Fantasy Bundesliga: Best picks for Matchday 5's key fixtures

From a Fantasy Bundesliga perspective, three Matchday 5 matchups stand out as particularly interesting. Köln-Stuttgart and Hamburg-Union were selected in advance, and following our latest poll on X (@bulinewsdotcom), Frankfurt vs. Gladbach was added as the third game to cover.

📊 Also, here's a quick poll for the #BLFantasy managers... Besides HSV–FCU and KOE–VfB, which match would you like @JakobFantasy to cover in his weekly fixture-based article?

— Bulinews.com – Bundesliga News (@bulinewsdotcom) September 25, 2025

For each matchup, we’ll highlight three players who could have a real impact on your fantasy team. These players may come from the same side or be split between both teams.

To give you balanced options, each set of picks will include one premium player, one mid-priced option and one budget choice. These categories depend on the teams involved in the matchup.

For example, if Bayern plays Dortmund, a premium player might be someone like Kane or Guirassy, both valued at over 20M. But in a smaller fixture, like Hamburg versus Heidenheim, where the most expensive player costs 10M, that same player would count as a premium option, even though he’d only be mid-priced in a bigger game.

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach

Premium: Nathaniel Brown, DEF (11.76, 1%)Back from injury, the Frankfurt defender immediately reclaimed his place in the starting eleven. Last season he was a budget-friendly fantasy asset, racking up points through duels and frequent goal involvement despite being a defender. This year he’s a bit pricier but already proved his worth in Frankfurt’s last match, scoring a goal and collecting 301 points.Mid-Price: Kevin Stöger, MID (9.41M, 6%)Initially a popular pick among managers at the start of the season, Stöger struggled to meet expectations. However, he now appears to be back in form, scoring 229 points against Leverkusen. With Frankfurt having conceded four goals last matchday, he could be worth picking up again.Budget: Robin Koch, DEF (6.36M, 8%)Koch has been poor for most of the season, but his 251 points in the game against Union despite Frankfurt conceding four goals make him one to watch. Leverkusen defenders such as Quansah scored over 250 points against Gladbach through winning duels, and with that being Koch’s strong suit, he looks like a cheap asset with plenty of upside for matchday 5.

1. FC Köln vs. VfB Stuttgart

Premium: Bilal El Khannouss, MID (12.25, 0%)El Khannouss demonstrated his qualities in Stuttgart’s win over St. Pauli last week, earning 301 Fantasy points with a goal. After adding another goal yesterday in Stuttgart’s successful Europa League opener, he looks set to start for the Swabians, who have struggled this season and need a player like El Khannouss to rely on.Mid-Price: Jeff Chabot, DEF (9.15, 20%)The Stuttgart defender was rested yesterday but is expected to return to the starting eleven against Köln. Chabot has been in excellent form this season, scoring over 200 points in every match he has played. Most of his points come from winning duels, and his aerial strength should be especially useful against an attack-minded Köln team that often delivers crosses into the box.Budget: Jan Thielmann, MID (6.66M, 2%)Thielmann has flown a bit under the radar as a fantasy asset so far. Listed as a midfielder, he played in a more advanced role against Leipzig and scored a goal. It remains to be seen if Köln coach Kwasniok continues with this approach, but either way, Thielmann is a player who can get heavily involved in Köln’s attack and rack up plenty of points.

Hamburger SV vs. Union Berlin

Premium: Fábio Vieira, MID (9.28M, 2%)After playing on the left wing in his debut for Hamburg, Vieira was moved to a central midfield role against Heidenheim. In this position, he contributed much more to the game and assisted the second goal. He earned 251 Fantasy points and is set to play a key role in Hamburg’s efforts to stay in the Bundesliga.Mid-Price: Ilyas Ansah, FOR (6.41M, 4%)Ansah has averaged 247 points so far this season, with only one underwhelming performance against Dortmund. In Union’s win over Frankfurt, he scored the opening goal. While he didn’t rack up as many points as Burke, who scored a hat-trick, Ansah remains Union’s most consistent striker. At 6.41M and four goals in four games, he offers excellent value for money.Budget: Rayan Philippe, FOR (3.91, 0%)Philippe had come off the bench in every game so far, but he started in Hamburg’s win over Heidenheim. He had a solid offensive performance, scoring in the 59th minute, and earned 208 points overall. Against Union, who have struggled defensively, he has a good chance to get on the scoresheet again.