Metrics

Fifth of top 10k FPL managers yet to play first Wildcard

Roughly a fifth of the top 10,000 Fantasy Premier League managers are yet to use their first Wildcard.

Time is running out to deploy this chip as it is only active for the next three Gameweeks, disappearing after Gameweek 20.

Following the passing of Saturday’s deadline for Gameweek 17, 81.09% of the top 10k had played their Wildcard.

As you can see from the table above, 0.87% of them played the Wildcard for Gameweek 17, taking the overall total for the top 10k to 81.09%.

That means 18.9% of managers at this level still have it in their pocket, ready to deploy over the Christmas period.

Our ProPundit writer Simon March did an article earlier this week on the pros and cons of using the Wildcard later in the season and is certainly an interesting read. READ IT HERE.

Those that do deploy their Wildcard between now and the end of the year may well end up with squads that look a bit like the above.

This is the template Wildcard put together by those using it for Gameweek 17.

As you can see, the Brighton double-up between the sticks is the most-popular goalkeeper combination, featuring Mat Ryan (£4.8m) and David Button (£4.0m).

The most fashionable defenders in these select squads match the quintet considered the best by the majority of top 10k managers.

John Lundstram (£5.1m), Martin Kelly (£4.3m), Çaglar Söyüncü (£5.1m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.3m) and Diego Rico (£4.3m) are all the top five most popular defenders both for the top 10k generally, and those who Wildcarded for Gameweek 17 – in the same order as well.

There is some disparity in midfield though.

Sadio Mané (£12.3m), who assisted and had a headed goal ruled out for offside in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday, is the most popular in both sets, in 87.4% of Wildcard squads and 85.8% of top 10k squads.

By contrast, Mohamed Salah (£12.2m), who has double-figure hauls in each of his last two Premier League outings, is only in 16.8% of top 10k squads, suggesting he can act as a powerful differential at this level from Gameweek 19 onwards, as Liverpool are without a fixture in Gameweek 18.

While James Maddison (£7.8m) is in 59.6% of top 10k squads for Gameweek 17, he is in 71.3% of the Wildcard squads at this level, indicating how popular he is.

The Wildcard users have also taken the opportunity to invest in the Spurs midfield double-up too, with considerably more vigour than the rest of the top 10k.

Son Heung-min (£10.0m) and Dele Alli (£8.7m) are in 56.3% and 42.5% of Wildcard squads at this level but are only in 51.8% and 34.7% respectively in normal top 10k teams.

The true power of these players for those further down the rankings is shown by how few managers own Son and Alli overall. As things stand, their worldwide ownership figures are 21.0% and 12.5% respectively.

Meanwhile, if Kevin de Bruyne (£10.2m) manages to return to usual FPL form against Arsenal’s then he could help arrest a slew of sales.

He may still be in 60% of top 10k squads but that number has been falling each week for some time now.

Furthermore, the Manchester City midfielder has been selected by just 37.9% of top 10k managers playing their Wildcard for Gameweek 17.

So far, it has been a disappointing Gameweek for the in vogue forward line of Jamie Vardy (£10.1m), Tammy Abraham (£8.0m) and Marcus Rashford (£9.0m).

The Leicester City forward was handed an overwhelming majority for the Gameweek 17 captaincy, with 71.2% backing for it among the top 10k, but arguably failed to fully deliver on his promise.

Despite finishing the match at the King Power Stadium with more shots on target than any other player, Vardy did not find the net officially.

He was initially awarded the goal for Leicester’s equaliser but was shortly after stripped of it, Tim Krul (£4.5m), quite rightly, accredited with an own-goal instead.

Meanwhile, Mané (backed by 18.6%) came in as a distant second, managing to outscore Vardy by one point.

As already mentioned, Salah’s big haul against Watford was especially powerful for those who captained him.

With the vast majority of top 10k managers getting 10 points for Vardy, a 32-point haul for the Egyptian will surely have propelled the 4.5% who captained him into the highest reaches.

As for the rest of the popular forward line, Abraham blanked in a surprise defeat to Bournemouth while Rashford awaits his owners in a meeting with Everton on Sunday afternoon.

A final word on the chips as 2.6% of the top 10 deployed the Triple Captain for Gameweek 17.

Our Scoutcaster and ProPundit Az also pulled the trigger for his enhanced armband.

Like many of those in the top 10k, the chosen recipient was Vardy, and, chances are, his Triple Captain backers were expecting a lot more than one assist against Norwich.

All data taken from LIVEFPL.NET.

1,952 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Thoughts on BRI vs SHU.

    Anyone think SHU will keep a cleanie?

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      50-50, I dont expect them to keep a cleanie

    2. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Brighton most likely to score, SHU a bit lucky yesterday with not conceding. I´m in a pickle about playing Lund or not, seems to be a pattern when to play and when you don´t need to. Seems to be less tight at the back lately so unless it´s home vs a low scoring team you are banking on attacking returns which ofc could happen but 6 returns in 17 games, one return every third game /(and one he got 2 in) is good but if you think they concede chances are high he wont get you more than app points.

      Brighton is debatable, Watford is def playable then City/Liv which imo he is not playable, West Ham home is nice, then two games i would probably avoid playing him. The only "ODD" return he´s got is the one vs Everton and i watched that game and that was lucky as hell not to concede at least one and in retrospect Everton were garbage at the time. Most attacking returns is home, 5 out of 6, and 2 CS away, CS are Palace, Watford, Everton, Arsenal, Burnley, Villa, apart from Arsenal who is constantly erratic and sporadic and to a lesser extent Villa the common between those teams are they are low scoring. Brighton 12 goals in 7 home matches so far is not huge but decent enough (involves a freak one vs Southampton, Andone got red card after 30minutes).

  2. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Bottomed

    Heaton
    Aurier Lundstram Kelly
    Zaha KDB(c) Maddison Dendonk
    Vardy Abraham Pukki

    Schmeich VVD TAA Salah

    0itb, 1FT, WC intact

    Any ideas? Would you save or transfer out one Pool player and then bench Dendonk?

  3. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Thinking of playing my free hit for GW18...

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Tempting

    2. Klein
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Dont buddy. There will be a bigger bgw in the future. With 6+ teams not playing. You will want it then.

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        This

      2. Duffy Dunk
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Same, while gw18 doesn't really have favourable fixtures for the big teams, with fixtures like MCI-LEI & CHE-TOT.
        MUN *could* be the only one able to do well, v WAT.

    3. doy
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Wait for the bigger BGW.

  4. Sz21
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    2ft's + WC next GW almost certainly.
    What would you do? Looking at 1 week punts.
    Salah/ Robbo out maybe

    Henderson.
    Robbo, Soyuncu, Lundstram, Kelly.
    Pulisic, Mane, KDB, Salah.
    Abraham, Vardy.
    Button, Cantwell, Williams, Wickham.
    2ft. 0.4m ITB..

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Salah & Mane to Son & Alli/Grealish

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Similar situation with Trent and Mane Salah and 2ft. Thinking both mids out (got Mane late so wont lose value), double spurs mids for the blank.

  5. GoonerByron
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Which 2 of these to bench next GW? 😐

    Maddison
    Cantwell
    Rico
    Targett
    (Lundstram.. Not likely though)

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      C & T

    2. Duffy Dunk
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Cantwell & Rico.
      Looking for an AVL def for my team, may I ask why have you picked Targett (over Guilbert) ?

      1. GoonerByron
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Just like the look of him from what I’ve seen from an attacking point of view! Eye test... Had him to start GW1 but wasn’t straight in the team but now seems pretty nailed and playing well..

        Guilbert good option too though, has been amazing for me in Sky all season!

      2. bench boost for every gamew…
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Villa defence seems like a no go to me, unless you can rotate them away from home. Fullbacks are cheap but comes with some cons imo, competition (back ups are decent and in a tight schedule rotation seems likely) and Targett is constantly having one or another niggle.

        Schedule is good though so as fifth defender is not all wrong, just be aware of that they could be rotated in that game you want them to play-) That GW between Boxing day and New Year you prob want to play him cause leic and shu have bad fixtures, that´s where the rotation can come.

    3. patricio33
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Cantwell and Targett. Bench 'em.

  6. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    pulisic out?
    for who?

    1. KUN_DE_BRU_YNE
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Grealish for me,shots from everywhere

  7. Old Man
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Extraordinary!
    Magnus Carlsen:
    World Chess Champion
    FPL #1 in the world
    67 points already this week and he still has three players to.
    Whatever next?

    1. Del Griffith
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Rook to F3 ?

    2. Sir Edo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I was also top of the world (3rd) about 10 years ago, but fell down to 2k that season. Very hard to stay in the top even though you are a great manager.
      The Norwegian TV documentary about Magnus is fantastic, see it of you can find it, specially if you are interrested in chess! Chess Mate! 🙂

  8. Reckoner.
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    What to do with this lot, 2 FT 0.2m itb:

    Pope | Woodman
    TAA | Robertson | Soyuncu | Lundstram | Rico
    Mane | KDB | Zaha | Dendoncker | Chalobah
    Kane | Vardy | Jimenez

    1. Reckoner.
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Wanting to keep the 3 X Liverpool and ride out, players I'm thinking of moving on are:

      Soyuncu, KDB, Chalobah & Jimenez

      1. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Why sell Soy? Seems as attacking as Chillwell and Leicester do cs

        1. Reckoner.
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Fixtures more than anything, won't be 100% selling him anyway, he's just one option to remove if I need funds elsewhere.

      2. Duffy Dunk
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Are you that confident your other players can cover well enough, while the 3 LIV blank now & play possibly the toughest fixture next, away to LEI?

        1. Reckoner.
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          No that's why I'm using my transfers, Chalobah currently won't start so would leave me at 10 players.

          Not against going with only 10 as it's a tough week of fixtures anyway but have transfers to use.

  9. PapaWengzz
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Best Pulisic replacement?
    A) Grealish
    B) Zaha
    C) Martial

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Richarlison

      1. PapaWengzz
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Cheers, good shout, Arsenal At home next

    2. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Geealish for me, but I can't really trust Martial. If he was consistently condisteng ut would be him. Do you have Richarlison?

      1. PapaWengzz
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I was actually not considering Rich, but I just saw his fixtures. I would have to take a hit though, can get the others on a straight swap, exact cash for Martial.

        Maybe Tammy, Pulisic > X, Rich (-4). Will need to figure out who's X

    3. Duffy Dunk
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      A

  10. NEW ARTICLE
  11. GreennRed
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    The Fixture Difficulty Rating should vary with rolling form and weighted for different player positions. A forward has a tough one currently v Sheffield United or Leicester and a back could have a more favourable fixture currently against Watford or Newcastle who aren't high scoring. Currently it seems to have a 1-5 difficulty rating based on predicted team perglformance, not individual players.

    1. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      i do see your point but that would be hard to actually implement-)
      Do you need that when you already figured it out by yourself?

  12. Offs!de
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Have 2 FT & 3.2m ITB. Which transfer looks imminent?
    .
    a) Hayden to Grealish (Thus I can easily cover Salah's blank in GW 18)
    b) Pulisic to Alli / Martial/ Richa (already have Son)
    c) Tammy to Rashford?

  13. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Going be tight for the Cup, have 10pts + Ryan vs Auba(c) + KdB think he is favorite...

  14. Almathkourq8
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    What to do here?
    2ft & 1.3 itb

    Rayan (heaton)
    Rico Lund kelly (soy & Rebt)
    Cantwell Grealish son KDB ( mane)
    Abraham ings vardy

    A) Soy & abraham >> jesus & targett
    B) Cantwell & abraham >> lucas moura & calvert
    C) any suggestions would be great

    Help plz !!

  15. JJeyy
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Leno, Fabianski or Mccarthy lads?

    1. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      or henderson