Coventry - 26/27 Draft FPL Pre-Season Thoughts

Written 23rd July 2026 · Everything here very much subject to change, subscribe to the podcast/YouTube channel for all the latest.

This blog is part of Draft FC's Team-by-Team 2026/27 early pre-season series — see all 20 previews in one place here

97 goals and a reality check coming

Championship champions and back in the top flight for the first time since 2001. They came up swinging with 97 goals in 46 games, comfortably the division's most dangerous attack. Lampard built a proper front-foot side - Fortress CBS at home, goals from everywhere and yet he's still been publicly honest that they need to recruit quickly to avoid going straight back down. Promoted attacking numbers translate poorly as you'll no doubt know, promoted defensive numbers translate even worse!

Is there a draftable core?

Haji Wright is perhaps the standout from last year. 17 league goals, the focal point of the league's best attack and their most likely penalty taker. He's possibly the best striker bet across all 3 promoted clubs, with the usual step-up discount applied, unless a new signing arrives to usurp any of them. Mid-to-late round, happily.

Jack Rudoni could be the promoted-side sleeper of the year, roughly 17 goal involvements from attacking midfield, arriving late in the box, exactly the profile that occasionally survives the jump to this level. If he starts, he's a differential option in deeper leagues. Grimes runs the set-piece delivery and the tempo from deep, with a modest ceiling but a respectable defcon floor. New permanent signing Onyeka - £6m from Brentford after his loan spell - will likely complete the double-pivot engine room. Coventry have also added Tchaouna from Burnley whom we'll all be vaguely familiar with from last year.

Alongside Wright sits Ellis Simms (formerly of Everton), 15 goal involvements from xGI of 12.1 and grew into the starting XI as the season rolled on last year, capped off with a hat-trick against Watford.

The defence - Bobby Thomas, Kitching, van Ewijk, Dovin and Dasilva - is defcon-only appeal and Lampard has all but said the back line needs Premier League-quality reinforcement. This work has started already with the arrival of Aurèle Amenda from Frankfurt for £15m. Rushworth remains the no1 pending any business there.

The opening run

And here's the cold shower one of the toughest opening runs in the league. Arsenal away on the Friday night curtain-raiser - welcome back to the big time - then Hull at home, City away, Brighton at home, Forest away, Newcastle at home. Fairly brutal. Rushworth in goal is possibly the only one you draft on role alone for the long haul, everyone else is a wait-and-see, and honestly the waiver wire will serve you perfectly well here.

Early verdict

The most watchable promoted team in years and the one with some genuine attackers - just not for draft day! Wright or Simms, Rudoni and the wingers could all be waiver options at times, but the fixture computer has done them absolutely no favours and despite any positive murmurings from me or anyone else, I still expect them to go straight back down with the other two.

Stay shook,

Draft FC Mitch

Where our full rankings live

As I said, these previews are just some of my notes and early thoughts, my complete top 240 rankings live within our members area. The Top 20 reveal stays free so keep your eyes peeled for that episode in early August. The rest though, plus all our other member benefits, sit inside a Draft FC membership and if you want to find out more about that, head here.

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