The Hard Tackle lists the five best budget buys to consider to bring into your team heading into FPL Gameweek 18 of the 2025/26 season.
Every FPL manager knows the feeling: staring at the transfer screen, wishing there was just a little more money in the bank. Prices creep up, premiums hog your budget, and suddenly you are trying to squeeze miracles out of a £5.0m slot. That is where smart budget buys can flip your entire season. Pick the right cheap options at the right moment, and you can afford the stars while still getting big returns from the so-called “enablers”.
Gameweek 18 is exactly that kind of moment. The schedule throws up some juicy fixtures, and some underpriced options step into the spotlight with form, opportunity, and kind match-ups all lining up. These are not just random punts for one week; they are players whose numbers, roles, and opponents suggest they can deliver real value over multiple gameweeks while still costing less than many benchwarmers.
This is especially true up front and in midfield, where managers often feel forced into picking the same template names. Finding an in-form striker under £6.0m, or a creator in that price bracket who is actually central to his team’s attack, can separate you from the crowd. Throw in defenders who are either playing out of position or sitting on clean-sheet-friendly fixtures, and suddenly your squad structure looks much healthier.
With that in mind, five names stand out heading into Gameweek 18: Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Harry Wilson, Tijjani Reijnders, Keane Lewis-Potter, and Kenny Tete. Each has a strong case built on recent form, underlying numbers, and, crucially, price. Add a few honourable mentions for managers wanting to go even more left-field, and you have a full menu of budget FPL options to consider before the deadline.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin: FPL Budget Bull in the Box
Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the obvious place to start. Sunderland looked like one of the league’s most organised defensive units early in the season, with Regis Le Bris building a backline praised for its structure and flexibility. But the last few weeks have told another story.
Sunderland have started conceding more goals, especially from crosses and set pieces, and they have struggled to deal with physical forwards who attack the six-yard box relentlessly. That is exactly the type of striker Calvert-Lewin is: big, aggressive, and dominant in the air.
After a slow and frustrating start to the campaign, where minutes and fitness were both concerns, Calvert-Lewin has exploded into form. Across recent league matches, he has racked up seven goals in 11 starts, with over 30 shots and more than a dozen on target, showing he is not living off half-chances but getting regular looks at goal.
Match by match, his FPL returns tell a clear story: double-digit hauls in several of his last four to five fixtures, fuelled by goals, bonus points, and the occasional involvement in penalties or key attacking sequences. That sort of consistency at £5.8m is rare; you are getting almost premium-level output at a mid-priced slot, freeing cash to upgrade elsewhere while still having a striker you can confidently start every week.
Harry Wilson: Fulham’s Left-Footed Lifeline
Move over to Craven Cottage, and Harry Wilson looks like one of the best-value midfielders around his price point. Fulham’s Gameweek 18 opponents, West Ham United, have been surprisingly poor at the back this season. Underlying defensive numbers show them among the weaker sides in the league for goals conceded, with their back four often exposed in transition and on the flanks.
The Hammers have struggled to keep clean sheets and have allowed a high volume of chances to creative midfielders and wide forwards arriving late into the box or drifting inside to shoot. That is the exact pocket where Wilson thrives with his sweet left foot.
Wilson’s individual form only strengthens his case. Playing off the right but constantly cutting in, he has produced goals and assists at a steady rate, reflected in his recent FPL points: multiple hauls in the last stretch, including double-digit returns where he combined a goal with a share of set pieces and strong bonus points thanks to key passes and shots on target.
The Welshman’s statistical profile points to a player who is not just getting “lucky” with the odd goal, but is consistently at the heart of dangerous moves. At £5.8m, he sits in that sweet spot where he is cheap enough to be an “enabler” yet strong enough to be a regular starter in your XI, especially when facing a West Ham defense that has looked anything but secure.
Tijjani Reijnders: Manchester City’s Cut-Price Metronome
Manchester City’s midfield is usually a minefield for FPL, but Tijjani Reijnders is quietly becoming a safe, budget-friendly route into Pep Guardiola’s machine. Nottingham Forest, City’s opponents in Gameweek 18, have been wildly inconsistent this season. They have had some big results, but they have also switched off in games, conceding soft goals and struggling to maintain shape against teams that dominate possession.
Nottingham Forest’s defensive issues, particularly when tracking midfield runners and dealing with quick passing combinations, set up nicely for a player like Reijnders who times his forward surges well and links play between the lines.
After a brief lull in his season, Reijnders has picked up momentum again. Recent statistics show him contributing goals and assists while benefiting from City’s frequent clean sheets and territorial dominance. His last few matches have seen him pick up strong FPL scores with a mix of attacking contributions and bonus points as he racks up passes, recoveries, and shots.
Crucially, he has been getting regular starts, which is often half the battle in that midfield. Priced around £5.2m, he costs significantly less than Manchester City’s established attacking stars but still offers a direct route into their points stream. For managers wanting a slice of City’s attack without sacrificing big money elsewhere, Reijnders is a smart, low-risk way to do it.
Keane Lewis-Potter: Defender in Name, Winger in Practice
Brentford’s Keane Lewis-Potter is the sort of player FPL managers dream about: listed as a defender but spending most of his time higher up the pitch. Brentford face Bournemouth in Gameweek 18, and the Cherries have been far from convincing at the back this season.
Their defensive numbers show them struggling to keep opponents quiet, especially down the flanks, where full-backs and wingers have had joy with crosses and cut-backs. When a team leaks chances from wide areas, any advanced wide player becomes interesting; when that player is classified as a defender, it becomes even more tempting.
Lewis-Potter’s underlying stats back the eye test. Across his recent games, he has produced a healthy number of shots and key passes, with attacking returns sprinkled in and the added safety net of occasional clean-sheet points when Brentford keep things tight. His FPL history over the last few weeks shows steady returns, reflecting both his dual threat and his growing influence in Brentford’s attack.
At just £4.8m, he offers incredible flexibility: he can be your fourth defender with genuine attacking upside, or even part of a rotating backline where he comes in for plum fixtures like Bournemouth at home. For a manager trying to stretch a tight budget, that combination of attacking role and defender classification is hard to ignore.
Kenny Tete: Solid, Cheap, and Overlooked
On the opposite flank at Fulham, Kenny Tete offers a different kind of value. While the Dutchman does not have the same out-of-position attacking role as Keane Lewis-Potter, he makes up for it with reliability and a strong Gameweek 18 fixture against a misfiring West Ham attack.
The Hammers have not only struggled defensively; going forward, they have also been streaky, with long spells where they lack cutting edge and fail to turn possession into clear chances. That has translated into fewer goals scored than expected and several frustrating nights for their forwards.
Tete has quietly been putting together a good run of performances. Defensively, he contributes tackles, interceptions, and clearances that help him attract bonus points on clean-sheet days. Offensively, he still offers some threat with overlapping runs and the odd cross that can turn into an assist. In FPL terms, his recent weeks have brought solid returns.
At £4.5m, he is a true budget defender: cheap enough to sit on your bench when fixtures turn, but strong enough to start with confidence in a favourable matchup like West Ham at home. For managers needing a dependable, low-cost route into a defense with a decent clean-sheet chance this week, Tete ticks almost every box.
FPL Budget Transfer Recommendations at a Glance
| Player | Club | Gameweek 18 Opponent | Main Appeal (Price) | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin | Leeds United | Sunderland (A) | £5.8m in-form striker with set-piece and aerial threat | Low |
| Harry Wilson | Fulham | West Ham (A) | £5.8m creator on set pieces vs poor defense | Medium |
| Tijjani Reijnders | Man City | Nottingham Forest (A) | £5.2m starter in dominant attack | Low |
| Keane Lewis-Potter | Brentford | Bournemouth (H) | £4.8m defender playing as winger | Medium |
| Kenny Tete | Fulham | West Ham (A) | £4.5m cheap route to likely clean sheet | Low |
Honourable Mentions: Deeper Cuts for Brave Managers
Beyond the core five, a few other names deserve a mention for managers willing to go a bit more adventurous with their budget picks. At the back, Dan Ballard has impressed with his aerial presence and no-nonsense defending, making him a threat from set pieces as well as a possible clean-sheet option when fixtures fall kindly.
Wesley Fofana, if fit and starting, can be a bargain route into a usually solid defense, bringing both defensive stability and the occasional headed chance from corners. Michael Keane offers something similar: experience, aerial strength, and a history of popping up with the odd goal when his side loads the box.
In midfield and attack, Anton Stach and Enzo Le Fee profile as creative central players who can rack up assists and bonus points when their teams are on top, while Rayan Cherki is the classic high-upside wildcard: hugely talented, capable of moments of brilliance, but not always guaranteed minutes.
Up front, Raul Jimenez remains a poacher with a knack for being in the right place, and Eddie Nketiah is the kind of striker who can explode with a brace or a hat-trick if handed a rare start in a good fixture. None of these honourable mentions are as safe or as well-positioned for Gameweek 18 as the main five, but for managers chasing upside, they are names worth keeping on the watchlist as fixtures and form evolve.
