Fantasy Premier League: When should you use your Chips?

Okay, so that was all really confusing with a lot of “potential” happenings. What does this mean in terms of Chip strategy for the rest of the Fantasy Premier League season?

First up…

Fantasy Premier League Triple Captain

This chip, when deployed, means the player captained gets triple rather than the usual double score for that given Gameweek. The upcoming GW seems like an excellent opportunity to deploy this chip.

Liverpool have 2 home fixtures against Norwich and Leeds United making it a great opportunity to Triple Captain a Liverpool player, with my eyes firmly on Mohamed Salah. Trent Alexander-Arnold is also in with a shout for the chip owing to the fact that he’s outscored Mo Salah more often than not, over the last 12 games when both players were available.

Also in total points over that period coupled with the fact that Salah had an arduous African Cup of Nations campaign and Liverpool play important games on either side of these 2 fixtures and thus could be due a rest. However, I’d find it difficult not to use this chip on the exciting option with a  higher potential ceiling in Salah.

Alternatively, if squad structure means using a Bench Boost is better this week (and we’ll get to that), then it’s wiser to wait and deploy this chip during a future Double Gameweek, with an eye on potential DGWs for other top players. But as things stand, no team is due as favorable a DGW as this one for Liverpool.

Fantasy Premier League Wildcard

This chip gives unlimited transfers for no cost between Gameweek deadlines when used. This is the most powerful of all chips we have and is thus the most squad-dependent, as its benefits are far wider-ranging than over 1 or 2 gameweeks alone. Its usage can be strategically tied into using other Chips optimally, as will be explained below.

Fantasy Premier League Bench Boost

This chip, when deployed, means points scored by the 4 players on the bench are also added to the total score along with that of the first XI for that given week.

Ideally, I see 16-20 points as a good target for a potential Bench Boost. This would be well deployed in a big DGW when cheap bench players also play twice, raising their appearance points from 2 points to 4 points. However, it’s not optimal to leave good players and valuable funds on the bench rather than putting them into the best XI — which is all that counts towards points in every other week.

Thus, my favorite option for a Bench Boost is usually in a DGW just before or after tactically using the Wildcard chip. The current Gameweek and Gameweek 36 are potentially the two bigger DGW’s of the season thus they’re best suited to this chip, however, two chips CAN NOT be deployed in the same GW making it a decision between Triple Captain and Bench Boost this week.

A good plan is potentially using a few transfers to distribute funds across the team and bench before using the Bench Boost and then Wildcarding out of it right after. This is so we can redistribute the money into the strongest possible first XI for all future GWs while gaining the benefit of a good bench for the week with the chip.

Another one for a late Wildcard is to use that chip just before Bench Boosting, thus we can ensure the entire 15 are in favor to be selected, as well as fit to play before we deploy the chip — still keeping 4 playing but budget options in the squad who can be benched in future GWs.

Fantasy Premier League Free Hit(s)

This chip allows unlimited transfers to create a team ONLY for the next Gameweek. The squad returns to its original state from the following gameweek onward.

Potential options to use this chip:

GW27 when Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea don’t play – Most teams will be going into that week with 3-5 players from Liverpool and Arsenal, given their favorable DGW26, and thus would be left with lots of valuable players not playing at all in GW27, making a Free Hit a great option here.

GW30 – as discussed above, GW30 could end up with as few as 3-4 fixtures in total and from teams that aren’t making up the majority of FPL squads as of right now, meaning FPL managers could end up with just 4-5 players playing that week.

Using the Free Hit will allow a full playing 11 including the chance to target fixtures like Leicester vs Brentford, which look high scoring on paper and most teams aren’t likely to own any assets from either side.

GW33 – A gameweek that we thus far don’t know much about but could end up being a mixture of blank, single and double gameweeks but also just a normal gameweek, with every team playing once.

Others – Any mini-DGW or DGW36.

People with two Free Hits left

They can potentially load up on Arsenal players this week for a favorable DGW and upcoming fixture run.

They can also gain maximum benefits from GW27 by deploying a Free Hit here and using the Salah, Trent, and Arsenal player funds for a strong playing XI in a week where Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City have a good fixture. The second Free Hit can then be saved for GW30 or GW33 of the Fantasy Premier League.

People with one Free Hit left

It’s important to look at your squad structure and decide whether GW27, GW30, or GW33 would be the best opportunity to use this chip.

Make transfers to shape your squad towards the Blank GW, where not deploying the Free Hit chip. i.e. If using it in GW27 then, target Arsenal players as they have good fixtures and also play in the reduced GW30.

If using it in GW30 or beyond then be mindful of Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea not playing next week, so don’t load up on them and instead, look at Spurs with a Double GW in 26 and also a good fixture in GW27 for example.

People with no Free Hits left

Or also people looking to navigate the Blank GW27 and 30 without using a Free Hit, transfers can be geared towards Wolves players, who have a double in 26 and play in both GWs 27 and 30.

Get Arsenal players who have a double in GW26 and play in GW30, only if possible to make a satisfactory playing XI next week in GW27 where Arsenal and Liverpool players will have to be benched.

Conclusion

Fantasy Premier League Fixtures get tricky now and strategy comes into play meaning it would be of big help to take a few moments to really look at the games ahead.

Use a fixture planner like those available on websites like livefpl.net and find the best approach for your own teams. A little bit of planning at this time could go a long way towards winning those Minileagues and bragging rights!