Rate My Team AI Picks Arsenal 1st on 79 Points as Sunderland Slides to 17th

Q: Beyond Erling Haaland, which overlooked budget striker holds the true key to dominating Fantasy Premier League this year?

Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks like the standout overlooked budget striker. The strongest case is the combination of model backing, price and role. Rate My Team flags him as one of the value forwards most likely to reach double figures, and separate pre-season analysis describes him as a guaranteed starter for Leeds if fit. At £6.0m, he offers a far cheaper route into goals than the premium forwards while still carrying realistic 10-to-15 goal potential. There is also evidence behind the appeal. Calvert-Lewin scored 14 league goals last season, a return bettered only by Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago, Antoine Semenyo and Joao Pedro among forwards cited in the supporting coverage. Leeds have reportedly added creativity, which should improve the service into him, and his recent run suggests his old injury issues are less of a drag on his minutes than they once were. The alternatives all come with heavier caveats. Brian Brobbey is interesting and is also highlighted by the model, but Sunderland are projected to struggle and his output last season was modest. Igor Jesus has upside, yet his starting place is less secure. Promoted-club enablers such as Ellis Simms, Chuba Akpom or Oli McBurnie are cheaper, but they play in sides widely expected to battle relegation, limiting their attacking floor. For managers trying to fit Haaland and still preserve balance, Calvert-Lewin appears to be the budget forward with the clearest path to reliable returns and early-season value.

3 articles · Updated · Fantasy Football Scout · Aug 17

79.2 projected points put Arsenal top of Rate My Team’s 2026/27 Premier League table, ahead of Manchester City on 74.7 and Liverpool on 70.8.
80.3 goals against just 38.5 conceded give Arsenal the model’s best balance, while City are forecast as the league’s top scorers with 80.8 goals.
17th-place Sunderland are the standout drop-off after finishing seventh last season, with the model pointing to regression and Europa League involvement as key drags.
34.2, 32.4 and 25.2 points send promoted Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City straight back down in the projection, with Hull also tipped to concede a league-worst 78.7 goals.
27.1 projected goals make Erling Haaland the top individual scorer in the model, ahead of Alexander Isak on 20.6 and Cole Palmer on 17.1.