We are here with our pick of the top 5 captains this week for Gameweek 2 of FPL 26/27. Choosing the right FPL captain for Gameweek 2 could make a massive difference to your early-season ranking. The opening weekend provided some interesting clues, with several premium assets delivering immediately while others were unfortunate to blank.
From the almost inevitable Erling Haaland to riskier choices such as Bruno Fernandes, here are the top five best FPL captain picks for Gameweek 2 of the 2026/27 season.
1. Erling Haaland — £15.5m
Erling Haaland failed to score against Bournemouth in Manchester City's opening Premier League fixture, but doubting the Norwegian remains a dangerous FPL strategy.
Haaland is undoubtedly the best striker in the Premier League and has a legitimate argument for being the best player in the competition. Even players of his quality will occasionally have an off day, and his Gameweek 1 blank shouldn't discourage managers from captaining him.
Manchester City now face Crystal Palace, who were particularly vulnerable defensively during their opening defeat against Everton.
Haaland is also the type of striker who needs just one goal to find his rhythm. Once that first goal arrives, he is capable of scoring two, three or even four in a match. Considering the fixture and his enormous ceiling, Haaland is arguably one of the safest FPL captains for Gameweek 2.
2. Cole Palmer — £9.5m
Anyone who watched Cole Palmer against Fulham will have seen signs of the player returning to his brilliant best.
Palmer looked sharp and physically stronger, producing an excellent performance with one goal and one assist. Provided his previous fitness problems don't return, the Chelsea star could be preparing for another huge individual season.
Chelsea face Brighton in Gameweek 2, and Palmer's performance against Fulham makes him one of the most appealing alternatives to Haaland for the captaincy.
He remains Chelsea's biggest attacking threat and possesses several routes to FPL points. If Chelsea produce another strong attacking performance, Palmer could easily deliver another double-digit haul.
3. João Pedro — £7.5m
Don't have Palmer? João Pedro offers another exciting route into Chelsea's attack and costs £2.0m less.
Like Palmer, João Pedro recorded a goal and an assist against Fulham, continuing what has been an impressive period under Xabi Alonso. He has looked excellent since pre-season and is rapidly establishing himself as one of Chelsea's most dangerous attacking players.
While João Pedro may not quite have Palmer's ceiling yet, his performances suggest the gap could become considerably smaller if he maintains his current development.
At £7.5m, captaining him would certainly be a more adventurous decision than choosing Haaland or Palmer. However, his current form and Brighton fixture make him an excellent FPL Gameweek 2 differential captain.
4. Bukayo Saka — £9.5m
Arsenal currently possess several exciting FPL options, including Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz. However, when it comes to pure explosive potential, Bukayo Saka remains arguably their standout captaincy candidate.
On his day, Saka can be almost unstoppable. His ability to produce huge individual performances was evident during the World Cup third-place game against France, when he scored a sensational hat-trick.
Arsenal now face Aston Villa, whose squad has become considerably less stable following the departure of several important players.
That makes Saka an intriguing captaincy candidate. With his combination of goal threat, creativity and ability to produce explosive hauls, he is arguably the best differential player to captain in FPL Gameweek 2.
5. Bruno Fernandes — £12.0m
Bruno Fernandes is undoubtedly the biggest risk among our five selections.
Manchester United were disastrous against Hull City in Gameweek 1, so FPL managers would be forgiven for avoiding their assets. However, United have regularly shown an ability to produce an excellent performance immediately after a disappointing result.
Gameweek 2 will also be their first Premier League match at Old Trafford this season, with Ipswich providing an attractive fixture on paper.
Fernandes is coming off a record-breaking campaign and offers something particularly interesting under the current FPL scoring system. On the right day, he can accumulate points through goals, assists, clean sheets and defensive contributions, giving him multiple routes towards a major haul.
Captaining Fernandes is undoubtedly risky given United's opening performance. However, if they respond strongly at Old Trafford, he could become one of Gameweek 2's biggest differential winners.
Who Is the Best FPL Captain for Gameweek 2?
Haaland is our safe FPL captain pick for Gameweek 2, with his fixture against Crystal Palace providing huge potential. Palmer is perhaps the strongest alternative after his superb opening performance, while João Pedro and Saka offer exciting options.
For managers chasing a genuine differential, Fernandes against Ipswich represents the high-risk, high-reward captaincy gamble of the week.
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