Last updated: Gameweek 6 · September 29, 2026
Pascal Groß leads our September rankings with 16.08 points per 90 in the InfoSport Points model, combining three goals and four assists with defensive work that earns him value in category-scoring leagues where tackles and interceptions count. The best midfielders for EPL fantasy this month separate into three profiles: elite creators like Groß and Saka who deliver attacking returns while playing 90 minutes, defensive engines like Janelt and Belloumi whose floor comes from tackles and clearances, and emerging assets like Schade who offer both ceiling and security.
Best Midfielders for EPL Fantasy: Rankings
| Rank | Player | Club | Pos | GW6 proj. | Pts/90 | Exp. min | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Groß | Brighton | MID | 16.08 | 16.08 | 90 | new |
| 2 | Saka | Arsenal | MID | 13.26 | 14.34 | 83 | new |
| 3 | Schade | Brentford | MID | 13.22 | 13.31 | 89 | new |
| 4 | B.Fernandes | Man Utd | MID | 13.17 | 13.17 | 90 | new |
| 5 | Rogers | Chelsea | MID | 12.14 | 12.51 | 87 | new |
| 6 | Belloumi | Hull City | MID | 11.82 | 13.5 | 79 | new |
| 7 | Tavernier | Bournemouth | MID | 11.38 | 12.08 | 85 | new |
| 8 | Mbeumo | Man Utd | MID | 11.26 | 11.26 | 90 | new |
| 9 | Janelt | Brentford | MID | 11.06 | 11.06 | 90 | new |
| 10 | Cherki | Man City | MID | 10.36 | 15.43 | 60 | new |
| 11 | Barnes | Newcastle | MID | 9.88 | 9.88 | 90 | new |
| 12 | Ødegaard | Arsenal | MID | 9.69 | 11.57 | 75 | new |
| 13 | Stach | Leeds | MID | 9.69 | 9.76 | 89 | new |
| 14 | Gibbs-White | Nott'm Forest | MID | 9.57 | 9.57 | 90 | new |
| 15 | Scott | Bournemouth | MID | 9.34 | 9.42 | 89 | new |
| 16 | Lewis-Potter | Brentford | MID | 9.27 | 10.27 | 81 | new |
| 17 | King | Fulham | MID | 9.13 | 9.67 | 85 | new |
| 18 | Gomez | Brighton | MID | 9.05 | 9.4 | 87 | new |
| 19 | Semenyo ⚠ | Man City | MID | 8.72 | 11.62 | 68 | new |
| 20 | E.Le Fée | Sunderland | MID | 8.63 | 8.86 | 88 | new |
| 21 | Szoboszlai | Liverpool | MID | 8.3 | 8.49 | 88 | new |
| 22 | Cunha | Man Utd | MID | 8.07 | 8.93 | 81 | new |
| 23 | Gakpo ⚠ | Liverpool | MID | 8 | 12.97 | 56 | new |
| 24 | Palmer ⚠ | Chelsea | MID | 7.97 | 10.82 | 66 | new |
| 25 | Dewsbury-Hall | Everton | MID | 7.62 | 7.62 | 90 | new |
| 26 | Timber | Crystal Palace | MID | 7.4 | 7.9 | 84 | new |
| 27 | Ampadu | Leeds | MID | 7.32 | 7.32 | 90 | new |
| 28 | Kamada | Crystal Palace | MID | 7.31 | 7.46 | 88 | new |
| 29 | Henderson | Chelsea | MID | 7.27 | 9.09 | 72 | new |
| 30 | Willock | Newcastle | MID | 7.24 | 11.48 | 57 | new |
InfoSport Points model (see our methodology). Pts/90 blends the last five appearances with the full season; ⚠ = availability flag.
Tier 1: the elite
Groß (Brighton, MID)
Groß ranks first with 16.08 points per 90, tied for first in both goals scored (three) and assists (four of 30 midfielders). His three clean sheets and nine clearances, blocks and interceptions add defensive volume rare among attacking midfielders. Brighton face Sunderland (A), Crystal Palace (H) and Liverpool (A) next.
Saka (Arsenal, MID)
Saka projects 13.26 points next gameweek and delivers 14.34 per 90, powered by 3.22 expected goals (first of 30) and three goals scored already. He ranks third for points per 90 despite 83.2 expected minutes, making him more efficient than higher-rostered options.
Schade (Brentford, MID)
Schade’s 13.31 per 90 combines three goals and two assists with seven tackles (13th of 30), offering both ceiling and floor. At 11.4% FPL ownership, he remains under the radar compared to team-mate Mbeumo at 20.6% despite ranking higher in our model.
Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd, MID)
Fernandes delivers 13.17 per 90 with three goals, 2.56 expected goals (third of 30) and 1.32 expected assists (fifth of 30 tied with one). Manchester United’s fixtures include Tottenham (H), Leeds (A) and Bournemouth (H).
Tier 2: reliable starters
Rogers (Chelsea, MID)
Rogers projects 12.14 next gameweek with 12.51 per 90, combining three goals and 1.72 expected goals (sixth of 30) with 87.4 expected minutes. Chelsea conceded 12 goals, fewest 29th of 30 tied with one, limiting his clean-sheet upside.
Belloumi (Hull City, MID)
Belloumi’s 13.5 points per 90 (fourth of 30) comes from 16 tackles (second of 30) and 14 clearances, blocks and interceptions (sixth of 30 tied with one), plus two goals and two assists. He plays 78.8 expected minutes but offers elite defensive volume for category leagues.
Tavernier (Bournemouth, MID)
Tavernier contributes 12.08 per 90 with three goals, 11 tackles (sixth of 30 tied with three) and 84.8 expected minutes. His 6.8% FPL ownership sits well below Bruno Fernandes (38.5%) despite similar per-90 output.
Mbeumo (Man Utd, MID)
Mbeumo scores 11.26 per 90 with 3.07 expected goals (second of 30) and two goals already scored. He plays 90 minutes per match for Manchester United facing Tottenham (H), Leeds (A) and Bournemouth (H).
Janelt (Brentford, MID)
Janelt leads all midfielders with 17 tackles (first of 30) and 27 clearances, blocks and interceptions (first of 30 tied with one), producing 11.06 per 90 despite 0.53 expected goals (25th of 30). His floor comes entirely from defensive work rewarded in category scoring, making him a pure volume play for Sleeper and Fantrax managers.
Tier 3: value picks and streamers
Cherki (Man City, MID)
Cherki delivers 15.43 per 90 (second of 30) despite 60.4 expected minutes, scoring three goals and recording 1.54 expected assists (second of 30). His rotation risk limits weekly reliability but his per-90 ceiling rivals any midfielder when he starts.
Stach (Leeds, MID)
Stach offers 9.76 per 90 with 13 tackles (third of 30 tied with one), 27 clearances, blocks and interceptions (first of 30 tied with one) and three clean sheets (first of 30 tied with seven). At 2.5% FPL ownership and 89.4 expected minutes, he provides defensive floor without roster competition.
Barnes (Newcastle, MID)
Barnes records three assists (second of 30 tied with four) and 14 clearances, blocks and interceptions (sixth of 30 tied with one) for 9.88 per 90. His 5.6% FPL ownership makes him accessible, though Newcastle’s nine goals conceded (fewest 26th of 30 tied with one) limits clean-sheet contributions.
Gomez (Brighton, MID)
Gomez delivers three assists (second of 30 tied with four) and 13 tackles (third of 30 tied with one) across 86.6 expected minutes, scoring 9.4 per 90. Brighton’s three clean sheets (first of 30 tied with seven) add one point per match to his defensive volume.
Lewis-Potter (Brentford, MID)
Lewis-Potter contributes 10.27 per 90 with 17 clearances, blocks and interceptions (fourth of 30) and 81.2 expected minutes. At 1.7% FPL ownership, he sits alongside Janelt and Schade in a Brentford midfield rewarded for defensive work our model values above FPL.
Scott (Bournemouth, MID)
Scott provides 9.42 per 90 with nine tackles (10th of 30) and 15 clearances, blocks and interceptions (fifth of 30), plus two assists (seventh of 30 tied with seven). His 5.8% FPL ownership keeps him available across most leagues.
Trending up and down this month
Up: Groß scored 5.36, 29.23 and 21.69 across his last three matches, adding four assists in that span to reach seven goal contributions in five gameweeks. Belloumi posted 8.67, 22.48 and 11.95, with his 16 tackles establishing a defensive floor while his two goals and two assists provide ceiling.
Down: Ødegaard dropped from 19.28 in gameweek three to 5.25 and 2.88, managing zero assists despite 1.32 expected assists (fifth of 30 tied with one) and 75.4 expected minutes. Palmer’s 1.64, 8.77 and 5.42 run falls short of his 10.82 per-90 average, with a muscular injury reducing him to 66.3 expected minutes and 75% chance of playing.
How to draft and manage midfielders
Separate floor from ceiling in your draft strategy. Midfielders who combine tackles and clearances with attacking minutes offer weekly safety that pure creators lack, especially in category leagues where defensive stats earn points our model tracks.
Target 90-minute roles over rotation risks. A midfielder playing 90 minutes at 11 InfoSport Points per 90 outscores one at 15 per 90 in 60 minutes, making minutes projection the first filter before per-90 rates.
Ignore FPL ownership when evaluating category value. Our model rewards defensive volume FPL does not, which is why Janelt (2.5% FPL ownership) and Stach (2.5%) rank ahead of many popular names despite minimal goal involvement.
Monitor expected goals and assists more than actual returns over small samples. Five gameweeks remain too early to trust conversion rates, so favor players like Bruno Fernandes (2.56 xG, 1.32 xA) and Mbeumo (3.07 xG, 0.8 xA) whose underlying numbers project future scoring.
Frequently asked questions
Which midfielders offer the best combination of attacking and defensive stats?
Groß leads with three goals, four assists, seven tackles (13th of 30 tied with four) and nine clearances, blocks and interceptions (10th of 30 tied with one), scoring 16.08 per 90. Belloumi follows with 13.5 per 90 from 16 tackles (second of 30), 14 clearances, blocks and interceptions (sixth of 30 tied with one), two goals and two assists. Tavernier adds 11 tackles (sixth of 30 tied with three) to three goals for 12.08 per 90.
Should I start Cherki despite his 60-minute projection?
Cherki’s 15.43 per 90 (second of 30) justifies starts when he plays, but his 60.4 expected minutes mean he projects only 10.36 next gameweek despite elite efficiency. Three goals, two assists and 1.54 expected assists (second of 30) in limited time make him a ceiling play, not a weekly floor option.
Are defensive midfielders worth rostering in Sleeper and Fantrax leagues?
Janelt scores 11.06 per 90 from 17 tackles (first of 30) and 27 clearances, blocks and interceptions (first of 30 tied with one), demonstrating how category scoring rewards defensive volume. Stach and Ampadu offer similar profiles at 2.5% and 0.9% FPL ownership, providing floor without competition for roster spots in most leagues.
Bottom line
September’s EPL fantasy rankings reward midfielders who combine attacking output with defensive work, as our InfoSport Points methodology values tackles and clearances alongside goals and assists. Target 90-minute starters like Groß and Saka first, add defensive volume from Janelt and Belloumi for floor, then stream specialists like Cherki for ceiling weeks. Compare midfielder options against our forward rankings to balance roster construction, and check set-piece takers to identify which midfielders add corners and free kicks to their baseline scoring.