For those Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers still with a Wildcard to use, Gameweek 34 is seemingly the most popular time to use it.
Over 25% of site readers say they will activate the chip this week, according to the home page sidebar vote. In fact, 16% of the top 10k have not yet used their second one.
Chelsea and Manchester United play twice in Gameweek 34, so Wildcarding now will maximise the points potential for both this and Double Gameweeks 36 and 37.
With this in mind, we have produced a position-by-position guide to pick out the best and most discussed options in each category.
All stats taken from this article are from our Premium Members Area.
KASPER SCHMEICHEL
Leicester City may be short of clean sheets this season but they have a closing run of fixtures that is high in quantity and quality. Their remaining outings include hosting Norwich City, Southampton and Everton.
However, the Foxes have ranked badly defensively this season – near the worst for conceding goal attempts, shots on target and expected goals conceded (xGC). This is having played two games fewer than Leeds United, Norwich and Watford, too.
What Kasper Schmeichel (£4.9m) does offer is Leicester coverage without the fear of rotation.
Outfield teammates like James Maddison (£7.0m) and Harvey Barnes (£6.6m) are having minutes managed to prioritise their Europa Conference League matches but Schmeichel has played every minute of the league campaign. The Dane has made the joint-third most saves (108) and therefore has one of the best Baseline Bonus Points System (BBPS) scores with 485.
EDOUARD MENDY
Top of our Season Ticker is Chelsea, as their Double Gameweek 34 is followed by a strong set of season-closing matches. Edouard Mendy (£6.1m) isn’t rotation-proof but has less uncertainty than wing-backs Reece James (£6.3m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.5m).
14 clean sheets have arrived between himself and Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.5m), bettered by only Liverpool and Manchester City. Their xGC of 30.85 actually sits in second, above Liverpool.
What may put potential buyers off is spending such a high price on a goalkeeper, as well as the lack of motivation for Chelsea’s remaining weeks. They’re in the FA Cup final but third-place looks fairly secure. The surprise 4-1 home defeat to Brentford may be the first sign of this.
VICENTE GUAITA
Back from a knee injury which continued the rotation with Jack Butland (£4.4m), Crystal Palace stopper Vicente Guaita (£4.6m) claimed four successive clean sheets before their Gameweek 32 loss to Leicester. Furthermore, he added save points during the 0-0 with Man City and the 3-0 win over Arsenal.
Patrick Vieira’s side has even less to play for than Chelsea – out of all cup competitions and sat in 13th position. Yet they are fifth in the Season Ticker and about to face Leeds United (h), Southampton (a) and Watford (h) in a promising sequence.
What Guaita offers is strong fixtures at a good price, as few of the £4.5m – £5.0m range of goalkeepers have much appeal this season. Surprisingly, the Eagles have the fourth-best xGC throughout the whole season, better than popular defences like Arsenal, Spurs and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
ROBERT SANCHEZ
The highest-scoring stopper under £5.0m is currently a tie between Schmeichel and Robert Sanchez (£4.6m). 10th-placed Brighton and Hove Albion suffered six consecutive defeats during February and March but have suddenly produced form that defies any assumptions that their season will peter out.
They’ve visited north London twice and came away with wins over Arsenal and Spurs. Including the previous 0-0 with Norwich, Sanchez has collected two clean sheets in his last three fixtures and is FPL’s third-most selected goalkeeper. The Seagulls’ final opponents look promising, although they are without any Double Gameweek.
ALSO CONSIDER
Other candidates include Hugo Lloris (£5.4m), Emiliano Martinez (£5.5m), Ederson (£6.1m) and Alisson (£6.0m) but they’re each overshadowed by very attacking full-back teammates, who are seemingly rotation-proof. Nick Pope (£5.4m) doesn’t have this problem but is very expensive for a goalkeeper in the relegation zone.
Watford’s Ben Foster (£4.1m) has been highly-owned all season because he is the cheapest regular starter. Those still with him will be encouraged by his Double Gameweek 36 against Crystal Palace (a) and Everton (h), coinciding with a popular time to Bench Boost.
There should be a shout out for the most popular goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale (£5.1m). Whilst Arsenal are fighting to secure fourth place, their three consecutive defeats have come at a bad time.
