When to play your Wildcard is one of the most important decisions we face as Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers.
The answer, of course, is team-dependent, but some windows do appear much more appealing than others.
Gameweek 6 is a good example, with Arsenal and Brentford about to embark on favourable fixture runs.
However, there are other opportunities to use the Wildcard later, which we’ll explore below.
Remember, you have until the Gameweek 19 deadline to use the first Wildcard before it expires.
- READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 6 Wildcard: Pros, cons + four best drafts
- READ MORE: Do I keep my free transfers when I use an FPL Wildcard?
GAMEWEEK 7
From Gameweek 7, Manchester City go on an excellent fixture run, so it’s a perfect time to triple up on their assets.
By that point, we should have more clarity on players and their roles, such as Rico Lewis (£4.7m), Josko Gvardiol (£6.0m), Kevin De Bruyne (£9.5m) and Phil Foden (£9.3m).
City will also have been in UEFA Champions League (UCL) action just days before the Gameweek 7 deadline, allowing us to react to the line-up.
Furthermore, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have kind runs of matches that you can take advantage of.
By waiting a week, you’ll also get further info on budget enablers like Alex Moreno (£4.4m), Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.3m), Sepp van den Berg (£4.0m), Kevin Schade (£5.2m) and Fabio Carvalho (£4.8m), which could be key.
INTERNATIONAL BREAKS – GAMEWEEK 8/12
The second international break of the 2024/25 season precedes Gameweek 8.
The third and final one this year is ahead of Gameweek 12.
Using the Wildcard during an international break instantly carries appeal. Firstly, it allows plenty of tinkering/thinking time, with a two-week gap between deadlines.
It also allows you to react to any injuries and/or late arrivals, as well as potentially growing squad value over a slightly longer period.
If you play the Wildcard in Gameweek 8, it might be the perfect time to hop off Liverpool assets such as Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m) and Mohamed Salah (£12.8m).
If you can hold off until Gameweek 12, then you’ll have much more data to assess the best players and teams.
You can also target big fixture swings for Arsenal, Chelsea, Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
LATE ON – GAMEWEEK 16-18
An opportunity to change your team after most managers have already used their Wildcard could pay off.
There is a big concern with this approach, however.
By waiting this long, team value could suffer, which could be especially important this year given the number of heavy hitters at our disposal.
The busy festive period would at least allow you to freshen up your squad.
In Gameweeks 18-23, Liverpool and Manchester City top the Season Ticker.
Crystal Palace and Arsenal players are similarly worth considering around that time.
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