With GW1 wrapped up, who has taken the early bragging rights in the Insurance Times Fantasy Football League?
As the 2025/26 Premier League season kicked off on 15 August 2025, Fantasy Football managers were quickly reminded of the joy – and despair – of chasing green arrows.
Some managers played the first gameweek safe, while others made some bold moves. And a look at the Insurance Times League shows how bold moves can pay off.
Cashin Hand leads the way
For example, Jonathon Illingworth’s Cashin Hand team stormed to the top of the Insurance Times League leaderboard with 101 points due to him smartly deploying his triple captain on Erling Haaland in GW1.
This was a masterstroke that set him apart from the pack. And with two triple captains available to every manager this season, he may not be the only one to pull the trigger early.
Meanwhile, others secured valuable points using their bench boost. For example, James Sharkey secured 17 additional points using this chip, helping him move up to second place in the league.
This year’s Insurance Times League is bigger than ever, boasting a record 670 entries – proof, if ever it was needed, that the competition is heating up.
Managers who spot themselves at the top of the table can contact deputy editor Yiannis Kotoulas at Yiannis.Kotoulas@Insurancetimes.co.uk.
GW1 trends
Many of the highest scorers built around an Erling Haaland core, with budget gems such as Tijjani Reijnders and Antoine Semenyo also involved in their teams.
However, some managers chose not to start the season with Haaland, instead trusting Mohamed Salah as their premium talisman.
Was that a mistake? Time will tell – but with Haaland facing what looked like a much-improved Tottenham defence under new manager Thomas Frank and Salah up against Newcastle’s back line that impressed against Aston Villa, GW2 could go a long way to deciding which premium option comes out on top.
Injury watch
One early headache for managers is the news that Liverpool full-back Jeremie Frimpong, owned in 22% of fantasy teams, has been ruled out until after the international break with a hamstring injury.
At £6m and with his attacking style – not to mention his Community Shield goal against Crystal Palace – he looked like a popular early-season pick. But with Conor Bradley also sidelined, Liverpool suddenly find itself without a natural right-back for its clash with Newcastle.
Anthony Gordon could take advantage, especially given how vulnerable the Reds looked against Bournemouth, conceding twice to Semenyo.
Looking ahead
With 37 gameweeks still to go, managers will need to juggle price changes, injuries and fixture swings. And do not forget, every manager has two of each chip this year.
All initial chips must be used before the GW19 deadline, when they will reset for the second half of the season. Illingworth’s early triple captain gamble certainly paid off – others may follow suit before the reset.
One thing is for sure – the Insurance Times League is shaping up for another thrilling season.
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