Everton's mid-table — first full season at the new stadium
Everton finished 13th in 2025/26 with 49 points. David Moyes enters Year 2 at the club, and 26/27 is the first full Premier League season at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. For Fantasy Premier League managers, Everton is a defensive-bargain pool: Pickford and Tarkowski are perennial cult-pick budget defensive assets, and the new-stadium home form upside is a small but real bonus.
Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski — the cult budget pair
Jordan Pickford (projected £5.0m) is a perennial cult-FPL pick — the rare goalkeeper who hits 30+ FPL points in a 2-game stretch via save points alone. His shot-stopping numbers in 25/26 were elite (84th percentile across PL goalkeepers). At £5.0m he is a defensible premium-GK alternative to Raya or Sánchez at much lower cost.
James Tarkowski (£6.0m) was a 25/26 standout — over 150 FPL points at sub-£5m, with elite Defensive Contribution points under the 25/26 scoring tweak. He is the cleanest "budget defender starting CB" pick in the league.
Beto, Ndiaye, and the rest of Everton's squad
Thierno Barry (£5.6m) leads the Everton attack — 147 minutes across the opening two games, 10 points, and the first available name in the club's penalty order. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£6.5m) has played every minute behind him for 13 points. Neither is a credible captain pick, but they are the two names to own if you want Everton attacking exposure at all. Beto has joined Fiorentina permanently and Iliman Ndiaye is a Manchester City player — the pair that led this section in earlier versions cannot score for Everton again. James Garner (£6.0m) is fit and back in the side but has 72 minutes and 0.1% ownership.
The 25/26 Hill Dickinson Stadium opening generated a small home-form uplift in late-25/26 results. The first full season at the new stadium is expected to extend that uplift — Moyes' deep-block + counter system plays well at home with the right crowd.
Everton's 26/27 ownership angle
Everton are 6/1 for relegation — mid-table expectation from bookmakers. The recommended exposure: Pickford + Tarkowski is the cleanest "double Everton" template, both at sub-£5m. No premium Everton picks. Captain no Everton asset.
The opening 5 fixture difficulty will determine whether the budget defensive pair stays in your squad through the season or rotates out at the first international break.