Hull City - 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
The hard way up
Up via the play-offs and what a way to do it, Oli McBurnie's 95th-minute winner beating Middlesbrough 1-0 at Wembley, making Hull the first 6th-placed side to go up since Blackpool in 2010. A first top flight since 2016/17 with one of the lowest budgets in the Championship and not long removed from a transfer embargo.
Let's be honest, they'll start as most people's favourites to go straight back down (including mine). Sergej Jakirović continues as head coach, prefers a 4-2-3-1 and manager continuity is genuinely the one structural advantage they hold over a few other potential strugglers. Expect a reactive, organised, defensively-minded setup that tries to keep games tight and win ugly if possible.
Statistically, they may be the worst team ever promoted out of the championship. They totalled around 60 xG in the Championship last season but a whopping 80 xGoals against! If you were to estimate the points they should have earned based on those tallies they'd have been firmly relegated in 23rd place! They had the biggest swing in the entire league in this regard, +21 over the course of the season.
McBurnie, the only potential pick?
17 goals, 7 assists, the play-off hero, the talisman and the entire focal point of this attack last season. The case for him as a late-round striker seems as strong as any right now, the role is completely unambiguous and target men on scrappy teams have a habit of accumulating the odd ugly haul. I guarantee you he will also hit the defcon threshold once or twice next season from attack. The case against though is fairly strong - we've seen McBurnie in the PL and know what we're getting. His 24 attacking returns last year came from just 14 xGI and it would be a miracle if he even scored 5 goals over the season to be honest.
For me, he may exist only to fill out a 3rd forward spot, but that's about all.
The supporting cast
Lundstram is the speculative defcon pick - an experienced holding midfielder who racks up tackles, interceptions and blocks if he's nailed on, which incoming recruitment could yet complicate. He's also the nostalgia pick. Giles is the set-piece delivery man and the assist flier of the squad, 8 assists last season from wide-left deliveries. There are a few options at centre-back, including another former Sheffield Utd PL star, Egan, plus Hughes and Ajayi - this is defcon-only appeal, because clean sheets at this level will be rare enough that I wouldn't touch a Hull defender outside the very deepest leagues.
One genuinely notable move in goal though: Pandur sold to Rangers for £6m, and Jack Butland in for £3m the other way. A Premier League-experienced keeper behind a team that will face an absolute barrage of shots is the classic save-points profile - Butland is probably the second-most draftable Hull player just by virtue of the fact he'll start. 12 clean sheets in 31 league appearances for Rangers last year, but the PL is not the SPL.
The opening run
Rough, as you'd probably guess - Man Utd at home in the Saturday lunchtime opener (welcome back), then Coventry away (an early relegation 6-pointer), Villa at home, Chelsea away, Newcastle away, Everton at home. So the opening-run rule says exactly what you'd expect, no Hull fringe player is worth a draft pick on fixtures. McBurnie on role alone (unless obvious displacement signings), Butland on position and that's the list.
Early verdict
I could copy and paste the verdicts from Ipswich and Coventry, but I do expect them to go straight back down. Speaking as a Spurs fan, the warning shot will have echoed across the league and any of the clubs who might deem themselves at risk will seriously make sure they strengthen enough to keep away from the newly promoted sides.
For Hull in particular, given their recent history as a club and coming through an existential financial situation, a season out in the sun is more than they could have dreamed of a year ago. Had you polled fans last summer they'd have felt a pre-season prepping for League 1 was more likely than promotion. Even if they lose every game, this season will serve to keep them afloat and exorcise any debt demons still lurking. Such a care-free approach to things may be the one thing that makes them a tricky team to plan for...
For draft day though, steer clear.
Stay shook,
Draft FC Mitch
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