As we continue to unpack Double Gameweek 33 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) and look towards the rest of the run-in, it’s time to analyse the data on chip usage and squad make-up provided by LiveFPL.

Double Gameweek 33 was approached in several different ways by FPL managers, but activating a chip of some kind was certainly a common strategy.

Looking at the top 10k managers as our sample group, we use the wide array of tools LiveFPL has to offer to assess how different chips performed and where managers now stand for the weeks ahead.

TOP 10K: CHIP USAGE

In Gameweek 33, the biggest spike in single FPL chip usage was seen with the Bench Boost; 47.47% of bosses in the top 10k fielded their full 15-man playing squad over the round just passed.

That makes sense, given a popular chip strategy during this season’s run-in has for some time involved a Gameweek 33 Bench Boost, to capitalise on there being six clubs who played twice.

It means less than a third of the current leading Fantasy managers still have their Bench Boost intact, likely aimed at a possible smaller Double Gameweek to come.

The top 10k’s next most-used chip during Gameweek 33 in isolation was the Free Hit, which 26.17% of managers in that rank bracket activated.

Elsewhere, Wildcard usage inched slightly up in Gameweek 33 but that reset button was the least popular chip, with the Triple Captain used nearly twice as much in the top 10k. 

Regardless, the Wildcard has been activated more than any other chip among this group of gaffers in the second half of the campaign; about a quarter are still yet to use it.

GAMEWEEK 33 FREE HIT TEMPLATE

Here was the Gameweek 33 Free Hit template in the top 10k, i.e. the most-owned squad of 15 players for those FPL managers who used this particular chip.

GAMEWEEK 33 WILDCARD TEMPLATE

… and here was the Wildcard template in the top 10k…

HOW DID EACH FPL CHIP PERFORM IN GAMEWEEK 33?

Comparing how FPL managers got on with their respective chip choices (or lack thereof) in Gameweek 33, LiveFPL’s calculations show the Bench Boost came out on top on average.

Managers earned roughly 20 extra points with a Bench Boost compared to a Free Hit, the graphic below suggests, while Wildcard performed similarly to the latter.

Triple Captain trailed slightly behind, while the just under 17% of top 10k managers who played no chips in Gameweek 33 ended up with an average of 81 points.

HOW MANY CHIPS DO TOP 10K MANAGERS HAVE LEFT?

And in the aftermath of Gameweek 33, there are exceedingly few top 10k managers who have played zero (0.53%) or even just one (7.1%) chip in the second half of the season.

There also aren’t many managers in this group who have played all four of their chips (7.36%) already, with three used chips (49.85%) the most common number.

Expect there to be plenty of Free Hits activated in Blank Gameweek 34, while Gameweek 35 could see many of the remaining Wildcards deployed.