Always Cheating: A Fantasy Premier League Podcast

There's no rest for the FPL weary as GW34 rolls on while we're already forced to turn our attention to the next batch of doubles just around the corner. What that means for both Josh and Brandon is activating their wildcards ahead of GW35 when Chelsea and Spurs will play twice. But who (apart from Cole Palmer, of course) on these mercurial teams can fantasy managers trust? Is Nicolas Jackson poise...

Whether you’re debating one free transfer, considering a hit, playing a Free Hit chip, or ready to wildcard, this episode has all you need for GW34 strategy. This isn’t the last double of the season, but it very well could be the most pivotal, so Josh and Brandon methodically run position by position through every viable (or nearly viable) transfer option, from goalkeepers and defenders to midfiel...

The fantasy gameweeks are now coming thick and fast and midweek European fixtures are about to further complicate matters. In this episode, the Cheaters debate what impact the Champions League and Europa League will have on our upcoming FPL plans. Most immediately, we discuss captaincy options for GW33, but our transfer plans for this weekend are still tied to the double in GW34. We also discuss t...

Join the Cheaters, Josh and Brandon, as we unravel the news and results from GW30 and quickly look ahead to this big decisions for GW31, which kicks off on Tuesday—right around the corner. Of course, we give our thoughts on Sunday's big clash between Manchester City and Arsenal and consider Salah's performance against Brighton and what it portends for the midweek scores. Hail Cheaters! Watch this...

The big fantasy news from this international break has been the official announcement of the doubles in GW34. With the double fixtures in GW37 also coming into focus, it's time to get serious about our strategies for maximizing points in the run-in. In this episode, the Cheaters take a closer look at the key clubs and players who will impact GW34 and how we plan to use our remaining chips. Most im...

On this week's episode, the Cheaters recap the wild non-results of blank GW29 and discuss what went wrong—and what could've gone worse—on the Free Hit chip. With the season's final international break ahead of us, we also take a beat to consider our strategies for the fantasy season's run-in, including the potential of remaining double gameweeks and chips. Then it's time to revisit our beloved fea...

Opinion among FPL managers is divided on how to best approach the blank GW29, but the Cheaters are both using their Free Hit chip to navigate what will be a weird and perhaps wild gameweek. In this episode, we look at a potential Free Hit draft and run through the best—and perhaps under the radar—picks from each of the eight featuring clubs. Even if you don't plan to use a chip this deadline, the...

Despite our best plans, Ollie Watkins and Phil Foden continue to dictate the Fantasy Premier League terms with the two star players combining for 116 points in their last six gameweeks. But they're not the stars of this episode as the Cheaters look ahead to the double in GW28 featuring Bournemouth and Luton Town—two clubs who rarely clog up the FPL conversation. But if we must, we will, and Josh a...

Hindsight is in full view for FPL managers after this weekend's lopsided fantasy duel between Douglas Luis and Hwang Hee-chan. That was a key midfield transfer as the overall points tally for GW26. In this episode, Josh and Brandon recap where their squads are ahead of the West Ham-Brentford match and then look ahead to their strategies and captain picks for a somewhat forgotten GW27. What role wi...

This weekend’s GW24 fixtures saw returns for many key fantasy assets who set the table for a double gameweek showdown with Liverpool and Manchester City both getting their say in GW25. But with European competitions coming back into the picture, and a blank for some clubs in GW26, some fantasy decisions this deadline aren’t as easy as they look. On this episode, we look at the best transfer target...

While some managers might want to revel in Ollie Watkins points haul for a bit longer, the Cheaters are already on to strategies for GW24 and beyond. Of course this planning involves the enhanced double in GW25 that now includes Liverpool and Luton Town alongside Manchester City and Brentford. In this episode, we rate the top assets to bring in to hopefully maximize the double—a list that includes...

At last, a new FPL deadline is upon us with GW22 kicking off Tuesday. The Cheaters return with a quick-fire episode revealing their team strategies and answering listener questions about what's next for the fantasy season. There's also plenty of chat on GW22 captaincy options ranging from Richarlison to Foden and what risks might be inherent with transfers for De Bruyne and Diogo Jota. Plus, we di...

We’re very close to the end, but GW21 drags on for one more match at the time of this recording. And we must wait until next Tuesday for the GW22 deadline. Nonetheless, what have we learned thus far during this staggered fixture schedule and array of international and domestic tournaments? On this episode, the Cheaters look ahead to everything we need to know about the weeks ahead, including confi...

With GW21 in media res, the Cheaters check in on the biggest highs and lows of the gameweek’s first half—most notably Kevin De Bruyne’s explosive return. Then, with a moment to catch our collective breath, we review gameweeks 9–20 through the lens of each week's dream team. That's right: it's once again time for the Kings of the Gameweek! What lessons can we learn and what patterns can we discern...

Special guest and listener favorite Dave Weigner-Lodahl joins the pod to discuss a tricky two-week Gameweek 21. What is the best approach to the captaincy in a GW where there is no consensus? Are we still planning a Haaland transfer? How are we replacing the players who have left for AFCON and the Asian Cup? We discuss these topics, take listener Qs, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

With the Premier League's nonstop festive fixtures now behind us, it's time to digest what we've learned and establish a plan for the fantasy season's second half. The first big issue is, of course, the departure of key midfielders Mo Salah and Son Heung-min (among many others) to international tournaments. How can we best replace them—and how soon? We size up the favorite options of Saka, Bowen,...

The trauma of real life and Tom Lockyer bleeds through into this episode's recap of GW17, after which we attempt to refocus on the fantasy game and the remaining fixtures in the Premier League's festive period. With this weekend having offered renewed faith in clean sheets, we debate if manager's should reinvest in their goalkeeper and defenders—and, if so, then who?—and how we can possibly ever a...

Erling Haaland's absence from Manchester City's GW16 team sheet set off a chain reaction that impacted both our fantasy scores and our core strategy for the upcoming run of festive fixtures. The Norwegian forward is one of many long-held players we now might consider selling. To help fantasy managers reset, Josh and Brandon use this week's episode to evaluate all of the big assets and debate their...

The weekend’s Premier League results saw key victories for Arsenal and Newcastle—and Liverpool by the skin of their necks—while other top-four and title contenders settled for draws. But what did we learn about the fantasy assets from these teams who are now embarking on a crowded holiday fixture run? On this week’s podcast, we brace ourselves for the quick turnaround of Tuesday’s GW15 kickoff and...

Sure, podcasting is a lot about voicing an opinion—controversial or not. This week, Josh and Brandon try to take that to the next level by limiting themselves to just one 'hot take' per Premier League side. Some of these takes might be hotter than others, but the Cheaters pin their feelings to the mast from top-of-the-table Arsenal all the way down to last-place Burnley. How many will you agree wi...

On this episode we review the up-to-date International Break news, including injury scares, minutes played, distance traveled, and of course goal-scoring form. What do the international football results tell us about GW13? And what's the best way to set up our fantasy squads for what looks like a tricky slate of fixtures? A key decision will be the captaincy with the two standard picks Haaland and...

In this episode we recap our adventures in England during the last few days, including attending the 4-4 thriller at Stamford Bridge that saw Manchester City drop points while Chelsea continues their comeback charge up the league table. We also give our impressions of the London Stadium and Selhurst Park after our visits to those grounds, which also delivered engaging matches. Plus, more on our ap...

This weekend produced a brutal run of results for fantasy managers, resulting in a low-scoring GW11 and a continuation of one of the toughest seasons in memory. Josh and Brandon look to bounce back with their upcoming trip to the U.K. and a GW12 filled with fixtures that will hopefully be easier to predict. Maybe? On this episode we discuss Arsenal's form and injury crisis, as well as Darwin's dou...

Fantasy managers have now survived, thrived, or endured through the first ten match weeks of the Premier League season. So, what have we learned that we can take with us into the next ten? Josh and Brandon first unpack their GW10 strategies and scores and then discuss the key themes and trends we've seen emerge since the game kicked off in August. That's everything from xMins to Vibes FC and what...

FPL managers looking for a lifeline this season could see their fortunes change with a notable GW10 fixture swing. Teams like West Ham, Brighton, and Arsenal will finally see some green in the FDR, while Spurs, Chelsea, and even the mighty Manchester City are in for a rough patch. In this week’s episode, we discuss how the upcoming Premier League schedule could impact active wildcards. Plus we wei...