With GW3 approaching, Erling Haaland’s advantage of playing a newly promoted side makes him a prime captaincy contender.
However, with Luton, Fulham, and Notts Forest facing Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man Utd, respectively, there are some deserving options that are worth looking into.
Here are our top 5 best captains for this gameweek.
Erling Haaland
- Fixture: Sheffield United (a)
- Anytime Return: 71%
- Predicted Points: 7.1
Haaland leads the predicted points at 7.1 and given his ownership at 91%, he’s a safe and good captaincy option in GW3.
Haaland’s history against weaker teams and his recent performance against Burnley, where he netted two goals, highlight his dominance over lower-ranked opponents.
His xG per 90 minutes of 0.55 and an impressive xGI per 90 of 0.59, shows his attacking threat.
He blanked against Newcastle, but he did have 4 shots and is likely to be back on the scoresheet this week against a much weaker side in Sheffield United.
Marcus Rashford
- Fixture: Nott’m Forest (H)
- Anytime Return: 63%
- Predicted Points: 7.0
Marcus Rashford presents a compelling case despite registering only 5 points from the first two games.
He drew blanks against Wolves and Spurs but did have an xGI of 0.41 in 84 minutes in the latter.
He also had 6 shot-creating actions for United against Spurs (only behind Bruno’s 7).
Going up against more favorable opposition than Tottenham this week, Rashford is set for a strong performance.
Few will captain him, giving the opportunity for a rise in rank should he perform well.
Raheem Sterling
- Fixture: Luton (H)
- Anytime Return: 55%
- Predicted Points: 6.1
Sterling could be an unexpected inclusion on this list for most people.
In the recent match against West Ham, Sterling showcased greater involvement compared to his performance against Liverpool.
Playing the entire 90 minutes, he achieved an expected goal involvement (xGI) of 0.29.
He also had the most shot-creating actions (7) in that game for Chelsea alongside Enzo.
The fixture against newly promoted Luton Town at home offers a golden opportunity for Chelsea’s attackers to find their form and with a mere 2% ownership, he presents a fantastic differential choice.
Bukayo Saka
- Fixture: Fulham (H)
- Anytime Return: 54%
- Predicted Points: 5.9
Looking at Saka’s recent stats, underlying metrics, and the fixture with Fulham makes him a strong captaincy candidate.
He played 88 minutes in the game against Crystal Palace, and he had 3 shots and an xGI of 0.24.
Facing Fulham at home in GW3, he has the potential for a big gameweek.
It should be noted that Saka didn’t take Arsenal’s penalty against Crystal Palace – Martin Odegaard did.
Given the Norweigan scored it, it’s unlikely Saka will take the next one, therefore reducing his appeal for captaincy going forward.
Gabriel Martinelli
- Fixture: Fulham (H)
- Anytime Return: 51%
- Predicted Points: 5.6
Another Arsenal player worth considering for the captaincy role is Gabriel Martinelli.
According to our best captain picks, Martinelli ranks as the 5th best option with a projected 5.6 points and a 51% chance of anytime return.
Notably, he shares a similar anytime goal percentage (39%) with Saka.
Additionally, Martinelli has a relatively low ownership rate of 15%, making him a differential choice.