Who is better: Arsenal's Declan Rice or Chelsea's Moises Caicedo?
We run the rule over whether Arsenal enforcer Declan Rice (£6.5m) or Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo (£5.5m) represents the smarter FPL pick for Gameweek 1 ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
One of the stand out players within a strong Arsenal midfield, Declan Rice could prove a shrewd FPL buy for Gameweek 1 when considering the new rules which include changes to the bonus points system and more emphasis on rewarding successful tackles. Rice accumulated 17 bonus points last season and that number should increase in 2025-26.
Moises Caicedo only gained four bonus points in comparison and despite playing over 500 minutes more than Rice, ended the 2024-25 campaign with 29 less FPL points. The new BPS tweaks are expected to suit Caicedo and provided he can cut down the number yellow cards he receives, his FPL numbers will likely improve.
However, Rice poses the bigger offensive threat and after recording 11 Premier League attacking returns last season, the England international has publicly stated his target to significantly increase on that tally.
His free-kick exploits could help that cause and those memorable two set piece goals against Real Madrid in the Champions League could lead to Rice taking more free kicks (and corners) for Arsenal in the Premier League.
The Gunners travel to Man Utd in Gameweek 1, a fixture that Rice scored in last season. Despite Caicedo being cheaper for FPL managers, Rice stands out as the better choice.
Verdict: Declan Rice (£6.5m)
