With numerous highly-picked defenders looking unavailable for Gameweek 16, those still with a Wildcard to activate can easily overcome this problem.
Managers have four more opportunities to use their first Wildcard. These unlimited free transfers are a chance to fix all mistakes and start planning for the future.
So let’s list the pros and cons of a Gameweek 16 Wildcard, then provide a few draft ideas.
Don’t forget, you can get your Wildcard team rated via our Rate My Team tool or the Plan FPL planner!
GAMEWEEK 16 WILDCARD: THE PROS
SORT OUT THE DEFENCE
Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.2m) sits in over 2.6 million squads but has missed the last two Gameweeks with a muscle injury. And we know Mikel Arteta isn’t reliable for accurate updates.
Alongside him, some unlucky managers also have the suspended Rico Lewis (£4.7m), the inconsistent minutes of Noussair Mazraoui (£4.7m) and a cheap enabler like Jacob Greaves (£4.0m) or Wout Faes (£4.1m). This latter duo aren’t reliable starters anymore, meaning it could be a struggle to field 11 players.
A Wildcard would instantly resolve this by securing a safer backline for the festive period.
SQUAD DEPTH
It’d also help with picking eight nailed-on midfielders and forwards for the chaotic schedule that sees five FPL deadlines over 22 days. Tightly-packed domestic Gameweeks include some EFL Cup encounters, too.
We’ve looked at club-by-club recovery times, as squad rotation is expected to increase for most sides. Therefore, having a full playing bench is important, for the inevitable unannounced rests.
FIXTURE SWINGS
Our Season Ticker identifies good fixture runs for Chelsea, Newcastle United, Arsenal and Fulham.
In contrast, it could be an ideal time to sell Brentford and Everton assets. Names such as Bryan Mbeumo (£7.6m), Mark Flekken (£4.5m), Yoane Wissa (£6.2m), Dwight McNeil (£5.4m) and Jordan Pickford (£4.9m).
GAMEWEEK 16 WILDCARD: THE CONS
YOU MAY NOT NEED IT
Although time is running out to activate Wildcards, some managers are in the enviable position of having a strong template squad that doesn’t particularly need it.
Those already on the expensive midfield trio of Mohamed Salah (£13.3m), Cole Palmer (£11.1m) and Bukayo Saka (£10.5m) are content, especially if there’s also Alexander Isak (£8.6m) and some Arsenal defenders.
GAMEWEEK 16 WILDCARD IDEAS
DRAFT 1: HEAVYWEIGHT MIDFIELD
Otherwise, this first attempt can quickly get you covering such names. It aims to have a long-term Salah-Palmer-Saka base, where all are capable of exploding at any time.
Salah has already reached the 10 double-digit tallies that only Palmer achieved in 2023/24, whilst Saka responded to successive league blanks by netting a Champions League brace. Up front, in-form Isak is showing why he was popular in pre-season, about to face Leicester City and Ipswich Town.
This squad even has the depth of Morgan Rogers (£5.4m) as a fifth midfielder, plus full-back Daniel Munoz (£4.7m) for several weeks down the line. The Colombian has scored in consecutive matches and Crystal Palace’s fixtures improve from Gameweek 19.
Meanwhile, cheap asset Dean Huijsen (£4.3m) looks secure in Bournemouth’s backline now that Marcos Senesi (£4.8m) has been ruled out for a long time. We saw the giant youngster’s aerial threat when recently heading home the winner against Tottenham Hotspur.
As for Matheus Cunha (£7.1m), he can leave after the next couple of matches.
DRAFT 2: SOME HAALAND LOVE
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