Choosing the right captain for FPL Gameweek 29 feels like navigating a minefield, especially after Erling Haaland’s (£14.7m) unexpected absence in Manchester City’s clash against Leeds United left countless Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers scrambling for alternatives. But here’s where it gets controversial: with Haaland currently flagged as a doubt, is it time to ditch the usual favorite and look elsewhere? That’s the burning question we’re tackling in this edition of ‘Captain Sensible.’ While the upcoming midweek fixtures don’t exactly spoil us with dream home matchups, there are still standout options worth considering before Tuesday’s 6pm GMT deadline.
In Gameweek 28, vice-captains stepped into the spotlight, with four of the top five delivering attacking returns. Hugo Ekitike (£9.1m) shone brightly, racking up 15 points, while Bruno Fernandes (£10.0m) proved his worth as the most-picked deputy. And this is the part most people miss: even without Haaland, there’s fierce competition from the likes of Fernandes, Ekitike, and Igor Thiago (£7.2m), all of whom could challenge a fully fit Haaland for the armband. Antoine Semenyo (£8.2m), Haaland’s teammate, is another name in the mix.
To help you decide, we’re diving deep into the data. We’ll analyze the on-site captaincy poll (https://poll.fm/16697798), dissect player and team statistics (https://members.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/team-stats/defending/), consult the Rate My Team (RMT) projections (https://rate-my-team.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/), and narrow it down to a top three. Here’s the bold take: while Haaland remains a tempting choice, especially with Manchester City hosting a struggling Nottingham Forest side winless in five games, Ekitike’s recent form and Fernandes’s consistency make them hard to ignore.
Speaking of Ekitike, he’s currently leading the Fantasy Football Scout captaincy poll, with nearly a quarter of users backing him after his three attacking returns against West Ham. Haaland trails closely, edging out Semenyo for second place with 19.5% and 16.6% of the vote, respectively. Meanwhile, Thiago and Fernandes are the only other players with over 5% support, both having scored penalties and earned bonus points over the weekend.
READ MORE: Explore the FFScout Captaincy Matrix (https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2025/08/01/introducing-the-ffscout-captaincy-matrix)
Controversial question to ponder: Is sticking with Haaland a safe bet, or is it time to take a leap of faith with an in-form alternative like Ekitike? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—we’re eager to hear your take!
