FPL managers rarely lose an entire season because of one unlucky Gameweek.
The larger damage usually comes from repeating the same decision mistakes.
Here are the seven deadly sins of FPL and a practical way to avoid each one.
The seven sins at a glance
| Sin | FPL behaviour | Typical consequence | Better response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pride | Refusing popular players to appear different | Repeated rank damage from obvious high-value picks | Judge each player on expected points |
| Greed | Chasing every price rise | Early transfers, injuries and wasted moves | Buy only when the player improves the plan |
| Lust | Falling in love with a new signing or friendly scorer | Selecting an uncertain starter | Demand evidence of role and minutes |
| Envy | Copying or opposing rivals emotionally | Losing independent decision quality | Use rivals as context, not instruction |
| Gluttony | Spending too much on the bench | Weak captaincy and starting XI | Fund one reliable substitute first |
| Wrath | Rage-transferring after a blank | Selling good players before strong fixtures | Wait until emotion falls |
| Sloth | Ignoring deadlines, news and bench order | Avoidable zeroes and missed transfers | Use a repeatable deadline checklist |
1. Pride: refusing the obvious pick
Some managers believe every selection must be clever.
They avoid highly owned players only because those players are popular. This can produce a squad full of differentials with weaker minutes and lower expected points.
Popularity is not proof that a player is good, but it is not evidence that he is bad either.
The cure
Ask:
- Is the player expected to start?
- Does he have penalties or set pieces?
- Are the fixtures strong?
- Is the price fair?
- Does he provide captaincy value?
Use the OneFPL Player Lab to compare the popular option with your differential.
2. Greed: chasing every £0.1m
Team value matters, but points matter more.
A likely price rise can tempt managers into transferring before a midweek match or press conference. Saving £0.1m becomes expensive when the new player gets injured and requires another transfer.
The cure
| Buy early when | Wait when |
|---|---|
| The player has no midweek match | Important team news is pending |
| His starting role is secure | Rotation is unclear |
| The rise blocks your planned move | You can still afford him later |
| You expect to keep him long term | The transfer is only for one fixture |
Check the market in OneFPL Prices, then test the transfer in the OneFPL Planner.
3. Lust: falling for the shiny new player
A new signing, position change or friendly hat-trick can take over an FPL draft.
The problem is not excitement. The problem is selecting the player before his minutes, position and responsibilities are known.
The cure
Demand at least three signals:
- Starts with the likely first team
- Plays an FPL-friendly role
- Receives meaningful minutes
- Has suitable fixtures
- Avoids major competition
One exciting highlight is not enough.
4. Envy: managing your rival's team
Mini-leagues create emotional decisions.
Managers copy the leader's transfer, sell a player because a rival owns him or captain a weak differential simply to be different.
The cure
Use rival information only to understand risk.
A rival's player can be:
- A threat worth matching
- A weakness worth attacking
- Irrelevant to the best decision
Select the move with the strongest expected benefit for your own team.
5. Gluttony: overfeeding the bench
A strong bench feels safe.
It can also trap money that should be funding your captain or starting attackers.
The 2026/27 squad still contains 15 players, but only 11 normally score for you. Bench Boost is used occasionally, not every week.
The cure
Build:
- One reliable first substitute
- One cheap defender with real minutes
- One final low-cost bench option
- A reserve goalkeeper suited to your strategy
Spend more only when preparing for Bench Boost or managing heavy rotation.
6. Wrath: the rage transfer
A premium blanks. A benched player hauls. Your rank falls.
The immediate desire is to change everything.
This is the moment when good assets are often sold before good fixtures.
The cure
Wait and review:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Did the player still receive chances? | A blank can hide a good performance |
| Are the next fixtures favourable? | Selling may remove future upside |
| Has the role changed? | Tactical change is stronger evidence than one score |
| Is the replacement secure? | A new problem can replace the old one |
| Can the transfer wait? | More information usually arrives later |
7. Sloth: skipping the deadline routine
FPL punishes avoidable mistakes.
Missing injury news, forgetting the captain, leaving the wrong bench order or failing to save the team can cost points without any strategic upside.
The cure
Create a 10-minute routine:
- Check injuries
- Check expected lineups
- Confirm transfers
- Confirm captain and vice-captain
- Review goalkeeper
- Order the bench
- Check formation legality
- Save the team
- Verify the saved screen
- Stop tinkering
Use OneFPL Fixtures, OneFPL Players and the OneFPL Planner during the process.
Which sin costs the most?
| Situation | Most damaging sin |
|---|---|
| Pre-season | Lust |
| Price-change period | Greed |
| After a bad Gameweek | Wrath |
| Mini-league run-in | Envy |
| Gameweek deadline | Sloth |
| Initial squad building | Gluttony |
| Template debate | Pride |
OneFPL verdict
The best FPL manager is not the one who never makes a mistake.
It is the manager who recognises the mistake early and does not repeat it for 38 Gameweeks.
FAQ
Is following the template a sin?
No. Blindly copying is weak, but selecting high-value popular players is often sensible.
Is an early transfer always greedy?
No. It can be correct when the information risk is low and the price rise would block an important move.
How much should I spend on the bench?
Enough to secure useful minutes without weakening the starting eleven.
What is the easiest sin to prevent?
Sloth. A written deadline checklist removes many avoidable errors.
OneFPL is an independent Fantasy Premier League companion and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Premier League or Fantasy Premier League.
OneFPL analysis. OneFPL is an independent Fantasy Premier League companion and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Premier League or Fantasy Premier League.
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