Haaland, Wood, Or Fernandes? Holly Shand’s Top Captain Picks for FPL Gameweek 29

Holly Shand runs through her best captain picks for FPL Gameweek 29.

Fantasy managers have a big decision to make when it comes to captaincy in Blank Gameweek 29, with no fixture for the usual suspect Mohamed Salah due to the League Cup final.

So who are the best captain picks this weekend?

FPL Gameweek 29 Best Captain Picks

Erling Haaland vs Brighton (H)

If money is no object, then Erling Haaland is the obvious choice at home to Brighton, trailing only Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot, with 20 goals for the season. The challenge is the transfers and sacrifice needed to accommodate the £14.7 million striker.

He scored in the reverse of this fixture, which resulted in a 2-1 win for the Seagulls, who come into this game with four wins on the bounce. Haaland also arrives to this game in form, with three goal involvements in his last four starts, one goal and two assists.

He has been consistent at the Etihad in 2025, producing an attacking return in every start. He also has penalties in his locker, which is a key route to points. He’s currently owned by just under 30% of managers, so high ownership concerns shouldn’t be the only reason for investment.

Chris Wood vs Ipswich Town (A)

Those managers who can’t get to Erling Haaland easily in Blank Gameweek 29 should be reassured that Chris Wood is a very worthy alternative as the highest-scoring forward in the game this season, with 18 goals and three assists for the campaign.

His side should be high on confidence having picked up four points from consecutive home games against fellow top four candidates Arsenal and Manchester City. While Wood failed to produce attacking returns in those games, he does have one goal and one assist from the last four gameweeks.

Wood remains the most clinical goalscorer in the league this season, with the highest conversion rate of any striker. He scored the only goal in the reverse fixture against Ipswich Town, who currently sit in the relegation zone, having conceded nine goals in their last four games.

Bruno Fernandes vs Leicester City (A)

Manchester United’s playmaker Bruno Fernandes is the most bought player ahead of Blank Gameweek 29 and a key pick for those managers on Free Hit. He comes into this game with two goals and two assists from the last three gameweeks, but tough fixtures are ahead after the international break.

The fixture this weekend couldn’t get much better with a trip to Leicester City who haven’t picked up a single point in their last five league games, conceding 13 goals during this run. The relegation candidates have kept just one clean sheet this season.

Fernandes produced his best fantasy return of the season in the reverse fixture, having a hand in every goal in the 3-0 win at Old Trafford, plus he’s also on penalties. My only reservation in trusting him with the armband is Manchester United’s inconsistency this season, with just one win from their last four games.