FPL legends ranked: The most iconic fantasy football bargains and cult heroes of all time

Before the digital era of templates, wildcards, and Triple Captain chips, fantasy football was a game of inky fingers, newspaper cutouts, and ringing in transfers over the landline. Since the launch of the official Fantasy Premier League (FPL) for the 2002-03 campaign, millions of managers across the globe have spent hours searching for that elusive golden ticket: an out-of-position bargain, a penalty-taking budget midfielder, or a cheap goalkeeper racking up clean sheets and save points.

While premium superstars like Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mohamed Salah have delivered astonishing individual seasons—Salah remains the only asset to surpass 300 points in a single campaign, doing so twice—the true folklore of the game belongs to the unexpected bargains who rewrote the rulebook.

The Icons: Cult Bargains and Out-of-Position Wonders

10. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur, 2014-15 – Starting Price: £5.0m)

Before becoming England’s record goalscorer and a perennial premium option, Harry Kane started the 2014-15 season as a £5.0m third-choice striker behind Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado. After scoring a dramatic 90th-minute winner at Aston Villa in November, Kane never looked back, netting 21 Premier League goals and accumulating 191 points as his price surged to £6.4m.

9. Charlie Adam (Blackpool, 2010-11 – £5.0m)

Blackpool’s solitary Premier League season was marked by Ian Holloway's fearless attacking football and talisman Charlie Adam. As the designated taker of penalties, free-kicks, and corners, the Scottish midfielder registered 12 goals and scored 192 points—then the highest total ever posted by a player from a newly promoted team, trailing only Manchester United winger Nani that season.

8. Michel Vorm (Swansea City, 2011-12 – £4.0m)

Priced at the goalkeeper basement price of £4.0m, Michel Vorm conceded four goals on his debut against Manchester City while making an extraordinary 11 saves. The Dutch shot-stopper went on to keep 14 clean sheets and saved a vital penalty from Clint Dempsey, finishing on 158 points—second only to Joe Hart, who had started the campaign £3.0m more expensive.

7. Stuart Dallas (Leeds United, 2020-21 – £4.5m)

Classified as a £4.5m defender, Stuart Dallas spent the vast majority of Marcelo Bielsa’s breathless 2020-21 campaign roaming forward in central midfield or out wide. Dallas produced eight goals—including a sensational two-goal, 17-point haul in a 2-1 win at Manchester City—along with three assists and 12 clean sheets, finishing with 171 points.

6. Michail Antonio (West Ham United, 2019-20 – £7.0m)

Listed as a midfielder but unleashed as a lone striker post-lockdown, Michail Antonio enjoyed a blistering purple patch in July 2020. The forward struck eight times across seven matches, headlined by a four-goal, 26-point masterclass against Norwich City that equalled Cole Palmer for the highest single-gameweek haul by a player under £7.0m.

5. John Lundstram (Sheffield United, 2019-20 – £4.0m)

Affectionately christened "Lord Lundstram," the Sheffield United player became one of the greatest anomalies in FPL history. Misclassified as a £4.0m bench defender by FPL towers, Lundstram operated as an energetic box-to-box midfielder for Chris Wilder's side, tallying five goals, four assists, and multiple clean sheets to secure 144 points.

4. Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City, 2015-16 – £5.5m)

Starting at just £5.5m and owned by under 6% of managers in Gameweek 1, Riyad Mahrez hit the ground running with a 15-point haul against Sunderland. The Algerian playmaker went on to spearhead Leicester City's miraculous title triumph, producing an unforgettable season for managers who jumped aboard early.