friendlies as the central striker. Avoid him if Newcastle continue splitting minutes among three forwards.

Verdict: Potentially outstanding value, but the new manager must clarify the hierarchy.

5. Jørgen Strand Larsen — Crystal Palace

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 7.5/10

Strand Larsen is an intriguing route into a Crystal Palace side with promising early fixtures. His £6.0m price gives him an advantage over Jean-Philippe Mateta, but that saving is meaningless if he starts on the bench.

Both Palace forwards had imperfect pre-seasons after international involvement, while European football could create further rotation. The central role and penalty position also need confirmation.

Buy him if he starts Palace's final two friendlies ahead of Mateta. Avoid him if Pierre Sage continues rotating both centre-forwards.

Verdict: The preferred Palace striker at current prices once his Gameweek 1 start looks secure.

6. Jean-Philippe Mateta — Crystal Palace

Price: £6.5m · FPL Assistant score: 7.3/10

Mateta offers a stronger historical goal threat than most forwards in this article. He registered 31 big chances last season and has previously been Palace's main penalty taker.

The problem is security. After Strand Larsen arrived, seven of Mateta's remaining nine league appearances were substitute cameos. A knee issue, a late return from the World Cup and European rotation add further risk.

Buy him if he starts ahead of Strand Larsen and retains penalties. Avoid him if Palace's forward position remains a rotation risk.

Verdict: A high-upside option who cannot be recommended until his starting position is clearer.

7. Dominic Solanke — Tottenham Hotspur

Price: £6.5m · FPL Assistant score: 7.1/10

Solanke is the most proven striker available at £6.5m. He scored 19 Premier League goals for Bournemouth in 2023/24 and can lead an attack, press from the front and play heavy minutes when fit.

Fixtures and competition are the issues. Early analysis suggests waiting until around Gameweek 7 before buying Tottenham players, while Richarlison remains at the club and a new manager could sign another striker.

Buy him if he becomes Roberto De Zerbi's clear first choice and survives pre-season without injury. Avoid him if you are selecting purely for the opening five or six Gameweeks.

Verdict: A better future transfer target than an obvious Gameweek 1 pick.

8. Evanilson — Bournemouth

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 6.9/10

Evanilson's underlying positioning was much better than his goal total suggests. He received the second-highest number of passes inside the opposition penalty area and took the third-most shots from inside the six-yard box.

Unfortunately, he scored only six times and underperformed expected goals by 4.59. Junior Kroupi's injury improves his prospects, but Bournemouth have also signed Álvaro Rodríguez and face the second-toughest opening schedule.

Buy him if he clearly starts ahead of Rodríguez and looks sharper in the final friendlies. Avoid him if you want reliable early returns rather than improved-finishing potential.

Verdict: The opportunity is there, but wait for evidence that his finishing has improved.

9. Chris Wood — Nottingham Forest

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 6.7/10

Wood remains difficult to ignore because of his long record of Premier League goals. He has featured prominently during pre-season and has shown he can play alongside Jesus.

However, Forest have four forwards competing for two positions: Wood and Jesus cost £6.0m, while Awoniyi and Kalimuendo cost £5.5m. A penalty hierarchy is also unclear.

Buy him if he starts the final friendlies and is confirmed as Forest's penalty taker. Avoid him if Forest continue rotating their four strikers.

Verdict: A proven scorer trapped inside one of FPL's least predictable forward lines.

10. Nick Woltemade — Newcastle United

Price: £6.0m · FPL Assistant score: 6.5/10

Woltemade began last season with four goals in five matches, demonstrating his scoring ability. His role then deteriorated: from Gameweek 19 onwards he was benched in 10 of the 19 matches for which he was available.

Newcastle's new manager could give him a fresh start, and the fixtures are excellent, but Osula and Wissa are the same price. No tactical decision should be assumed before the appointment and final friendlies.

Buy him if the new manager immediately installs him as Newcastle's starting No 9. Avoid him if striker minutes remain divided.

Verdict: A watchlist player rather than a serious Gameweek 1 recommendation.

Detailed budget-forward comparison

Best forward combinations

Haaland, João Pedro and Calvert-Lewin

This is currently the most balanced front three. Haaland provides captaincy and explosive potential, João Pedro offers access to Chelsea's favourable early fixtures and Calvert-Lewin releases money for midfield and defence.

Haaland, Calvert-Lewin and Igor Jesus

This saves an additional £1.5m compared with João Pedro, but Jesus carries much greater minutes risk. Use this structure only when Forest's final line-ups provide clarity.

Haaland, Calvert-Lewin and a cheap bench forward

A 3-5-2 formation can work when the midfield options are clearly stronger than the budget forwards. Do not select a non-playing third striker simply because the formation looks good on paper.

Three £6.0m forwards without Haaland

Going without Haaland allows a deeper squad and several premium midfielders, but the budget-forward bracket is full of rotation risk. The savings are attractive, while the captaincy risk is substantial.

Compare the squad trade-off with our goalkeeper strategy guide and budget defender guide before committing to a premium-heavy structure.

Should you play 3-4-3 or 3-5-2?

The strength of the £6.0m forward bracket makes 3-4-3 more viable than it initially appears. Calvert-Lewin should be startable each week, while Jesus, Brobbey or Osula could emerge as a genuine bargain.

However, the midfield bracket is deeper and provides five points per goal plus a clean-sheet point. For that reason, 3-5-2 may remain safer unless two budget forwards secure unquestioned starting positions.

Do not force a formation before identifying the strongest individual players.

Forwards to monitor

• Eddie Nketiah — Crystal Palace, £5.5m: Relevant if Palace sell a striker or injuries open a starting position.
• Taiwo Awoniyi — Nottingham Forest, £5.5m: Excellent value if he becomes first choice, but currently appears behind Jesus and Wood.
• Richarlison — Tottenham Hotspur: Could offer greater goal threat than Solanke if De Zerbi prefers him, but fitness and competition remain concerns.
• Álvaro Rodríguez — Bournemouth, £6.0m: His arrival reduces Evanilson's security; check which player starts centrally.
• Nicolas Jackson — Chelsea, £6.5m: His value depends on the transfer market and where he begins the season.

Do not select any of these players solely because transfer reports make their future sound settled. Starting roles need confirmation.

Which budget forward should you choose?

Start with one secure budget forward. Add a second only when pre-season provides a clear reason. For the rest of your squad, compare the principles here with our budget midfielders guide.

Final FPL Assistant verdict

The £6.0m forward bracket contains plenty of potential, but only one player currently combines strong minutes, penalties, fixtures and proven output: Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Igor Jesus has earned second place through exceptional pre-season form, but Forest's crowded attack prevents him from matching Calvert-Lewin's security. Brian Brobbey is popular and appears to be Sunderland's main striker, although his fixtures and lack of penalties weaken the case.

William Osula may have the highest upside after Calvert-Lewin because Newcastle's schedule is so attractive. He becomes a major option if the new manager confirms him as first choice.

Do not fill your forward line with cheap strikers simply because they release money elsewhere. Most options have uncertain minutes, and two risky forwards can quickly create multiple transfer problems.