When Fantasy Premier League Meets The Betting Market

Gameweek 9 produced one of the more unpredictable spreads of the season, with several of the week’s best returns coming from players outside the usual big-name conversation.

There is a new leader at the top of the overall standings with Brighton's Maxim De Cuyper moving a point clear of Erling Haaland.

The Brighton star, who is listed as a defender but plays in a more forward position, added nine points to his total points haul last weekend.

This article is about how the fantasy stars from the last round of fixtures performed and asks can they back it up this weekend with the latest odds on betting apps?

Verbruggen Top Of The Stoppers

Bart Verbruggen (Brighton) was the standout goalkeeper of the week with 11 points, comfortably clear of the chasing pack. Caoimhin Kelleher (Brentford) and Jordan Pickford (Everton) tied for second on seven apiece, giving the position two mid-table sides punching above their weight.

Verbruggen’s week continues a strong run of form, with a season total now at 51 points and ownership climbing to 23.0% - still a differential compared to Arsenal’s David Raya, who leads overall ownership at 46.6% despite a much quieter individual week this time out.

Game Day 9 Leading Goalkeepers:

Kelleher and Pickford arrive from opposite ends of the ownership spectrum. Kelleher sits at just 6.1% selected with a modest 33-point season total, while Pickford’s 36 points and 8.5% ownership suggest Everton’s defensive solidity is starting to register with more managers.

Fixture-wise, Verbruggen’s run looks workable in the short term - Brentford at home, then a trip to Hull City, before Newcastle visit in Gameweek 12 - while Raya’s run (Hull City at home, Newcastle away, then Man City at home) toughens considerably by the final fixture of the three.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Brighton Vs Brentford this weekend.

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Van Hecke Ahead After Bizarre Header

Jan Paul Van Hecke (Spurs) topped the position with 15 points, his best individual return of the season by some distance. Wesley Fofana (Chelsea) was next on 11, with Ezri Konsa (Arsenal) and Sepp Van den Berg (Brentford) tying for third on 10 apiece.

Van Hecke’s underlying numbers back up the headline score: a season-high threat rating of 156, an ICT influence score of 315.6 and six bonus points already banked this gameweek alone. At 11.0% ownership and 175,920 transfers in, he’s clearly been identified as this week’s standout pickup.

Game Day 9 Leading Defenders:

Fofana’s return is the more surprising of the group - a modest 19-point season total and just 0.2% ownership make his 11-point haul here a genuine outlier rather than a continuation of existing form. Konsa and Van den Berg sit at different points on the ownership curve too: Konsa’s 22.8% reflects an established defensive asset, while Van den Berg’s 0.1% ownership means almost nobody benefited from his return.

Looking ahead, Van Hecke’s fixtures (Leeds away, Ipswich at home, Sunderland away) look kind enough to sustain interest, while Fofana’s run through Sunderland, Leeds and Forest offers similar opportunity for Chelsea’s backline.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Leeds Utd Vs Tottenham this weekend.

Ayari Rises To The Top

Yasin Ayari (Brighton) led all midfielders with 10 points, with Morgan Rogers (Chelsea) and Jack Rudoni (Coventry City) tying for second on nine points apiece - a reminder that Brighton’s squad continues to produce FPL-relevant performers from unexpected areas.

Ayari’s return comes at just 1.4% ownership, making this one of the week’s more hidden hauls, while his season total of 43 points suggests a player building a case for wider attention beyond this single gameweek.

Game Day 9 Leading Midfielders:

Rogers, by contrast, arrives as one of the most heavily owned midfielders in the game at 52.3%, and his nine-point return will have been felt widely across mini-leagues. His season total of 50 points - built on a 272.6 influence score - points to someone delivering consistently rather than relying on one-off spikes.

Rudoni’s involvement is the most unusual story of the three. At 0.9% ownership and playing for a Coventry side that’s spent much of the season near the bottom of the table, a nine-point return represents a rare FPL bright spot for an unfancied squad.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Brighton Vs Brentford this weekend.

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McBurnie Burns Bright For Tigers

With a goal and an assist against Ipswich, Oli McBurnie (Hull City) topped the forwards with 12 points, the best individual return among any attacker this week. Behind him, six players - Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Evanilson (Bournemouth), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Nicolas Jackson (Aston Villa), Thierno Barry (Everton) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry City) - all finished tied on nine points, making this the most congested battle for a top-three spot of the entire gameweek.

McBurnie’s haul is a standout given his modest 1.7% ownership and £5.5m price tag, and it lifts his season total to 36 - a meaningful return for a promoted side’s main striker.

Game Day 9 Leading Forwards:

Among the six-way tie, Evanilson’s case stands out statistically: a season-high 52 points, seven bonus points banked and 17.7% ownership following 371,365 transfers in, suggesting Bournemouth’s forward has been the most proactively targeted pickup of the group.

Jackson’s involvement is also notable for his form rating of 8.2 - the highest of any forward in this group - and 10 bonus points for the season, hinting at performances backed up by genuine underlying quality rather than fortunate scorelines.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Arsenal Vs Hull City this weekend.

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