Current FPL leader triple-captained defender with 3.1% ownership in 'genius' move
A fan who triple-captained Brighton defender-turned-winger Maxim De Cuyper for Gameweek 1 is currently the number one Fantasy Premier League (FPL) player in the world with 116 points.
At the time of writing, De Cuyper is GW1's top performer with 17 points after he notched a goal, an FPL assist and a clean sheet for Brighton in their 4-0 win over Aston Villa.
The Belgian has earned more points than any other player so far, including teammate Jack Hinshelwood (16) and Hull City's Nobel Mendy (15), as well as Mamadou Sangare (14), Semi Ajayi (14), Anton Stach (13) and Michael Kayode (13).
As a result of injuries to Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh, Fabian Hurzeler deployed De Cuyper in a more attacking role for the Seagulls on Saturday, a move that paid off for FPL players around the world.
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The 25-year-old is a full-back by trade and is categorised as a defender on the Fantasy Premier League website.
In total, only 3.5% of players chose the £4.5m De Cuyper for GW1, including Saif Ali, who went as far as triple-captaining the former Club Brugge and Club NXT defender, earning 51 points as a result.
Liverpool goalscorers Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, who earned 12 points and eight points respectively, also feature in Ali's team alongside Arsenal trio Ben White (11), Martin Odegaard (11) and Kai Havertz (6).
Thiago, who is Brentford's most expensive FPL asset at £8.0m, had a week to forget after missing a penalty in their 3-0 win over Spurs, but despite earning 0 points for Ali, he remains the world number one.
FPL announced 11 major position changes before GW1
Ahead of Friday's Premier League opener between Arsenal and newly-promoted Coventry, those behind FPL announced position changes to several players.
Junior Kroupi, Patrick Dorgu and Omar Marmoush were among the big names who have been handed a change of position in Fantasy this season.
Kroupi has been reclassified as a number 10 instead of a forward after mainly featuring behind Evanilson during Bournemouth's record-breaking campaign last term.
Dorgu, meanwhile, has switched from a defender to a midfielder after playing in an advanced role under Michael Carrick in 2025/26.
Marmoush's position has changed from a midfielder to a forward after being mainly utilised as a centre-forward by Pep Guardiola in his final campaign in charge.
Here are those FPL position changes for 2026/27 in full:
- Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal) - new position: MID, old position: DEF
- Lamare Bogarde (Aston Villa) - new position: MID, old position: DEF
- Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth) - new position: FWD, old position: MID
- Keane Lewis-Potter (Brentford) - new position: MID, old position: DEF
- Mats Wieffer (Brighton) - new position: DEF, old position: MID
- Georginio Rutter (Brighton) - new position: FWD, old position: MID
- Rio Cardines (Crystal Palace) - new position: DEF, old position: MID
- Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham) - new position: DEF, old position: MID
- Omar Marmoush (Manchester City) - new position: FWD, old position: MID
- Patrick Dorgu (Manchester United) - new position: MID, old position: DEF
- Eric Moreira (Nottingham Forest) - new position: DEF, old position: MID
Topics: Fantasy Football, Football, Brighton And Hove Albion
Jack Kenmare