If you do not understand the scoring system, you cannot pick a good team. FPL rewards far more than goals, and some of its most valuable points come from places new managers never look. Here is the system in plain English.
Playing time and goals
Any player who takes the pitch earns points for appearing, with a little more for playing most of the match. Goals are worth more for defenders and goalkeepers than for midfielders, and more for midfielders than for forwards - the game deliberately rewards the rarer event. That is why a goal-scoring defender can outscore a striker over a season.
Assists are broader than you think
In FPL, an assist is not only the final pass. Deflections, rebounds and even winning a penalty or a free kick that is then scored can count, depending on the game official definitions. The lesson is simple: players involved in attacking moves score well even when they are not the one finishing them.
Clean sheets and conceding
Goalkeepers and defenders earn clean sheet points when their team concedes nothing while they are on the pitch. Midfielders earn a smaller clean sheet reward. But defenders and goalkeepers also lose points for goals conceded, which is why a defender in a leaky defence can be a trap even if he attacks well.
Bonus points: the hidden decider
After every match, the three best-performing players receive bonus points, decided by a statistics-based system that weighs actions like chances created, tackles, recoveries and saves. Bonus points regularly decide close gameweeks, and they are a big reason why all-round midfielders and attacking full-backs are so popular.
Cards and misses
Yellow and red cards cost points, and a missed penalty costs points too. A saved penalty, on the other hand, is a major reward for a goalkeeper. The overall message is consistent: FPL rewards players who are involved in everything their team does well.