We are here with our pick of the best Gameweek FPL differential picks for this week. Gameweek 3 of the 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League season presents several exciting differential options for managers looking to move away from the most popular picks. Whether you're searching for a cheap forward, an explosive midfielder or a budget defender, there are some high-risk, high-reward options worth considering.
Here are the top five FPL differentials to buy for Gameweek 3.
1. Igor Jesus (Nottingham Forest) — £5.9m
Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham have had a horrible start to their Premier League season, with their attack struggling and their defence looking vulnerable. That makes their upcoming trip to Nottingham Forest particularly interesting from an FPL perspective.
Forest are coming off a huge 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, where they looked extremely promising and showed plenty of attacking threat. Igor Jesus also appears to be Oliver Glasner's first-choice striker and played the full 90 minutes against Liverpool.
At just £5.9m, Jesus is a gamble worth taking. With Forest now facing a vulnerable Spurs defence at home, Jesus could deliver excellent value for his price.
Verdict: A cheap, high-upside forward who could reward brave FPL managers.
2. Anthony Elanga (Newcastle United) — £6.1m
Anthony Elanga has started the new season brilliantly after being labelled a flop by many fans last season following an underwhelming campaign for Newcastle.
However, he has completely changed the narrative this season. Elanga has been on fire under Newcastle's new manager Matthias Jaissle, scoring in both of his opening matches and collecting 17 FPL points already.
Newcastle now face Bournemouth at home, which is another opportunity for Elanga to continue his impressive run. Bournemouth aren't the same side without their key defensive presence, and Elanga's pace and direct style could cause problems.
At £6.1m, he is another gamble that could pay off handsomely. A third consecutive attacking return would make him one of the standout early-season differential picks.
Verdict: Excellent form, an attractive fixture and a very affordable price make Elanga a serious option.
3. Bradley Barcola (Liverpool) — £8.0m
This is arguably the most exciting differential on the list for Gameweek 3.
Barcola is exactly the type of pick for FPL managers who enjoy taking surprising and unpopular high-risk, high-reward options. The biggest question is whether he starts for Liverpool after completing his record-breaking move to the club. He has been added to FPL as an £8.0m midfielder.
Even if Barcola doesn't start, he could still make a difference from the bench. Liverpool face Ipswich this week, and that is precisely the kind of fixture where a player with Barcola's attacking quality could produce a return even with limited minutes.
The uncertainty over his starting position is the major drawback, but that's also what makes him such an interesting differential.
Verdict: A genuine boom-or-bust pick with enormous potential if he gets meaningful minutes.
4. Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City) — £5.6m
Joško Gvardiol is one of the best differential defender options for Gameweek 3.
The Manchester City defender has made an excellent start to the season under Enzo Maresca, and his appeal isn't limited to City's clean-sheet potential. Gvardiol has already scored once and assisted once in his opening two matches, giving him two attacking returns in just two games.
At £5.6m, that's extremely attractive for a defender, particularly with Manchester City hosting Coventry this weekend. The fixture is one of the best on the Gameweek 3 schedule, with City expected to dominate possession and create plenty of chances.
Gvardiol therefore offers the potential for points at both ends of the pitch.
Verdict: One of the strongest differential defenders this week, with massive clean-sheet and attacking upside.
5. Ezri Konsa (Arsenal) — £4.4m
Finally, we have another fascinating high-risk option in Ezri Konsa.
Konsa joined Arsenal from Aston Villa and comes with a strong reputation. At just £4.4m, he could potentially become one of the best cheap defenders in FPL if he establishes himself as a regular in Arsenal's backline.
Konsa made his Arsenal debut last week, coming on for Cristhian Mosquera in the closing stages. Mosquera's withdrawal was described by Mikel Arteta as precautionary, so there is still uncertainty over whether Konsa will start against Chelsea, but it does look like he could make his first start against Xabi Alonso's men.
The fixture itself isn't ideal, but Arsenal have started the season with two consecutive clean sheets, highlighting the defensive strength available under Mikel Arteta.
At £4.4m, Konsa could become an absolute bargain if he secures a regular starting role.
Verdict: A risky pick now, but potentially one of the best budget defenders if he wins a starting spot.
Final Thoughts
These five players all carry some degree of risk, but that's exactly what makes them attractive differentials. Igor Jesus and Anthony Elanga offer affordable attacking upside, Barcola is the explosive wildcard, while Gvardiol and Konsa provide intriguing defensive options.
For FPL managers looking to gain ground on their mini-league rivals, these are five names worth considering before the Gameweek 3 deadline.
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