Crystal Palace Fantasy Guide 2026/27: Best Picks for Sleeper and Fantrax

Last updated: Gameweek 6 · September 29, 2026

Crystal Palace fantasy tiers

Crystal Palace defenders offer more fantasy value than any of the club’s forwards or midfielders this September, with three defenders scoring 9.71 or more InfoSport Points per 90. The Eagles conceded 10 goals in five matches, but the model rewards Tyrick Mitchell and Anan Khalaili for defensive volume that most FPL managers overlook.

Best Crystal Palace fantasy assets

Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace, DEF)

Mitchell ranks 39th overall in the model and projects for 9.04 points in Gameweek 6, more than any other Palace player. He has two goals and 0.77 expected goals already, giving him attacking upside most left-backs cannot match. His 11 tackles and 14 clearances blocks interceptions in five matches make him a reliable source of defensive points even when Palace concede.

Anan Khalaili (Crystal Palace, DEF)

Khalaili leads the Palace squad with 21 tackles and sits 2nd in the squad in clearances blocks interceptions with 23. He projects for 8.69 points next gameweek and has played the full 90 minutes in each of the last three matches. His 10.32 points per 90 places him 44th overall in the InfoSport rankings, far ahead of every Palace midfielder.

Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace, MID)

Kamada leads the squad with three assists and ranks 4th in expected assists at 0.38. He projects for 7.31 points in Gameweek 6 with 88.2 expected minutes, the most of any Palace midfielder. His 11 tackles add defensive value that matters more in category-scoring leagues than in FPL, where he sits at just 0.5% ownership.

Set pieces and penalties

Jean-Philippe Mateta takes penalties when fit, but he remains out with a hamstring injury expected to keep him sidelined until 11 October. Ismaïla Sarr is second in the order, though he has played only 8 minutes in the last three gameweeks. Yéremy Pino Santos takes corners and indirect free kicks ahead of Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada, while Yeremy and Devenny share direct free kick duties.

Defensive value and clean-sheet outlook

Palace have conceded 10 or 11 goals in five matches across most of the squad, but Chris Richards leads the team with 46 clearances blocks interceptions. Anan Khalaili’s 21 tackles rank 1st of 24 outfield Palace players tracked, while Tyrick Mitchell ties for 2nd with 11. The model awards half a point for each tackle, clearance, block and interception, which is why Palace defenders project well despite conceding frequently.

Palace kept one clean sheet in five matches, tied for 1st of 26 players with nine teammates. Walter Benítez has taken over in goal after Dean Henderson’s foot injury and made 5 saves across two appearances, scoring 9 InfoSport Points in Gameweek 5. His 72 expected minutes and 4.33 projected points for Gameweek 6 make him a low-end streaming option when fixture difficulty favours Palace.

Fixture outlook

Palace host Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 6 before traveling to Brighton in Gameweek 7, then return home to face Newcastle in Gameweek 8. The schedule turns harder in Gameweek 9 with a trip to Spurs and Gameweek 10 when Liverpool visit Selhurst Park, both rated difficulty 3 and 4 respectively. The Coventry City match in Gameweek 11 offers the easiest fixture of the next six at difficulty 2.

Players to avoid

Eddie Nketiah leads the squad in expected goals at 1.10 and expected assists at 0.60, but his 35 expected minutes make him unstartable in most weeks. He projects for just 5.64 points in Gameweek 6 and has played 8 minutes or fewer in two of the last three matches. Jørgen Strand Larsen scores 10.71 points per 90 but expects only 59.6 minutes, limiting his weekly ceiling.

Adam Wharton starts regularly with 87.2 expected minutes but scores just 5.62 points per 90, placing him 24th of 26 in the squad. His 0.58 expected assists rank 2nd of 24, yet he has zero goals and zero assists in five matches. Quinten Timber offers similar minutes at 84.3 but only 7.9 points per 90, making both central midfielders better left on waivers in most Sleeper and Fantrax leagues.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the best Crystal Palace player for fantasy?

Tyrick Mitchell ranks 39th overall in the InfoSport model and projects for 9.04 points in Gameweek 6, the highest on the squad. He scores 9.71 points per 90 with two goals already and remains heavily involved defensively with 11 tackles and 14 clearances blocks interceptions. His 6% FPL ownership makes him under the radar in most leagues where defensive production matters.

Who takes penalties for Crystal Palace?

Jean-Philippe Mateta is first in the penalty order, but he remains injured with a hamstring issue expected to keep him out until 11 October. Ismaïla Sarr is second, though he has played only 8 minutes in the last three gameweeks and projects for just 6.4 expected minutes in Gameweek 6. No other penalty taker is listed in the set piece data, leaving Palace without a clear option until Mateta returns.

Are Crystal Palace defenders good fantasy picks?

Palace defenders rank among the best midfielders and defenders for category-scoring leagues despite conceding 10 or 11 goals across most of the squad. Tyrick Mitchell scores 9.71 points per 90 and ranks 39th overall, while Anan Khalaili leads the team with 21 tackles and scores 10.32 per 90. Chris Richards adds 46 clearances blocks interceptions with full minutes, making all three worth rostering where defensive volume counts.

Bottom line

Crystal Palace fantasy picks for 2026/27 start with Tyrick Mitchell and Anan Khalaili, two defenders whose tackle and clearance totals deliver steady points in Sleeper and Fantrax leagues. Daichi Kamada leads the midfield with three assists, but no Palace forward offers reliable minutes or production until Jean-Philippe Mateta returns from injury.

Crystal Palace player stats

Season totals. CBI = clearances, blocks and interceptions combined.

Crystal Palace next fixtures