It didn’t seem like a good idea to give Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers a two-week international break to reflect on the general cruelty of Gameweek 29.
However, two announcements provided a distraction at the right time.
On Monday, a new game called “Fantasy Challenge” was introduced, which is essentially a series of independent free hits, each with a unique condition.
In addition, the conclusion of Double Gameweek 34 quickly prompted managers to think ahead and decide on a chip strategy for the home stretch.
With this in mind, here are a few suggestions from Fantasy Football Scout about when the best time might be to use a valuable wildcard.
Gameweek 30
Firstly, now. Anyone who still has a free hit in their pocket can use this wildcard to make as many transfers as they want, knowing full well that they will later be given a one-week break of their choosing.
Of course, the desire to get a fully fit Mohamed Salah (£13.1m) back into the team immediately is another reason to act, even if that means sacrificing Phil Foden (£8.1m) or a Tottenham midfielder just before the Luton game.
The missing players from Blank Gameweek 29 can be bought back and the defence has a chance to be cleaned up, while highly-picked but frustrating goalkeepers Alphonse Areola (£4.3m) and Martin Dubravka (£4.2m) can be passed on.
Gameweek 33
This is followed by a faster than usual sequence of deadlines for Gameweek 31 and Gameweek 32, limiting the wildcards to extremely short deadlines.
Therefore, the next idea is to use it in time for the positive schedule changes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Brentford.
This strategy maximizes the potential to trigger the Bench Boost in Double Gameweek 34, an event where more teams appear twice than in Double Gameweek 37.
In fact, cheap players who would normally act as substitutes in the FPL have stronger looking players in the former position.
Names such as Jarrad Branthwaite (£4.2m), Alejandro Garnacho (£4.9m), Antoine Semenyo (£4.5m) and Pablo Sarabia (£4.7m) boost Bench Boost 34’s prospects.
Gameweek 35
Others end up in doubles, even though they know that the other will face completely different teams.
Focus on the first with free transfers and then on the second with wildcards so that both can be attacked.
For example, Spurs are the only team not involved in Gameweek 34, and yet both they and Chelsea are expecting to win two games in the last four rounds.
Considering Newcastle’s good fixture list and a possible bench boost 37, these managers will be hoping for a great finish.
The main problem is that it feels wasteful to use this valuable chip so late. It might prove more beneficial to use Wildcard earlier.
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