Pro Pundits

The merits of a Gameweek 26 Wildcard and what my new FPL squad could look like

How Fantasy Premier League managers navigate the upcoming series of Double Gameweeks could prove season-defining for many of them.

We are currently facing the potential for back-to-back Double Gameweeks in 24, 25, 26 and 27, which is exciting indeed.

The bigger of the Doubles is likely to be in Gameweek 26 and traditionally, the practice has been to Wildcard before this sort of round so you are ready to Bench Boost in it. What is different this year is that the big Double Gameweek does not fall in Gameweek 34 or 37 like previous seasons, but much earlier. 

With it falling at a later stage, there was less worry about setting up long-term for the rest of the season but using the second Wildcard as early as Gameweek 25 means that you have to make sure you don’t handicap yourself by getting tunnel vision and looking solely at the Gameweek 26 fixtures alone. 

What is beneficial though, is that most of the top teams, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs, have the Double Gameweek in 26 and assets from these teams are good picks long-term. 

However, due to these expensive assets having a Double Gameweek, setting up a Bench Boost team is quite tricky. I had a go at a potential Wildcard team, with a view to Bench Boost in Gameweek 26, which you can see below. There is £2.6m in the bank there to convert Danny Ings (£8.4m) to Harry Kane (£11.0m).

The Bench Bwho have a single Gameweek fixture at home to Aston Villa, which is decent and Leeds on their day can score a few past anyone. 

Still, they’ve not been as free-scoring at home so this could be a disappointment. Alex McCarthy (£4.5m) would be the Bench Boost keeper, but I am a little bit concerned about his recent performances and Fraser Forster (£4.0m) waiting in the wings.

Antonio Rüdiger’s (£4.6m) possible Gameweek 26 fixtures are Manchester United (home) and Liverpool (away) so I am not really confident about a clean sheet in either. Matthew Lowton (£4.5m) is likely to have Spurs and Leicester where, again, I don’t feel too confident about his point potential. 

Now let’s have a look at what I could do by focusing most of the money in the starting eleven while still retaining five starting defenders.

Right off the bat, I like having Jack Grealish (£7.8m), he is as nailed as it gets with the European schedule coming up and I trust Villa’s attack to deliver. I included James Justin (£5.2m) as a placeholder as he can be changed for any other Leicester defender now that we know about his long-term injury. The Foxes have a great run of fixtures from Gameweek 27 with Brighton (away), Sheffield United (home), although are not playing in Blank Gameweek 29.

Jannik Vestergaard’s (£4.7m) potential Double Gameweek 26 is not as appealing, which could see Southampton travel to Everton and Spurs but the Saints play Sheffield United (away), Brighton (home), Burnley (home) and West Brom (away) between Gameweeks 27 and 31 which I like. Ben White (£4.4m) is also a great budget option from a decent defensive side. 

Another factor that cannot be underrated – information. Closer to Gameweek 26, we will have more clarity about injuries, European rotation, upcoming doubles and in general can set up the Wildcard better for the rest of the season. 

Like many of you, I have left plenty of points on the bench in the last few weeks and while we have been fortunate that money was not an issue with many of the heavy hitters injured or out of form, it is likely to be scarce going forward. 

I really don’t like having to make a decision who to bench out of Raphinha etc every week. Yes bench strength could be useful but most of the players I have picked are reliable starters. I also want to have every last bit of cash available going forward and not have it tied up in the likes of a bench goalkeeper, and/or an eighth attacker. That’s about £1.5m which can go a long way in the coming Gameweeks. 

This is how my team currently looks:

I have two free transfers and £3.0m in the bank for Double Gameweek 24. Before the flags on Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.7m) and Michail Antonio (£6.7m), I was pretty set on using the two free transfers on Eric Dier (£4.9m) to James Tarkowski (£5.3m) and Forster to Nick Pope (£5.5m) and activating my Bench Boost. 

The flags on those two forwards have made things a bit trickier. I don’t mind taking a hit for Ings this week as I was planning to do that next week anyway. I could then do Tomas Soucek (£5.4m) to Raphinha and possibly another hit for Dallas to ‘dead-end’ my team in Gameweek 25, and then Wildcard out the Southampton and Leeds assets in Gameweek 26. I am not too keen on taking a minus-eight just to Bench Boost though. 

I imagine a lot of us are in the same boat, I was initially thinking of even navigating Gameweek 26 without using the Wildcard but West Ham not having a Double then has made that a bit tricky. 

I should also mention that I have my Free Hit chip intact, so navigating Gameweek 29 is not that much of an issue. 

Plenty to think about! Hope this article gave you food for thought, thanks for reading. 

4,305 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Huddersfield
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who do you reckon will score more points this gw? (just 1 gw punt)

    Siggy
    McNeil
    Lookman
    Tete
    Shaw
    Gudmundsson

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bradford or Leeds

      1. Huddersfield
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        ?

      2. JohnnyRev7
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Rugby match?

    2. Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lookman or Siggy

    3. nadman89
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      mcneil for me

  2. FPL failure
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench 2 from:
    A) Bamford
    B) Antonio
    C) DCL
    D) Soucek
    E) Coufal

    1. Huddersfield
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C A

      1. BENOIT
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Bamford over Coufal?

        1. Huddersfield
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          yeah imo.

        2. nadman89
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          their whole defense is injured

          1. Huddersfield
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Whole defense? Ogbonna is out, Diop will cover

    2. richarlison2348
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C E

  3. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Will this be another weekend of frustration at benched points?

    My previous 4 weeks benched points have been 19, 17, 15 and 24...

    Unbelievable.

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Jeff

    2. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      yes

  4. richarlison2348
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would you BB with this?
    Martinez Coufal Adams Dallas

  5. BENOIT
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Will Auba start?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Who will finish is more philosophical

  6. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start Maddison or Kane?

    1. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Thats a tough one. Flip a coin.

      Pool have the shakier defense for sure, but its wrong to bench Kane, even vs City.

    2. richarlison2348
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Maddison surely

    3. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      flip a coin

  7. royals forever
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best Wilson replacement for the next few GWs

    Cavani (already got Fernandes)
    Ings
    Barnes

    Any ideas would be welcomed

    1. Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm going Barnes but I also have WC to play next GW. I'd go Ings in your case.

    2. Joey Barton and Friends
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ings if for a few weeks

    3. Jamb0
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ings

    4. im1974
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Richarlison

  8. JP\'s
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is it worth doing Pope, Dunne and Brewster to Aerola, Dallas and Watkins for a -8 and BB?

    1. Ibralicious
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not worth losing Pope for a hit, no way.

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      pope has a dgw you know?

  9. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who would you put first on the bench:

    1. Robertson (lei)
    2. DCL (MCI)

    Thanks all

    1. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      1

  10. Chandler Bing
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ashley Barnes anyone?

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Just you, I think.

    2. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      meh

  11. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    bench one:

    A Bamford (ars)
    B Soucek (SHU)
    C McGuire (wba)

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No way, play them all.

      1. Lord Flashheart
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        i wish.

        cant bench lowton cancelo or coufal
        cant bench salah bruno gundy sterling or antonio

        lucky DCL injured at least i can play two of those and not one

        i am as they say - in a pickle...

        1. The Knights Template
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Pickle Rick!

  12. Joey Barton and Friends
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    After these flurry of DGWs are there many more to come?

    1. Rider on the Storm
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

  13. Jimjam
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Martinez, Steer
    Stones, Shaw, Coufal, Dier, KWP
    Salah, Bruno, Son, Gundogan, Stephens
    DCL, Bamford, Antonio

    2FT

    DCL & Dier ---> Ings & Cancelo?

    1. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Good moves imo

  14. _Gunner
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench Coufal or Bamford?

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

      Coifa

    2. Rider on the Storm
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Couf

    3. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

    4. Runaway
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Coufal

  15. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which option?

    A) Lowton for this dgw
    B) Dallas for next dgw

    1. Rider on the Storm
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    3. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B, but both for a hit

  16. Iain Dowies Love Child
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Seen a few people mention BBing for this GW. Am I missing something? Surely the better option is WC 25 and BB 26?

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      You're not missing anything.

  17. Rider on the Storm
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Repost: Who to bench?
    A kane (mci)
    B soucek (SHU)
    C grealish (bha)
    D lowton (cry, FUL)

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

      D

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      D

    3. Runaway
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    4. Rider on the Storm
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lol i did not imagine lowton would be cited twice!

  18. tabby98
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope, Johnstone
    Cancelo, Stones, Coufal, Justin, Digne
    Salah, Bruno, Son, Soucek, Raphinha
    DCL, Bamford, Antonio

    1FT £0.8M ITB

    What do i do here?
    Would you WC next week?

  19. Mighty Wings
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone without Sterling slightly concerned?

    Would you sell Son and Stones for Sterling and Dallas (-4)? Already have Gündo and Cancelo.

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm considering selling Salah for Sterling and going double ManCity attack over defence.

    2. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I got scared and shipped out Stones and Maddison for Lowton and Sterling (c)

      Think these City fixtures benefit their attack more than defense and Sterling has been delivering consistently lately. Only 12% ownership too.

    3. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'd never be concerned about now owning Sterling

    4. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

  20. thepirates
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Got WC, BB & FH chip still. Cant decide if trying to navigate to BB in gw 26 without using WC. Kinda decides what transfers to make this week. Any tips here?

    2 FT, 2.3 ITB
    Martinez
    Lowton - Dias - Stones - Coufal
    Salah - Fernandes - Gundogan - Grealish - Son
    Bamford
    Bench: DCL * - KWP - Wilson *

  21. Jamb0
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How terrible out of 10 is a one week punt on Ashley Barnes?

    1. richarlison2348
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      12

    2. Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm going for it. Will be WCing in 25 and He's likely to start both the games.

    3. nadman89
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      dont think its that bad hes on pens too

    4. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Have you seen the movie SPINAL TAP?

      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Good answer

  22. dbeck
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Antonio to Bamford is happening next week, I have a ft, any upside in doing the move now?

    Do we trust Antonio will be fit?

    1. nadman89
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      whos your first sub?

      1. dbeck
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Soupey or son

  23. MoSalad
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who to C

    A) Sterling
    B) Gundo
    C) Lookman
    D) Richarl
    E) Tark
    F) Cancelo

    1. Runaway
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    3. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sterling. Contemplating triple cap to be honest.

      1. MoSalad
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah I’m on Sterling just hope he starts both. Triple May justify my -12 to get him, Spurs will be tired.

        Son/Kane triple 26 also looks good.

  24. DagheMunegu
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Son Dias to Tarko Raz for free ?

    Yes or no ?

  25. Big Ronnie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    1FT and £1.6m ITB.

    Martinez
    Dias, Stones, AWB
    Gundo(c), Salah, Son, Bruno, Grealish
    Watkins, Antonio

    Peacock-Farrell, DCL, Coufal, Dallas

    A) Peacock-Farrell to Pope
    B) DCL to Cavani (bench Watkins)
    C) Save

  26. Mattymo23
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Really struggling guys. No FH so do I WC this lot in next couple of GWs?

    Pope McCarthy
    Dias Stones Justin Lowton Dallas
    Bruno Salah Son Foden Soucek
    DCL Bamford Watkins

    1. nadman89
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      youre fine for next week with bamford dallas n mccarthy . youre gona have to move down salah to move dcl to kane

  27. Alejo - CFC
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dias + Barnes --> Digne + Gundo (-4)?

    1. Jamb0
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No no no

  28. For Fuchs Sake
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka to Sterling for free?

    1. Jamb0
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah and (c)

  29. shirtless
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Rolling the differential dice.. All set.

    Pope
    Coufal Konsa Stones
    Sterling(TC) Salah Bruno(vc) Soucek
    Jesus Bamford Antonio

    1. Jamb0
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ballsy.. good luck!

      1. shirtless
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        🙂

  30. Nice to Finally Michu
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is DCL or Antonio the priority to ship?

    1. nadman89
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      dcl has a double gw coming soon