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            <p>Budget FPL midfielders are in many fantasy managers' thinking ahead of Gameweek 28 - but who are the best picks?</p>
<p>Fixture swings and players without a game in Blank Gameweek 31 have sparked debate over certain teams and picks this week.</p>
<p>Fulham, Bournemouth and Brentford top the Hub's <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fixture-ticker">fixture ticker</a> up to the blank, while Chelsea are among the teams in the bottom half after a favourable run.</p>
<p>In this article, we focus on a shortlist of players from the top-rated teams over the next four gameweeks, using <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta">Opta stats</a> and <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/predictions">Hub AI</a> to guide us.</p>
<h3>🤖 Hub AI quick summary 🤖</h3>
<p>A brief round-up of what you'll find below - and listen to an audio summary 👇</p>
<ul>
<li>🔥Harry Wilson has the pick of the Blank Gameweek 31 fixtures</li>
<li>🤑Dango Ouattara looks to be the value pick at Brentford</li>
<li>🍒Waiting a week on Bournemouth midfielders could help clear up expected minutes questions</li>
</ul>
<p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-77936-3" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Budget-fpl-midfielders.mp3?_=3" /><a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Budget-fpl-midfielders.mp3">https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Budget-fpl-midfielders.mp3</a></audio></p>
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<h2>Best budget FPL midfielders</h2>
<p>Here are our top FPL budget midfielders for Gameweek 28-31.</p>
<h3>Harry Wilson (£5.9m) - Fulham</h3>
<p><strong>Fixtures: Spurs (H), West Ham (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Burnley (H)</strong></p>
<p>Wilson has scored eight and assisted seven, leading his teammates for goal involvements ahead of <strong>Raul Jimenez </strong>(13).</p>
<p>Only four midfielders have scored more than his 128 FPL points, with none of them priced as cheaply as the Welshman.</p>
<p>Minutes have been a barrier to buying him in the past but he has become an integral part of the Cottagers' 11, starting every league match since Gameweek 10. He's averaged 83 minutes per game since.</p>
<p>While the January signing of <strong>Oscar Bobb</strong> increased Marco Silva's attacking options, Wilson looks a sure starter for now.</p>
<p>The fixtures could barely be better either. Fulham face four of the bottom five sides, including Burnley in the pick of the Blank Gameweek 31 match-ups.</p>
<p>One potential drawback of Wilson is a number of his goals have come from distance, which means he has significantly over-performed his data.</p>
<p>He has returned well ahead of his expected goals (xG), expected assists (xA) and expected points (95).</p>
<p>But the fixtures are certainly there for Wilson to grab some attacking returns in the coming weeks.</p>
<div id="attachment_77937" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-77937" class="size-full wp-image-77937" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Wilson-GW1-27.jpeg" alt="Harry Wilson's stats" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-77937" class="wp-caption-text">Harry Wilson's stats</p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Dango Ouattara (£5.9m) - Brentford</h3>
<p><strong>Fixtures: Burnley (A), Bournemouth (A), Wolves (H), Leeds (A)</strong></p>
<p>Ouattara has five goals and five assists in 21 games for Brentford.</p>
<p>While over-performing like Wilson, his 10 returns are closer to his 7.1 expected goal involvements (xGI).</p>
<p><strong>Igor Thiago </strong>is the Bees' main attacking threat but Ouattara gets plenty of big chances for his price.</p>
<p>No midfielder priced £6.0m and under has more xG (5.3) - and he's the only one with double-digit big chances (13).</p>
<p>And as well as having some goal threat of his own, the former Bournemouth midfielder has creative potential too.</p>
<p>No player in the league has won more penalties - four of Thiago's seven spot-kicks have been won by Ouattara.</p>
<p>Doubling up on these attackers could therefore be rewarding.</p>
<p>Ouattara is not immune to an occasional benching or early substitution, which is a small risk, but he has started the last four and completed 90 minutes in his last three.</p>
<div id="attachment_77958" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-77958" class="size-full wp-image-77958" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Dango-GW1-27.jpeg" alt="Dango Ouattara's stats" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-77958" class="wp-caption-text">Dango Ouattara's stats</p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Kevin Schade (£6.9m) - Brentford</h3>
<p><strong>Fixtures: Burnley (A), Bournemouth (A), Wolves (H), Leeds (A)</strong></p>
<p>Schade ranks second among Brentford players for xG, about three higher than Ouattara's.</p>
<p>The German has six goals and four assists, tying the Burkina Faso international for goal involvements.</p>
<p>He has been a regular starter this season, with just two of his 24 appearances coming from off the bench. One of those came in Gameweek 27 after completing a three-match ban.</p>
<p>Although Schade is likely to start in Gameweek 28, <strong>Keane Lewis-Potter </strong>may be a slight threat to both his and Ouattara's minutes.</p>
<p>And with not too much to split our shortlisted Brentford picks, saving £1.0m on the cheaper Ouattara may be a wise move.</p>
<div id="attachment_77959" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-77959" class="size-full wp-image-77959" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Scahde-v-Dango-GW1-27.jpeg" alt="Kevin Schade v Dango Ouattara" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-77959" class="wp-caption-text">Kevin Schade v Dango Ouattara</p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Rayan (£5.6m) - Bournemouth</h3>
<p><strong>Fixtures: Sunderland (H), Brentford (H), Burnley (A), Manchester United (H)</strong></p>
<p>Rayan has made a big impression since joining from Vasco da Gama, needing no time to settle into the pace of the Premier League.</p>
<p>The physical winger, 19, has scored two and assisted one in his first four league matches.</p>
<p>He was not among the goals against West Ham in Gameweek 27 but a long, mazy run from inside his own half before a shot from outside the box brushed the post showed how he will cause problems for defenders.</p>
<p>Four games offer only limited data but the Brazilian is second among Andoni Iraola's players for xGI in that time.</p>
<p>He has over-performed so far but should he continue as a regular starter, £5.6m could prove good value.</p>
<div id="attachment_77960" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-77960" class="size-full wp-image-77960" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Rayan.jpeg" alt="Rayan's stats" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-77960" class="wp-caption-text">Rayan's stats</p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Amine Adli (£5.4m) - Bournemouth</h3>
<p>Adli has not attracted much attention in the FPL community to date but Hub AI rates him.</p>
<p>No player priced at £6.0m and under has better predicted points than him (19.2).</p>
<p>Adli has three goals and two assists over 23 appearances and has returns are not far off ahead of his 4.0 xGI.</p>
<p>He has recorded 10 pointers in two of his last five games and has developed into one of Iraola's key players amid the Cherries' injury issues, starting every fixture since Gameweek 22.</p>
<p>The key question though is whether he will keep his place now <strong>Marcus Tavernier </strong>is back in the mix.</p>
<div id="attachment_77963" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-77963" class="size-full wp-image-77963" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Adli-stats-GW1-24.jpeg" alt="Amine Adli's stats" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-77963" class="wp-caption-text">Amine Adli's stats</p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Marcus Tavernier (£5.3m) - Bournemouth</h3>
<p><strong>Fixtures: Sunderland (H), Brentford (H), Burnley (A), Manchester United (H)</strong></p>
<p>Should Tavernier be fit enough to start in Gameweek 28, he could be the pick of the Bournemouth bunch.</p>
<p>With five goals and three assists to his name, he takes set-pieces and should be back on penalties.</p>
<p>His short-term expected minutes are a concern though.</p>
<p>Having recovered from a hamstring injury, Tavernier managed 10 minutes against West Ham.</p>
<p>But after a long injury absence, consecutive starts in Gameweek 28 and 29 could be too much, especially given Bournemouth play on Saturday and again three days later.</p>
<p>Waiting a week for extra information on Bournemouth could be a smart move.</p>
<div id="attachment_77961" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-77961" class="size-full wp-image-77961" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Tavernier-GW1-27.jpeg" alt="Marcus Tavernier's stats" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-77961" class="wp-caption-text">Marcus Tavernier's stats</p>
</div>
<h2>Hub AI predicted points: Budget FPL midfielders</h2>
<p>Of the above options, <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/predictions">Hub AI</a> ranks our shortlisted budget midfielders as follows up to Gameweek 31.</p>
<p>Projections change regularly as expected minutes are tweaked and other information emerges, so be sure to check closer to deadline for the latest picture:</p>
<ul>
<li>🥇<strong>Adli</strong> - 19.2</li>
<li>🥈<strong>Schade</strong> - 18.7</li>
<li>🥉<strong>Ouattara</strong> - 18.6</li>
</ul>
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