Harry Kane is the €11.0m forward I prefer for an early draft. He scored 14 Champions League goals and 103 Fantasy points in 2025/26, takes penalties and offers the kind of captaincy ceiling that makes a premium price useful rather than merely expensive.
Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland are all €11.0m. Ousmane Dembélé and Julián Alvarez are €10.0m, Lautaro Martínez €9.5m, with Viktor Gyökeres and Serhou Guirassy at €8.5m. The premium tier is powerful, but the real decision is how many elite forwards the rest of a €100m squad can support.
Price the captaincy
I find a premium forward easiest to justify when he is also a credible captain. Penalties, expected minutes, shot volume and the timing of fixtures all affect that decision. Paying €11.0m for a player who will rarely receive the armband sets a higher bar for ordinary returns.
Matchday 1 spans Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. A premium on an early day can establish a captain score, while a later elite option preserves a switch. Do not interpret that as a requirement to own a premium on every day; two strong candidates and a clear threshold may be enough.
Minutes and role before reputation
Confirm whether the forward starts centrally, shares minutes or moves into wider areas. A prolific name can be a poor Fantasy pick if substituted early or competing with another striker. Penalty duty improves the projection, but it should supplement rather than replace open-play threat.
Look for involvement the team can repeat: touches in the box, shots, chances and a secure place. Pre-season totals against weak opposition should not outweigh the current tactical role.
Premium combinations
Two premiums can create captaincy coverage without consuming all three forward slots. A premium, upper-mid-price and value forward may release enough money for a stronger midfield and active bench. Three premiums can still work, but only if the cheaper players elsewhere have verified starts.
Avoid forced balance for its own sake. Refusing the premium tier can leave limited captaincy upside, while owning all the most expensive names can weaken every other line. Build the squad as a connected budget rather than ranking forwards in isolation.
Evaluate the alternatives
Mid-price forwards need a believable advantage: penalties, secure 90-minute roles, a strong fixture run or a high share of team goals. Cheap forwards must actually play. A minimum-price bench slot with no minutes prevents manual substitution and can force an early transfer.
Compare the first three fixtures, not just MD1. A short-term pick is valid when the exit route is clear, but two free transfers should create opportunities rather than repeatedly repair risky starters.
Final selection test
For each forward, write down expected minutes, penalties, captaincy use, first three opponents and the nearest replacement at the same price. If the case rests only on name recognition, it is incomplete. Keep late injury and transfer news in view until the deadline.
Use Compare Players for current price bands, Fixtures for schedule runs and Captain Picks when projections are refreshed. The best forward line is the one that supplies reliable starts and captaincy ceilings without making the remaining twelve squad places decorative.