Fulham - 26/27 Draft FPL Pre-Season Thoughts
Written 18th 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
A new era, but can Fulham be less... craven?
11th on 52 points. Steady, unspectacular, very Fulham, but most importantly safe. Except suddenly things aren't safe at all. Marco Silva has left for Benfica after 5 seasons at Craven Cottage and as of last week it's official, Álvaro Arbeloa is the new head coach, arriving from the Real Madrid system with a Mourinho endorsement in his back pocket. A first-time Premier League manager replacing the most settled mid-table operator in the division - that's a big unknown and it lands on a squad that has quietly lost most of its familiar fantasy furniture.
Football at Fulham under Silva had become formulaic. Whether that was down to him or the quality of the squad I suppose only time will tell - usually in such cases the actual answer is "a bit of both". One thing is for certain though, the squad is in need of investment if it wants to progress and knock on the European door.
The much-needed attacking reset
Take stock of who has left the Fulham attack over the past 12 months. Andreas Pereira, the set-piece hub, went to Palmeiras last August. Adama Traoré left in January. Harry Wilson has gone to Leeds on a free this summer. And now Raúl Jiménez - last season's penalty taker - has followed him out the door, a free transfer to Wolves. That is a fair amount of starting, first-team turnover within a year. In all cases though, I think Fulham are better off without them as none will get them to the next level.
Muniz is currently the main forward option - that's a problem - and I'd fully expect them to enter the market for a striker but as of today he's the incumbent. Elsewhere in attack there's Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Chukwueze, Oscar Bobb (£27m in January) and Kevin, with young Kusi-Asare from Bayern as forward depth. Penalties, free-kicks and corners are all up for grabs at the moment and whoever collects those duties gets a hidden value bump, which makes this proper pre-season homework. My early guess is Smith Rowe or Cairney on deliveries and Muniz on pens if he's the starting 9 - but it's a guess, and I'm holding it loosely.
Kusi-Asare is the kind of forward that may get a more favourable role in the squad, as I'm sure Fulham will look at Arbeloa's CV to date which is mostly working with the young Real Madrid development squad. Going into a PL campaign with Muniz & Kusi-Asare as the only recognised forward options however, would likely be an error.
The board
Leno is a steady GK banker, every minute played again, 9 clean sheets, decent save volume behind a mid-block. Solid, boring, fine.
Wilson's 168 points - 10 goals and 9 assists of streaky magic - have left the building and gone to Elland Road. Iwobi, Lukić, Berge, Bassey, Robinson, Castagne - I had most of these filed as stock or waiver players last season, and nothing has changed except the manager.
The truth is, aside from Wilson and Jiménez, no Fulham player posted any meaningful FPL output last year. The only one you could make a case for is Chukwueze, who had a few scattered moments before his form stopped (notably AFCON prevented him perhaps having the season he could have) and even he is going to be nowhere near my draft rankings.
The only other Fulham player that makes the board, is likely one they haven't even signed yet.
The opening run
A mixed bag - Chelsea at home on the Monday night opener, then Sunderland away, Palace at home, Liverpool away, Man Utd at home, Ipswich away. Aside from a late draft pick on Leno, I can't see myself rolling into GW1 with any Fulham players in my squad.
Early verdict
A new manager, an attack that has essentially vanished and no other squad players who made a case for our draft teams last year. There's almost nothing here to discuss at the moment. I worry for them next season as the squad that's currently on paper is going to be fighting a relegation scrap. Fulham's relevance for draft day and the early season is now fully dependent on the transfer business they're able to do, but I'm not seeing many rumours...
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.
Our main content as ever will be via the podcast/YouTube channel so make sure you are subscribed so you don't miss out on any of the preseason episodes or gameweek previews as the season gets under way!