Gameweek 32 is set to be the most popular wildcard window this season. Picking the right chip strategy to pair with the wildcard is essential for the end-of-season push.
This article assesses the most popular route, as well as an alternative option for those pulling the trigger.
Wildcard 32, Bench Boost 33, Free Hit 34
The most popular strategy by far, and for good reason. The big benefit is a huge bench boost, with potentially up to 15 players with two fixtures.
This strategy took a hit, however, when the Arsenal and Newcastle double was replaced by the Bournemouth and Leeds double.
This is not to say that no good assets play for Bournemouth or Leeds, but Newcastle and especially Arsenal players would have been strong long-term holds on a wildcard. Managers pulling the trigger now face the dilemma of whether to include any.
There are five clear teams in Manchester City, Chelsea, Brighton, Bournemouth and Leeds to choose from in building the main structure.
Erling Haaland (£14.4m), Antoine Semenyo (£8.2m) and Nico O’Reilly (£5.0m) have been the standouts for City recently, making them easy selections. To differentiate, March Guehi (£5.1m) or Matheus Nunes (£5.3m) could slot in alongside O’Reilly at the expense of Semenyo.
Chelsea’s defensive woes make Cole Palmer (£10.6) and Joao Pedro (£7.8m) the Chelsea players of choice. Anyone with slightly more belief in Rosenior could add in Robert Sanchez (£4.8m) or Marc Cucurella (£6.0m).
Brighton have more options than Chelsea, but the ones we like most are Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m), Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.5m) and Pascal Groß (£5.5m). The Seagulls have improved defensively, making the double-up viable. Van Hecke ticks along with defensive contributions (defcon) to add to his clean sheet potential. Pascal Groß completes the trio, offering creativity, set pieces, and occasional defcon. Other options to consider could be main man, Danny Welbeck (£6.2m) or Jack Hinshelwood (£5.1m), who has started the last six in the ‘10’, providing three assists and good underlying data.
Bournemouth’s defcon kings James Hill (£4.2m) and Marco Senesi (£5.1m) combine well with talisman and occasional penalty-taker Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m). The recent clean sheets have been fortunate, but there is no denying the defcon potential that the centre-backs bring. Tavernier is Bournemouth’s talisman, and we believe he has some penalty share.
From Leeds, Karl Darlow (£3.9m), Pascal Struijk (£4.3m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.6m) complete our selection of doubling players. Alongside Darlow, Struijk offers the most nailed route into a defence that faces Wolves and Bournemouth in the double gameweek. Calvert-Lewin has lost his form recently, but has the fixtures and underlying data to rediscover it.
Bruno Fernandes (£10.3m) is the only player with a single gameweek in 33 to make the cut. Little needs to be said about him. He is the standout captain choice for gameweek 32 and is a season keeper beyond this, regardless of the doubles.
Wildcard 32, Free Hit 33, Bench Boost 35
The alternate strategy ignores most players doubling in gameweek 32 in favour of a very different team that navigates the blank and sets up for a later bench boost.
Free hitting in gameweek 33 means that managers who use this strategy can afford to be more aggressive or daring with their double gameweek selections.
This route also allows for Arsenal and Newcastle assets to feature and can be set up to target the Manchester City and Crystal Palace double in gameweek 36.
Bench boosting in gameweek 35 makes sense with a selection of very strong fixtures, but gameweek 36 can also be considered.
The City assets remain the same in Haaland and O’Reilly, with Semenyo missing out. He is someone who could be targeted from gameweek 35 with free transfers, depending on City’s remaining motivations in the league.
Bruno Fernandes, of course, also features again for the same reasons as before.
The rest of the team is entirely different to the Bench Boost 33 strategy, which is great for anyone looking to go down a different path.
From Arsenal, David Raya (£6.0m) and Gabriel (£7.2m) are the standout picks, with a great fixture run to the end of the season. Those looking to add a third Arsenal asset might consider Declan Rice (£7.3m). Kai Havertz (£7.3m) could be an option if he continues to build some fitness. He is best monitored and targeted in a future move.
Anthony Gordon (£7.4m), playing out-of-position striker, with penalties, looks to be an option you could hold to the end of the season. Newcastle have no more cup commitments, so a strong league finish is their sole focus. Malick Thiaw (£5.1m) should come straight back into the side after his rest and could continue to put up great shot numbers for a centre-back.
Newcastle’s rivals, Sunderland, also have a decent run-in, where Omar Alderete (£4.1m) or Dan Ballard (£4.6m) (if fit) will continue to provide good value with defcon and clean sheet potential.
A Crystal Palace double up in Ismaila Sarr (£6.3m) and Chris Richards (£4.4m), or, for those on a higher budget, Maxence Lacroix (£5.1m), makes sense with their double that is due to be scheduled in.
Dominik Szoboszlai (£7.1m) offers a little bit of everything for Liverpool and should have a decent penalty share with Salah continuing to miss time here and there.
For those willing to bow to the defcon supremacy of the 25/26 season, Elliott Anderson (£5.5m) and his guaranteed four points per week, complete the midfield.
In goal, Jose Sa (£4.2m) comes in for his bench boost appearance at home to Sunderland in gameweek 35. Wolves are much improved and are playing for their manager.
Partnering Haaland upfront are talismen Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m) and Igor Thiago (£7.3m). Both now have penalties and have a lot to play for at both ends of the table. Bowen ended last season very strongly with five goals and three assists in his last six, which bodes well.
