Understanding Opta Stats

Data is now a key part of any fantasy football game and Fantasy Football Hub members have access to every statistic a fantasy manager could ever need – thanks to our Opta Stats for FPL tool.

But while these stats are a gold mine for fantasy managers, at first glance understanding them can be confusing.

Given this, we have put together this simple guide to what all the stats - and their abbreviations - mean.

Key Opta Stats for FPL explained

When you click on our Opta tool you will be directed to the below landing page.

By default, the Stat Type box will display Opta’s Key Stats, which are a good starting point. The Key Stats are broken down into five main sections: Gametime; Goal Threat; Goal Involvement; Creativity; and FPL.

Check the timeframe selected in the top-right of the screen under Fixture Filters, as the stats displayed will cover this period.

You can also filter the types of player you are searching in the top-left Player Filters section.

Gametime

Player price (£M): The player’s price in Fantasy Premier League, expressed in millions of pounds.

Appearances (App): The number of appearances the player has made.

Minutes played (Mins): The number of minutes the player has played.

Goal Threat

Shots (S): The total number of shots the player has taken.

Shots on target (OT): The total number of shots on target the player has achieved. According to Opta, this does not include blocked shots or those which hit the woodwork, unless they then go in. Goals also count as a shot on target, regardless of intent.

Shots in box (In): The total number of shots taken by a player on or inside the 18-yard box lines.

Big chances (BC): Opta defines a big chance as a ‘situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score’. Penalties count as big chances.

Expected Goals (xG): Opta calculates expected goals using a variety of different factors. It states that ‘adding up a player or team’s expected goals can give us an indication of how many goals a player or team should have scored on average, given the shots they have taken’.

Goals (G): The total number of goals a player has scored.

Goal Involvement

Expected Goal Involvement Percentage (during games played) (%xGI): The percentage of expected goals and assists (see Expected Goals and Expected Assists below) a player was anticipated to be involved in, relative to the rest of their team. For example, if Liverpool’s expected goal involvement (xGI) over a period of time was 4 and Mo Salah had an xGI of 2, his %xGI would be 50%.

Goal Involvement Percentage (during games played) (%GI): As above but for actual goal involvement. So if Liverpool’s players’ combined GI was four (two goals and two assists) and Salah had a goal and an assist, Salah’s %GI was 50%.

Expected Goal Involvement (xGI): The player or team’s expected goals (xG) plus expected assists (xA).

Goal Involvement (GI): The player or team’s expected goals plus assists.

Creativity

Key passes (KP): The number of final passes or pass-cum-shots which results in recipient of the ball ‘having an attempt at goal without scoring’.

Big Chances Created (BCC): The number of balls a player has played which result in a big chance (see Big Chances above).

Expected Assists (xA): Expected assists considers a number of factors about a pass and measures ‘the likelihood that a completed pass will become a goal assist’. Opta states this ‘gives us an indication of how many assists a player or team should have had based on their build-up and attacking play’.

FPL

Expected Points (xPts): The expected number of FPL points based on Opta stats, including expected goals, expected assists etc.).

Bonus Points System (BPS): The number of points a player has scored in FPL according to its Bonus Points System. See our guide on BPS here.

Bonus (B): The number of bonus points a player has scored in FPL. See more about bonus points in the guide link in the BPS section above.

Points (Pts): The number of FPL points a player has scored

You can find more information on our Price Changes tool here!.