In this piece, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of using the Wildcard chip in Gameweek 8 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL), alongside a couple of interesting drafts.
PROS
Growing injury + rotation issues
Many of us have been hit by some sort of injury crisis since the international break. Whether that is Antoine Semenyo (£8.3m), Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.8m), Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.9m), Christos Tzolis (£6.2m) or, now, Bukayo Saka (£9.6m), this is a good moment to reassess our squads.
Notable rotation risks like Josko Gvardiol (£5.8m), Elliot Anderson (£6.3m), Matheus Cunha (£7.9m) and Mamadou Sangaré (£5.5m), assumed to be guaranteed starts, can also make way without using up precious free transfers.
We’ve had time to listen to managers, assess international duty returnees and evaluate the impact of European action.
Fixture swings to target
The next eight Gameweeks on the Fixture Ticker heavily favour teams battling near the bottom, such as Ipswich Town and Coventry City.
Therefore, managers can gather a bunch of their cheap options, freeing up funds to invest elsewhere.
One team set to benefit significantly is Leeds United. Players such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.1m) and Tarik Muharemovic (£5.0m) look like obvious Wildcard picks. Both rank among their position’s top five players expected points per million (xPts/£m) over the coming five Gameweeks.
Centre-back Muharemovic looks like a reliable set-and-forget option, averaging 10.43 defensive contribution (DefCon) actions per 90 and possessing an attacking threat. Up front, low-priced Calvert-Lewin takes penalties and has already recorded an impressive five goal involvements.
It allows time to assess which premium assets should be invested in ahead of the major fixture swing around Gameweeks 12 and 13. It’s one favouring Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion.
This window falls after the international break and before the busy Christmas period, giving managers a valuable opportunity to establish the right squad structure before the schedule intensifies.
Getting ahead of the template
A Gameweek 8 Wildcard also enables a proactive shift towards FPL’s emerging template, allowing managers to jump on early.
For example, Bournemouth assets Antonio Silva (£5.0m) and Marcus Tavernier (£6.2m) are worth targeting. Their run from Gameweek 9 to Gameweek 12 looks particularly attractive. They’ll likely be popular picks.
Buying them now saves future transfers and protects you from imminent price rises.
CONS
Looming international break
With another international break on the horizon, knowing December’s manic festive period isn’t long after, managers must decide whether Wildcarding now is worth the risk of possibly having to rebuild their squads again in a few weeks.
Could it be worth holding off for slightly longer?
The fixture swing might not justify it
Let’s be realistic. How many Coventry, Ipswich and Crystal Palace players do you actually want in your team? Even with a favourable fixture run, all three teams rank in the bottom seven for clean sheet percentage and expected goals (xG).
Players like Bobby Thomas (£4.0m) and Anan Khalaili (£5.0m) are maybe worth having. However, depending on your budget, Muharemovic, Silva and Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.9m) all rank above him for expected points.
Above: RMT projected points by gameweek for sub £5.0m players
In a season where money is less of an issue, it’s difficult to justify including uber-cheap midfielders from these promoted sides in your squad. Jack Rudoni (£4.9m) is in form, yet his projected output is only 3.4 points per Gameweek. For an extra million or so, you could bring in Pascal Gross (£6.2m), Johan Manzambi (£6.0m) or Kevin Schade (£6.2m), who each average an additional 1.5 points per Gameweek.
Ultimately, the fixture swing alone is not a strong enough reason to Wildcard, particularly if it means filling your squad with assets from teams that struggle to create chances or keep clean sheets.
European rotation
Nine Premier League teams are again competing in Europe this midweek. Matches are coming thick and fast.
From an FPL perspective, there is plenty to consider, particularly when assessing which players from Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Brighton, Liverpool and Bournemouth are being kept fresh for the Premier League.
GAMEWEEK 8 WILDCARD DRAFTS
For the two drafts below – one with Cole Palmer (£9.8m), one with Alexander Isak (£9.0m) – the idea is that managers can roll their transfers until Gameweek 12, boasting strong defensive rotation options.
The back five of Muharemovic, Silva, van Hecke, Luka Vuskovic (£5.1m) and Ezri Konsa (£4.6m) each cost £5.0m or less. Maybe your team value allows Riccardo Calafiori (£6.0m) over Konsa. It offers a long-term feel.
Both options feature five or six penalty takers, helping raise the points floor. The main sacrifice is Man United attackers, but perhaps that’s a blessing right now!
Overall, this is a strong template to build from and should suit different types of managers. Those that prefer a plug-and-play approach have reliable options across the squad, while others who enjoy taking calculated risks can explore alternatives such as Schade, Silva and Calvert-Lewin as their favourable fixture runs develop.
Honourable mentions include Leeds’ James Justin (£4.5m), cheaper than Muharemovic while offering his own attacking potential, and Thomas, a genuinely exciting defender of excellent value.
