2025–26 FPL: The Must-Have Players Who Will Dominate Gameweek 33

The fixture list has created both challenges and openings for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, who must carefully navigate an exciting double Gameweek 33.

Six teams feature twice during the current FPL round—before blanking in GW34—and managers are eager to stack their squads with those doubling up. It's also prime time to deploy chips, whether that's triple captain, bench boost, free hit, or wildcard.

This upcoming set of matches could prove pivotal for managers looking to climb the overall rankings and top their mini-leagues.

With that in mind, here are the top players to target in GW33.

Goalkeepers

Unsurprisingly, managers should be focusing on assets with two fixtures in GW33—Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley, Chelsea, Leeds United, and Manchester City all have double fixtures.

The most attractive option is Karl Darlow (£3.9m) of Leeds, whose remarkably low price is paired with fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) and Bournemouth (A). He's also accumulated 16 points across his last three matches and looks set to remain first choice for the rest of the campaign.

Gianluigi Donnarumma (£5.6m) is another strong pick with matches against Arsenal (H) and Burnley (A), though the Italian's inclusion occupies one of three Man City slots available to managers. Those spots are better reserved for midfield and attacking assets from Pep Guardiola's side.

Đorđe Petrović (£4.6m) is a solid alternative from Bournemouth, the goalkeeper having kept three clean sheets in his last six appearances while facing Newcastle United (A) and Leeds (H).

Defenders

Bournemouth's defensive options are also worth investing in for GW33, particularly Marcos Senesi (£5.2m) and James Hill (£4.2m), both of whom carry strong clean sheet potential and solid defensive contribution records throughout the season. Adrien Truffert (£4.7m) is also a consideration, offering greater attacking threat through assists.

From the Leeds defence, Pascal Struijk (£4.3m), Jayden Bogle (£4.4m), and Gabriel Gudmundsson (£3.8m) are reliable picks, with the latter two providing stronger attacking upside but less consistent defensive returns.

Marc Cucurella (£6.0m) is the only Chelsea defender worth considering, though fixtures against Manchester United (H) and Brighton (A) don't offer much hope for clean sheets.

Nico O'Reilly (£5.0m) would be an obvious selection for GW33 and beyond, his 14-point weekend haul pushing his total to 52 points over the last six gameweeks. However, the Man City full-back is a fitness doubt, making Marc Guéhi (£5.1m) a sensible backup option should the left-back be ruled out.

Midfielders

City's midfield selections are even more enticing. Antoine Semenyo (£8.2m) remains a top pick despite his high ownership, while the in-form Rayan Cherki (£6.3m) presents a strong differential option to his teammate. Those willing to gamble could turn to Jérémy Doku (£6.4m), who carries genuine match-winning potential.

Chelsea's struggles mean even the double gameweek doesn't make most of their players must-haves, but Cole Palmer (£10.5m) could punish managers who don't own him. Though not at his sharpest, the creative midfielder is expected to start both games and retains penalty duties.

Bournemouth's midfielders are affordable and several could deliver strong returns in GW33. Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m) competes with the likes of Rayan (£5.5m) and Alex Scott (£5.0m) in FPL planning, but it's Tavernier who holds the greatest ceiling given his likely penalty responsibility and regular set-piece involvement.

Brighton don't have the easiest double gameweek, taking on former boss Roberto De Zerbi and Tottenham Hotspur (A) before hosting Chelsea (H). That said, Pascal Groß (£5.5m) and Yankuba Minteh (£5.5m) could represent decent value in the near term.

Forwards

Forward selections are somewhat more straightforward in GW33, with Erling Haaland (£14.4m) the standout first pick. Despite his modest Premier League output since the new year, he looks well-placed to reward owners across two fixtures—particularly in the second against Burnley.

João Pedro (£7.7m) is another near-certain selection given both his current form and Chelsea's double, the Brazilian having racked up 82 points since Liam Rosenior took the reins. He also faces no real competition for his starting spot, so rotation concerns are minimal.

Other double-gameweek options worth considering include Bournemouth's Evanilson (£6.7m), Brighton's Danny Welbeck (£6.3m), and Leeds' Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.6m), with the latter standing out most thanks to two very manageable fixtures.

When Is the FPL Gameweek 33 Deadline?

With no Friday fixture this week, the GW33 deadline falls at 11 a.m. BST (6 a.m. ET, 3 a.m. PT) on Saturday, April 18.