Sunderland - 26/27 Draft FPL Pre-Season Thoughts
Written 17th 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
From survival story to European tour
What an impressive season from Sunderland. Seventh on 54 points in their first season back, Europa League football coming to the Stadium of Light, and Le Bris signed on to 2028. The structure is settled with a very sound defence but how will they cope with the new variable of adding in Thursday night football to the schedule. And as much as I fancied Sunderland going into last season we can't ignore some of the facts - they ended up with -6 goal difference and almost certainly overachieved their underlying numbers. Competitive bottom half of the table feels more likely than another top-8 push this year, but there is still a lot of business to be done from them before the window closes.
Xhaka is the glue
Granit Xhaka lifted this entire football club. Captain, plays every single minute, 124 points with 26 defcon points and he owns the dead balls too. High minutes plus defcon volume plus set pieces is exactly the mid-round midfielder profile that wins draft leagues under the updated scoring. The fact Chelsea tried to sign him with a very cheeky bid is another indicator of his value. You're owning him in draft for his floor, he's not a hauler, but as we saw last year, we need a healthy rotation of these central-midfield defcon-merchants to keep the points ticking. A coefficient of value of 0.62 with a points per 90 of 3.9 points to his consistency. He wasn't quite the same after coming back from mid-season injury though (4.3 before and 2.8 towards the back end).
The keeper everyone wants
Roefs was my keeper of the year behind Raya - 136 points, 10 clean sheets, and genuinely spectacular week to week. Which is exactly why Chelsea and Liverpool are circling. If he stays, he's a top-5 draft goalkeeper. If he goes, the whole Sunderland defensive package takes a haircut with him. Track this one right up until your draft day.
The regression warning
I'll be upfront: the Sunderland defence is an area I'll probably stay away from at price. Mukiele put up 151 points, Ballard added 28 defcon points, and Hume played most positions on the pitch last year - superb seasons all round. But a second-season side juggling Thursday-Sunday football and posting those defensive numbers again? It feels incredibly difficult. Defensive overachievement is usually the first thing the fixture congestion takes back. One or 2 big bolster signings could sway me; until then they're fine picks a round or 2 below where last season's points suggest they should go.
Up top and the rest
Mayenda has been sold to Rennes for around £19m, which ends the striker timeshare and hands the number 9 shirt firmly to Brobbey. Seven goals in a solid-if-unspectacular first season, and our model is lukewarm on him at 150 xPts (projection as of 11.7.26). They will sign someone for Europe - they have to - so don't over-draft anyone up top until the window shuts. Le Fée is actually the model's top Sunderland projection with creative volume and set-piece history and if he somehow keeps the penalties he's underpriced. Le Fée was definitely one of the players that passed me by last season and even having stared at the data as much as I have done, it still surprises me that he crept to the tally he did with relative consistency.
The opening run - Sunderland players worth a late draft pick
The schedule is front-loaded in Sunderland's favour: Ipswich away, Fulham at home, Brentford away. Three straight favourable games before it turns nasty with Arsenal at home and City away in GW4 and GW5. And this is precisely where opening-run logic earns its keep on draft day. A Sunderland stock defender, or Sadiki, or even Diarra - players you'd normally leave on the wire - become worth a late pick purely to harvest those first 3 weeks. Ride the soft start, then reassess ruthlessly when the big boys arrive. If they're not returning by GW4, onto the chopping block they go.
Early verdict
The romance is over and the harder part begins - Europe, no more element of surprise and a defence due some regression. Xhaka is the banker, Roefs too, Le Fée the quiet value and the fringe players are best treated as a 3-week rental rather than a season-long hold. Drafted with that discipline, Sunderland can win you August. Just don't fall in love.
Stay shook,
Draft FC Mitch
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