When are the best times to use an FPL Wildcard?
Each season, FPL managers get two Wildcard chips to use when needed. Since the second became active in Gameweek 20, around one million have activated theirs, meaning over 10 million have a decision to make.
There’ll be huge interest in how the FA Cup progresses, as Gameweek 34 takes place on semi-final weekend. Up to eight teams could therefore blank, causing carnage in the Fantasy community.
Let’s check out the strategies for using a Wildcard at various points.
GAMEWEEK 30
By the next deadline, it’ll be clear which top-flight teams have reached the FA Cup’s final 16 and by Gameweek 28 we’ll know the quarter-finalists.
Furthermore, we’ll enter Gameweek 30 with full knowledge of what Blank Gameweek 34 looks like. Managers can plot a Wildcard that refreshes their team, prepares for the future and finds a safe way to navigate this big blank – possibly a Free Hit.
It’d allow them to dead-end their current squads into Gameweek 29, before getting nine rounds of usage from FPL’s most powerful chip. Of course, the main setback is we mightn’t know by that point whether Gameweek 33 or 36 will be the big double.
GAMEWEEK 35
Similarly, if managers are lucky enough to have a good setup – one that can last quite a while longer – they could dead-end into Blank Gameweek 34 before executing a short-term burst that has the confidence to stray from template assets and attack Double Gameweek 36. Especially if there’s still a Bench Boost to use.
However, if an announcement like last Friday’s suddenly decides that Gameweek 33 will be the big double, it’ll force a sudden turnaround.
Another point worth considering is you won’t get many weeks out of this new squad. It’d feel like a wasted opportunity.
GAMEWEEK 32
That’s why a good compromise could be in the middle. Those intending to Free Hit in Blank Gameweek 29 may have noticed that a lot of popular targets have good fixtures surrounding that EFL Cup final weekend.
So there’d be no desperation to sell until perhaps Gameweek 32, where the good-looking fixtures end for Newcastle and Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, they’ll seemingly begin for Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. That could be when to use an FPL Wildcard.
One setback to this plan is that those still with the new Assistant Manager chip wouldn’t be able to use it in either Gameweek 30, 31 or 32.
