10 best forwards to pick for your 2021/22 Fantasy Premier League side

Fantasy Premier League

At 101, we are aiming to bring you extensive, detailed analysis of Fantasy Premier League over the course of the 2021/22 campaign, including best captain choice, injury news, players to pick and who to sell.

So make sure to check back to our site on a regular basis for all the best tips and updates.

We have also set up our own FPL league, which you can join using the code here: xtp90j

You can check out our list of the 101 best FPL team names here, too.

Best forwards on FPL

In this article, we will highlight the top 10 forwards worth picking up in your Fantasy Premier League side for the 2021/22 campaign.

10) Chris Wood, Burnley (7.0m)

Finding a cheap forward option for your FPL side is generally a must during a season, especially if you play with three up top.

However, both come with some amount of risk, as they are part of newly-promoted sides, so it is harder to predict how they will fare in the top-flight.

Of course, Pukki enjoyed have a decent 2019/20 when he was last in the top-flight with Norwich. But he still comes with some risk, especially now that Emi Buendia, the Canaries’ chief creator over the last two campaigns, has departed.

So, if you want a reliable, nailed-on budget forward, then Chris Wood of Burnley is likely your man.

Burnley are never the most exciting side and will probably finish in the bottom half again this season. But Wood is often their top-scorer, and a reliable source of goals.

The 29-year-old has scored at least 10 goals in his last four Premier League campaigns, including 12 in 2020/21 and 14 in 2019/20.

Burnley FC v Arsenal FC – Premier League BURNLEY, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 02: Burnley’s Chris Wood during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Arsenal FC at Turf Moor on February 2, 2020 in Burnley, United Kingdom. (Photo by Rich Linley – CameraSport via Getty Images)

9) Danny Ings, Southampton (8.0m)

Danny Ings would be higher on this list if not for his poor injury record.

On his day, Ings is one of the best strikers in the Premier League and would be a real bargain at just 8.0m.

When he was able to stay fit in 2019/20, Ings played in all 38 of Southampton’s league games, scoring 22 and assisting two – a simply superb record for a forward priced at 8.0m.

However, it is worth noting that that season was the only one in which the 29-year-old has managed more than 30 league appearances since 2015, when he was still at Burnley.

2020/21, for example, saw him feature 29 times in the PL, scoring 12 and assisting four.

So, whilst Ings should get you a decent return when fit, the main risk you take is if you want to own a fairly injury-prone star or not.

Ings has also previously been linked with Tottenham, which could impact his usefulness on FPL. However, recent reports suggest that Spurs’ search for a striker has been widened since the arrival of Fabio Paratici.

8) Jamie Vardy, Leicester (10.5m)

Jamie Vardy has been a consistent source of goals since Leicester’s title-winning season, when he netted 24 times in the league.

He has since scored 13 or more goals in every campaign, with 15 in 2020/21 his lowest tally since 2017.

But there are a couple of things to take into consideration when looking at Vardy. Firstly, 10.5m makes him the second-most expensive forward on FPL this year. And whilst he will probably get you a decent return, there may be better value for money out there.

Also, Leicester have signed Patson Daka this summer, meaning Vardy, Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho are all competing for either one or two spots – depending on how Brendan Rodgers sets his side up.

And as Vardy is now 34, perhaps we could see his role reduced somewhat over the next year or so, to help develop the younger duo of Daka and Iheanacho?

Leicester City v Sheffield United – Premier League LEICESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 14: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Sheffield United at The King Power Stadium on March 14, 2021 in Leicester, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

7) Michail Antonio, West Ham (7.5m)

Michail Antonio is a similar asset to Danny Ings, in that he is a quality goalscorer when playing, but his injury record remains an issue.

Antonio would score 10 and assist five in the league last time out. But that record would have been higher if he was able to stay fit.

He managed just 26 PL appearances, despite being the Hammers’ only real striking option. It was a similar story in 2019/20, when Antonio scored 10 and assisted three in 24 outings.

So, if he can remain fit, the 31-year-old should certainly be one to consider at just 7.5m. But the main issue is overseeing a consistent run of games uninterrupted by injury.

6) Callum Wilson, Newcastle (7.5m)

As well as Antonio, there are several more attractive 7.5m forward options to pick from on FPL this year.

One that has gone under the radar somewhat, though, and could be a very solid differential pick, is Callum Wilson.

Wilson is, at the time of writing, selected by just 5 per cent of FPL players, but is arguably just as useful an option as Antonio.

Granted, Newcastle are likely to finish lower than West Ham in 2021/22. However, Wilson is essential to the Magpies’ attack, with the majority of the club’s goals coming through the hitman.

He would score 12 and assist six in 26 league ties last term, and if the striker can maintain that sort of return across 38 games, he could be amongst the top forwards in 2021/22.

Picture12 NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – JANUARY 03: Callum Wilson of Newcastle United (13) during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St. James Park on January 03, 2021 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

5) Raul Jimenez, Wolves (7.5m)

Raul Jimenez is an old favourite of FPL fans, and should be set for a comeback this year.

The Mexican would score 13 and assist 10 in 2018/19, before then scoring 17 and assisting seven in 2019/20.

However, he then suffered a horrific head injury late last year, which ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign.

But Jimenez has since returned to action in pre-season, and should be one to watch out for on FPL.

Wolves do have a fairly tough run of games early on, facing Leicester, Tottenham and Manchester United.

However, from gameweek four to gameweek 15 they do not face any of the top six clubs. So, once you have used the opening few games to assess Jimenez’s fitness and form, it may be well worth signing him for GW4.

4) Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa (7.5m)

Conveniently, the player probably best suited to sacrificing for Jimenez ahead of GW4 is Ollie Watkins.

Watkins had a stellar debut campaign in the Premier League, which saw him score 14 and assist nine.

And Villa do have a very nice set of fixtures to kick off the season, taking on Watford, Newcastle and then Brentford.

However, Dean Smith and co. will then have a tough run from GW4-GW10. So, as Jimenez and Watkins are both priced at 7.5m, you could easily start the campaign with the latter to take advantage of his club’s early fixtures, before switching to Jimenez in GW4 once Wolves’ kinder run starts.

3) Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton (8.0m)

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 2020/21 campaign was the best of his career to date.

The Englishman found the net 16 times and also provided six assists in the Premier League.

Of course, Rafa Benitez has since taken over from Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park, so some fans may be concerned about how the Spaniard will impact DCL’s displays.

But whilst Benitez can be a fairly defensive manager, it is worth noting that in 2018/19, Salomon Rondon scored 11 and assisted seven in 32 games under the ex-Liverpool boss, for a Newcastle side of much lower quality than this Everton team.

So, as Calvert-Lewin is the focal point of the Toffees’ side, his return should remain similar to last season, provided the Englishman stays fit, and even more so if James Rodriguez stays on Merseyside this summer.

In addition, Everton have a favourable opening to the season, which sees them play just one of the top six in their first 10 fixtures.

FBL-ENG-PR-WEST HAM-EVERTON Everton’s English striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Everton at The London Stadium, in east London on May 9, 2021. (Photo by JUSTIN SETTERFIELD/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

2) Patrick Bamford, Leeds (8.0m)

Challenging Calvert-Lewin for the 8.0m forward spot in your side is Patrick Bamford.

Bamford had previously scored just one Premier League goal before 2020/21, but was one of the standout stars in the division last term.

The hitman found the net on 17 occasions, and provided an impressive 11 assists, becoming a key cog in Marcelo Bielsa’s attack.

Of course, last season could have been something of a fluke, but with Bielsa still at the helm, there remains a good chance that we will see Bamford emulate such form this time around, especially if Leeds do not sign a new striker this summer.

1) Harry Kane, Tottenham (12.5m)

Regardless of whether he ends up at Manchester City or stays at Tottenham, Harry Kane is the best striker in the Premier League right now.

Kane would score 23 and assist 14 in 2020/21, to win both the Golden Boot and Playmaker award.

And whilst that assist total could drop under Nuno Espirito Santo, who is unlikely to use Kane in the same way as Jose Mourinho, it is still very plausible that he will be hitting more than 20 goals in the PL.

Of course, the English international would be a better asset should he get his move to Manchester City, but even without such a development, he should finish as the top forward on FPL.

And with Jadon Sancho now in the game at just 9.5m, there is less of a risk in dropping Bruno Fernandes to fit Kane in as, with some smart choices, you can fit all of Mohamed Salah, Sancho and Kane into the same side.

One thing to note if you are thinking of selecting Kane, however, is that he is expected to miss the season opener as he recovers from Euro 2020.