In the competitive world of Fantasy Premier League, simply picking players who score goals and get assists isn’t always enough to top your mini-league. The real magic often lies in understanding and exploiting the Bonus Points System (BPS). This intricate metric-driven framework awards additional points to the top-performing players in every Premier League fantasy football match, and mastering it can be the difference between a casual manager and a league champion.
Every Gameweek, after the final whistle blows, bonus points (distributed as 3, 2, and 1) are allocated to the three players who accumulate the highest BPS scores. This guide will delve into the mechanics of the BPS, explain key actions and their scoring weights, highlight recent rule adjustments, and show you how to identify those crucial “bonus point magnets” to elevate your fpl fantasy game.
The Mechanics of the FPL Bonus Points System (BPS)
The Bonus Points System is powered by Opta match data, meticulously scoring every player on the pitch based on a wide array of actions, both positive and negative. These individual scores are then aggregated, and the top three performers walk away with extra points.
- 3 Bonus Points: Awarded to the player with the highest BPS score.
- 2 Bonus Points: Awarded to the player with the second-highest BPS score.
- 1 Bonus Point: Awarded to the player with the third-highest BPS score.
Handling Ties: Ties in BPS scores are common. If two players share the highest score, both receive 3 bonus points, and the next distribution would be the player with the next highest score receiving 1 point (as there’s no “second” place in this scenario). If there’s a tie for second, both players would get 2 points, and the third-place bonus wouldn’t be awarded.
Key Actions and Their BPS Scoring Weights
Every action a player takes on the pitch contributes to their BPS score. Foundational actions like completing passes, recovering possession, and making successful tackles build a player’s baseline.
Attacking Actions: The Goal Boost
- Scoring a Goal: This is the most significant contributor to a player’s BPS. The raw BPS value for scoring a goal is dynamically weighted by position. Forwards receive the highest raw BPS for scoring to compensate for their generally lower volume of defensive actions.
- Key Passes: Creating clear goal-scoring opportunities for teammates is heavily rewarded.
- Successful Dribbles: Taking on defenders and beating them adds to a player’s BPS.
- Big Chances Created: More than just a key pass, this signifies a higher probability of a goal.
Defensive Actions: Building a Solid Foundation
- Clean Sheets: While a direct point in the main FPL scoring, a team’s clean sheet also contributes positively to the BPS of its defensive players.
- Tackles Won: Successfully dispossessing an opponent is a valuable defensive action.
- Pass Completion Percentages: Maintaining a high accuracy in passing, especially in advanced areas, contributes positively.
Recent FPL BPS Rules and Meta Adjustments
To ensure fairness and balance across different player types and tactical approaches in Premier League fantasy football, the BPS undergoes periodic adjustments. Recent changes have aimed to refine positional scoring and reduce the dominance of certain player archetypes.
- Removal of the Tackled Penalty: The historical deduction of -1 BPS for being tackled has been removed. This is a significant boost for flair wingers, aggressive dribblers, and attacking midfielders in fpl fantasy, as they are no longer penalized for taking risks in the final third.
- Adjusted Clearances, Blocks, and Interceptions (CBI): The BPS value for CBI actions has been slightly scaled back. Previously, every two actions might have been rewarded; now, it might be every three. This prevents central defenders from consistently dominating bonus points solely through high volumes of defensive actions, creating a more equitable distribution and benefiting full-backs and creative players.
- Goalkeeper Save Metrics: Goalkeepers now have a streamlined baseline for saves, with additional, specific rewards for crucial stops, such as saves from shots taken inside the penalty box or from clear-cut “big chances.”
How to Target Bonus Point Magnets in FPL Fantasy
When scouting for your squad or planning your next transfer, look for players who consistently accrue BPS. The “bonus magnet” profile often includes:
- Set-Piece Takers: Players responsible for corners and free-kicks naturally rack up key passes and chances created. This builds a strong BPS foundation even if they aren’t scoring or assisting directly.
- Advanced Full-Backs: Those who combine clean sheet potential with a significant attacking output through open-play crosses and a high passing accuracy are often in contention for bonus points, especially if they contribute to goals or clean sheets.
- Clinical Finishers: Forwards and midfielders who convert their high-value chances efficiently without squandering opportunities (i.e., avoiding negative BPS penalties for missing big chances or shooting off-target) can quickly climb the BPS leaderboard when they find the net.
By analyzing a player’s underlying BPS tendencies in conjunction with standard expected data (like xG and xA), you can develop a more nuanced understanding of their true FPL potential. This deeper insight allows you to identify players who are likely to deliver those crucial extra points, week after week, helping you surge up your mini-league standings.
