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FPL captaincy mistakes (and how to stop making them)

Your captain's points count twice, three times with Triple Captain. That makes the armband the single biggest weekly decision in Fantasy Premier League, and a few poor calls across a season can cost more than any transfer.

How captaincy works in FPL

• Your captain scores double points for the gameweek.
• If your captain plays 0 minutes, your vice-captain gets the double points instead. If neither plays, nobody is doubled.
• The Triple Captain chip makes your captain score triple points for one gameweek.
• You can change captain right up to the gameweek deadline.

1. Captaining a rotation risk

A player who might be benched, or subbed at 60 minutes, has a lower ceiling no matter how good he is. Minutes come first: an average player who plays 90 minutes usually beats a star who plays 25. Check press conferences and recent minutes before the deadline.

2. Ignoring the fixture

Strong attackers score more against weaker defences, and home fixtures generally help. Look at the opponent's recent goals conceded and chances allowed, not just the league table.

3. Chasing last week's haul

One big score is a small sample. A player's underlying numbers (shots, chances, expected goals and assists) and his role on set pieces and penalties say more about next week than last week's points.

4. Forgetting penalties

Penalty takers get extra chances to score that other players don't. When two options are close, the one on penalties is usually the safer captain.

5. Setting a careless vice-captain

Your vice only matters if your captain doesn't play, so pick someone likely to start, ideally in a different match. If your captain plays early in the gameweek, you'll know quickly whether the vice will be needed.

6. Over-thinking a differential

Captaining a low-owned player can win a mini-league, but it is a deliberate risk. If you are protecting a lead, the popular, reliable pick is often the rational one; if you are chasing, a differential can make sense. Decide based on your situation, not on a hunch.

How to measure your own captaincy

Compare each week's captain with the highest scorer in your own starting XI. The gap, multiplied by the captain bonus, is what the armband cost you with hindsight. Single weeks are noisy; if the gap is large across many weeks, your process needs work. PointsLeak calculates this for every gameweek of your season, and also compares your picks with the most-captained player each week.

FAQ

More guides

• Is a −4 hit worth it in FPL?
• When to use your FPL Wildcard and other chips
• FPL bench points: stop leaving them on the bench
• How to find your FPL team ID