With a large number of active Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers looking to activate their Wildcard in Gameweek 32, before using a Double Gameweek 33 Bench Boost, it’s important to own a bunch of cheap players.

Here are some of the better ones for that specific Bench Boost moment, where all 15 squad members take part.

It doesn’t include injured Leeds United duo Anton Stach (£4.8m) and Joe Rodon (£3.9m), who’ve been ruled out until May by Daniel Farke.

GOALKEEPERS (UP TO £4.5m)

Karl Darlow (£3.9m) – WOL (h), BOU (a)

Excluding FA Cup matches, Darlow has been an ever-present for Leeds since Gameweek 22. The team have delivered consistently solid performances since then, losing only three of 10 matches, and looking the likelier of the relegation-threatened sides to stay up.

He has kept three clean sheets in that time, including two in a row, making him an attractive option at this price. Topping the Fixture Ticker for these closing seven Gameweeks, Leeds get to face Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth in this double, from which at least one clean sheet should emerge.

Martin Dubravka (£4.0m) – NFO (a), MCI (h)

Understandably, Burnley players aren’t really on wish lists, but Dubravka has proven to be a popular number two FPL goalkeeper.

He is the game’s second most-owned (31.6%) in this position, and with good reason. Dubravka has made more saves (111) and collected more save points (27) than any other.

Although a clean sheet is nowhere near guaranteed in Double Gameweek 33, more save points will surely come his way. He stopped seven and five efforts in the reverse meetings against Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.

Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m) – TOT (a), CHE (h)

Helping Brighton and Hove Albion keep two clean sheets in their run of four wins in five, Verbruggen has found form in recent weeks.

Since Gameweek 27, only Djorde Petrovic (£4.6m) and Mads Hermansen (£4.2m) have delivered more FPL points than the Dutchman’s 22. He stands a good chance of adding to that from the two matches against out-of-sorts Tottenham Hotspur and inconsistent Chelsea.

DEFENDERS (UP TO £4.5m)

Leeds options – WOL (h), BOU (a)

Back to Leeds, their fixtures are so appealing for Double Gameweek 33 (and beyond) that there’s an appeal to owning multiple budget-friendly defensive assets.

Gabriel Gudmundsson‘s (£3.8m) numbers are skewed by his Gameweek 30 red card, which the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel subsequently declared shouldn’t have happened. It cost him clean sheet points from both then and his suspension.

Otherwise, he is a regular starter, albeit a slight fitness doubt for Gameweek 32’s trip to Manchester United.

It’s also about guessing which centre-back is most secure during Rodon’s short-term absence. Will it be Jaka Bijol (£3.9m), Sebastiaan Bornauw (£3.8m), or could James Justin (£3.9m) slide back in there?

The latter has started 13 in a row, ranking top among defenders for shots on goal (15) and second for big chances created (four) since Gameweek 22.

For slightly more money, and more security, there’s Pascal Struijk (£4.3m). Boasting a decent rate of defensive contribution (DefCon) points, he’s the league’s fourth-best defender for big chances (three) since Gameweek 21 began.

James Hill (£4.2m) – NEW (a), LEE (h)

Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s Hill has recently become everyone’s favourite budget defender. Since becoming a first-team regular in Gameweek 19, only Gabriel Magalhaes (£7.2m) and Virgil van Dijk (£6.3m) can better his tally of 63.

This period contains three assists, four clean sheets and more DefCon points (18) than anyone else at the back. More will surely come from a double-header against unreliable Newcastle United, then a Leeds side that does not travel well or score many.

Brighton options – TOT (a), CHE (h)

The in-form Seagulls are looking far from ‘on the beach’ at present. Sitting just six points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, things are looking up for Fabian Hurzeler’s side in every sense.

Their defence has been a key component of this upturn, where Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.5m) continues to impress. Only four defenders currently exceed his 33 points from Gameweek 26 onwards. In that time, he lies top among them for DefCon points (10) and clean sheets (three).

Teammate Ferdi Kadioglu (£4.4m) is also flying under the radar. The Turkish international has 22 points across the last four Gameweeks, twice picking up a couple of bonuses in addition to two clean sheets and an assist. Since Gameweek 28, his four shots rank joint-10th among defenders, while five passes into the penalty area are joint-fifth. Owned by a mere 0.4%, he’s an intriguing differential.

Facing a Spurs with the worst home record in the division offers plenty of promise, even though former head coach Roberto De Zerbi is now in charge of the relegation candidates. Hosting Chelsea won’t scare them either, given they’ve won their last three matches in all competitions, and three of four at home, against the Blues.

MIDFIELDERS (UP TO £5.5m)

Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m) – NEW (a), LEE (h)

Moving further forward, Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m) must rank as one of the season’s unluckiest players, having hit the woodwork four times.

In the last four Gameweeks, no midfielder has attempted more shots (15) and only three have created more chances (nine) than the Bournemouth winger. Only Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) has enjoyed more big chances (three).

Tavernier might enjoy himself against a Newcastle side that loves conceding attempts, while the Cherries’ strong home form should stand Tavernier in good stead. Even though his penalty-taking status is now slightly more unclear.

Jack Hinshelwood (£5.1m) – TOT (a), CHE (h)

Managers looking to shoot up their mini-leagues might want to consider some more left-field options like Hinshelwood.

He’s enjoyed regular starts in Brighton’s number 10 role, with Fabian Hurzeler encouraging him to get inside the penalty area more often. The youngster has had two big chances across four Gameweeks and returned three assists in five.

Puntier options

How about Alex Scott (£5.3m) and Ethan Ampadu (£4.9m)? They have returned 14 and 10 DefCon points since Gameweek 21, which suggests the pair could well return a minimum of six to eight points across Double Gameweek 33.

FORWARDS (UP TO £6.0m)

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.6m) – WOL (h), BOU (a)

Budget forwards are fewer and far between, but Calvert-Lewin could prove a rewarding gamble. The Leeds forward is eighth in the scorers’ standings because of 10 goals, with the admittedly rather glaring caveat that he’s scored only one time since Gameweek 22.

Nonetheless, he is a shoo-in to start, still gets into good positions, and fires out many chances. From Gameweek 27 onwards, just one forward has shot more times, while only three have a higher expected goals (xG) tally over that time.

Surely one or two of these chances will eventually drop the right way for the former Everton man, who missed a penalty against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 30.

Zian Flemming (£5.3m) – NFO (a), MCI (h)

Like Dubravka, he’s likely to be overlooked because of being at relegation-doomed Burnley. But check out his recent stats. Three goals in four starts, while over the last two Gameweeks only Igor Thiago (£7.3m) betters his non-penalty expected goals (NPxG) tally of 1.63.

19 shots in six matches, as part of a side that has nothing to lose at this point.

Eli Kroupi Junior (£4.7m) – NEW (a), LEE (h)

Finally, a teenager who is enjoying a fantastic breakout season at Bournemouth, thanks to nine league goals. He scored last time out against Man United, converting a late penalty to remind FPL managers of his ice-cool finishing ability.

Kroupi Jr represents excellent value. Of those who’ve played at least 290 minutes, his minutes per shot on goal of (32.2) is bettered only by Joao Pedro (£7.8m).

However, considering the competition provided by Evanilson (£6.8m) and a clutch of attacking midfielders, committing to him is a risk. You’re probably looking at one start at best across the Double Gameweek.