Glossary

Every metric and abbreviation used across the site, explained.

🎯 Scoring & Performance

Pts (Total Points): Total FPL points accumulated this season. The headline scoring metric.
Form: Average FPL points per match over the last 30 days. Hot players have form ≥ 5, cold players ≤ 2. Recent output, not season-long.
PPG (Points Per Game): Season points divided by appearances. The long-term scoring rate — more stable than form.
EP (Expected Points): Our internal projection of how many points a player will score in an upcoming window. Calculated from multiple signals (see EP formula below).
Bonus: After each match, the top 3 BPS scorers earn 3 / 2 / 1 bonus FPL points.
BPS (Bonus Points System): A raw rating per match (goals, assists, tackles, saves, etc.). Determines who gets bonus points but isn't directly FPL points.
DefCon (Defensive Contribution): FPL points earned for defensive work: defenders get +2 for reaching 10 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBIT) in a match; midfielders and forwards get +2 for 12 including ball recoveries. Makes busy defensive players quietly valuable.
CBI: Clearances, Blocks and Interceptions — the raw defensive actions that count toward DefCon.

📊 Underlying Stats (xG family)

xG (Expected Goals): Statistical estimate of how many goals a player should have scored based on the quality of their chances. xG > actual goals → likely underperforming, will catch up.
xA (Expected Assists): Same idea for assists — the value of the chances they create for teammates.
xGI (Expected Goal Involvements): xG + xA. Total attacking output expected. Used heavily in our Best XI scoring for midfielders and forwards.
xGC (Expected Goals Conceded): Quality of chances a team conceded while a player was on the pitch. Low xGC = high clean-sheet probability. Used for defenders and goalkeepers.
xGI/90, xGC/90, Bonus/90: Same stats normalized per 90 minutes played. Levels the playing field between regulars and rotation players.
ICT Index: Influence × Creativity × Threat — a composite score FPL provides combining defensive contribution, creativity, and goal threat.

📅 Fixtures

FDR (Fixture Difficulty Rating): Official FPL rating from 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest). Set by the FPL game based on form, home/away, etc.
Avg FDR: Mean FDR across a range of gameweeks. Lower = easier upcoming run.
(H) / (A): Home / Away. Home fixtures are generally easier — players score more from them.
DGW (Double Gameweek): A team plays 2 fixtures in one GW (due to rescheduled cup matches). Players from doubling teams can score 2× points.
BGW (Blank Gameweek): A team plays 0 fixtures in a GW. Their players score 0 points unless you Free Hit.

⚽ Set-Pieces

Players have an "order" (1, 2, 3, ...) for each set-piece type within their team:

P Penalty Taker: P = 1st-choice penalty taker — huge attacking ceiling boost. P² = 2nd choice.
F Free-Kick Taker: 1st-choice direct free-kick taker — extra goal threat.
C Corner Taker: 1st-choice corner taker — extra assist threat.

👥 Squad & Strategy

Owned %: Percentage of FPL managers who own this player. ≥ 30% = template, < 5% = differential.
Template vs Differential: Template = picks most managers have (safe, won't lose ranks). Differential = picks fewer have (can leap-frog rivals if they score).
Free Transfer (FT): Each GW you get 1 free transfer. Unused transfers carry to next GW (max 2). Extra transfers cost -4 points each ("hits").
Hit: A -4 point penalty for making an extra transfer beyond your free one.
Bank: Money left in your budget after picking the squad. £100m total budget.
Captain (C) / Vice-Captain (V): Captain's points are doubled. If captain doesn't play, vice-captain's points are doubled instead.

🎴 Chips

Wildcard: Unlimited free transfers for one GW (no hits). Use to overhaul a broken squad. 2 available per season (one first half, one second).
Free Hit: Replace your entire squad for one GW only — squad reverts after. Great for navigating Blank Gameweeks.
Triple Captain: Captain scores ×3 instead of ×2 for one GW. Save for a DGW or a premium with FDR 1–2.
Bench Boost: All 15 squad members' points count (not just starting XI). Save for a GW where your bench has good fixtures.

🧮 Our EP (Expected Points) Formula

Used in Best XI optimization and transfer suggestions. Combines 8 signals:

baseEP = 0.45 × PPG               (proven scoring rate)
       + 0.20 × form              (recent 30-day form)
       + 0.10 × bonus/90 × 3      (bonus point accumulator)
       + 0.005 × ICT/90           (composite influence/creativity/threat)

  if MID/FWD:  + 0.25 × xGI/90 × goal_pts        (forward-looking attacking talent)
  if GK/DEF:   + 0.25 × CS_probability × 4       (clean-sheet odds from xGC)

  + set-piece bonus (attackers only):
      pen #1 → +0.60   pen #2 → +0.15
      FK #1  → +0.15   corner #1 → +0.10

  × fixture_multiplier (0.5 at FDR 5 → 1.5 at FDR 1)
  × availability (chance_of_playing/100)
  × number_of_fixtures (DGW boost)