The Touchline Edge
No. 006
This week's callA sharper read on the FPL decisions that matter
GW2's edge is in the cheap seats: buy the Brighton full-back who's producing like a midfielder, and let the crowd argue about Cherki.
The call
De Cuyper
This week’s standout is a Brighton defender producing attacking-midfielder numbers at an enabler price. Guéhi offers the safer floor, Lewis-Potter is the near-unowned Brentford punt, and Cherki is the divisive option. Each pick has upside, but the risks and limited sample sizes need to be taken seriously.
Buy De Cuyper (BHA, DEF, £4.6) — 1.68 xGI, the pool's best defensive output, at just 8.4% owned before the crowd arrives.
He's a bench-filler price generating output you'd normally pay premium-midfield money for, with a climb fit of 78.88 marking him as the enabler that frees funds elsewhere. The risk is plain: it's a one-match sample, his 17 form came against softer opposition, and CHE away at FDR 4 is the toughest tier going — if the attacking numbers regress, you own a low-scoring defender at a hostile venue.
- 8.4% owned
- 78.88 climb fit
- CHE away (FDR 4)
Confidence55 / 100
Risk: Medium — elite underlying output but one-match sample and a difficulty-4 away fixture. Best for Budget defensive slot for managers needing to free funds for a premium elsewhere; a set-and-forget enabler rather than a captaincy or short-term punt..
Data snapshot: live