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. King Henrik
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pieters anyone?

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

      Nope

      1. King Henrik
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Why not ?

        1. marcos11
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Be dropped once Taylors back

          1. King Henrik
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            When's Taylor due back?

            1. Phil's Stamps
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              He's 50:50 for their next game.

              1. Phil's Stamps
                • 13 Years
                3 years, 1 month ago

                'touch and go' - S. Dyche.

    2. Dasher0303
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

  2. drughi
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Team for the weekend

    Mccarthy
    Stones Cresswell Cancelo
    Son Salah Fernandes Grealish Gundogan (C)
    Bamford Antonio

    johnstone coufal DCL Ayling

    best option

    A. Johnstone >Pope
    B. Stones and Son > Lowton and Sterling -4

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

      A is safer

      1. drughi
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        fearing my rival bringin in sterling and TC

    2. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

      1. drughi
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        cheers just feels mccarthy have a good CS chance

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

    Which player do you prefer for 1 GW only?

    A) Lowton (cry, FUL)
    B) James (FUL, mci)
    C) Richarlison (FUL, mci)

    Thanks

    1. Better luck next year
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Richa for one GW

  4. MMN
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench Saka, Grealish or Bamford this week?

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

      Saka

  5. pavlev
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    have gundo and dias

    hoping to avoid WC for a few weeks (no FH)

    A) salah to sterling (c)?
    B) chilly to cancelo (bruno cap)

    cheers!

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

      I like A

  6. LJJH1984
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Struggling to decide who to captain between Gundo and Bruno. Head says double game week player but Bruno could haul massively. Who would you go for?

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

      the one with 2 games

  7. puhd
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Son to Sterling (C) for a hit?

  8. Viper
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope

    Cancelo Dias Coufal (Robertson Justin)

    Soucek Salah Bruno Gundogan Raphinha

    Watkins Antonio (DCL)

    2 Fts & 4.3m in the bank.

    I'm thinking Justin -> Dallas in preparation for next week & take 2Fts into Gw25.

    Anything more exciting/obvious to suggest?

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

      Yeah sounds good

    2. Champione
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Good move imo

    3. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sometimes boring is best, good move

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

    Would you BB this?

    Martinez - Targett - Son - Bamford

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

      I wouldn’t

    2. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

    3. stu92
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      That could easily be 8 points max. I wouldn’t.

  10. Tango74
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I wonder what the rumours will be 1 hr before deadline

    ....

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

      Anyone know if Cancelos wife had her baby?, she's due any minute...

      something like that.

      1. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ha ha

        Don’t worry I will start one on Twitter tomorrow morning

  11. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would you do Stones, Rashford to Lowton, Sterling (c) for -4?

    Otherwise cap Gundo

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

      Why sell stones?

      1. Il Capitano
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        To free up a City spot I'd guess

        1. Buck The Trent
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          This

          1. Il Capitano
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Wouldn't take the hit for it, Rash has a lovely fixture and Gundo (C) isn't the end of the world.

  12. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gtg? 2.9 ITB - 0FTs

    Areola
    Cancelo - AWB - Mee - Coufal
    Salah - Sterling (C) - Bruno - Maddison - Gundogan
    Watkins

    (Martinez, Antonio, Brewster, Justin)

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

      I would play Antonio over Coufal or even Watkins

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

    Play one of

    Saka
    Coufal

    Any ideas would be welcomed

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

      Coufal

    2. lugs
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Saka easily

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

      I'd go Saka. Think he could do well against the Leeds defense

    4. Three-Five-Two
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Coufal

  14. Il Capitano
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    2 FT 4.5M ITB

    McCarthy
    CANCELO STONES LOWTON
    Son Salah GUNDO (C) Soucek Bruno
    Antonio Bamford

    Johnstone - Coufal Adams Justin

    A) Adams + Justin + Johnstone > Rich/Cavani + BUR/UTD def + Pope (-4)
    (BB24, WC25, TC26)

    B) Adams + Johnstone > Rich/Cavani + Pope
    (WC25 BB26)

    Antonio uncertainty plus the hit puts me off A a bit. B probably the most sensible course, but TC Kane does tempt me in 26.

  15. Reeker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Martinez
    Coufal - Dias - Cancelo
    Gundogan - Grelish - Salah - Fernandes
    DCL* - Antonio - Bamford
    (Peacock-Farrell) (Soucek) (Robertson) (Dallas)

    Have WC and BB

    2 FT - 3.6m ITB

    If Wcing next week. What moves would you do?

    Peacock-Farrell to Pope is the first move for sure

  16. 420king
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I haven't played my BB yet and I don't like idea of building my WC team around it.

    Play it this round? Bench: Martinez, Mitchell, Burke, Antonio

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

      I definitely wouldnt with those lot

    2. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nay

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

      Why bench Antonio?

  17. HarryS
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    McCarthy-Button
    Cancelo-Dallas-Dias-KWP-Neco
    Raphina-Bruno-Gundo-Salah-Grealish
    Antonio-DCL-Bamford

    2FT, any help on what to do?

  18. vandebeek
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Chances of Lacazette starting? Last two games subbed off very early...

  19. Tmel
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best DCL replacement 8.8 or under?

    1. Three-Five-Two
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not sure of your chip strategy but mid term Watkins with DGW 26 and BGW 29 in mind.

  20. Alisson WondHaaland
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Thoughts on this transfer plan?

    24: Chilwell + DCL to Lowton + Cavani
    25: Robbo + Antonio to Ayling + Bamford -4
    26: Lowton to Konsa and EITHER Bissouma to Grealish OR Cavani to Kane -4

    This allows me to maximise my player count for the upcoming mini DGWs as well as leaving my option to go for Kane or Grealish open for DGW 26. By bringing in Villa, Spurs, Leeds players I'll be well prepared ahead of BGW 29

  21. whitearselane
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    play antonio or bamford

  22. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start one

    A. Bamford
    B. Soucek
    C. Coufal

    1. whitearselane
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      b

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

      a

  23. RomeluStormzy
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bit of a weird one but do we think rudiger starts?

    Got a fantastic own goal last week and played all the fa cup match midweek.

    Cheers!

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

      he only played half the FA cup game, so i think he starts yeah

    2. Three-Five-Two
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nailed with Silva still out. And only came on at HT in cup

  24. WE GO FOR IT
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best one GW punt?
    A. Rodriguez
    B. Siggy
    C. Mount
    D. Saka

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

      A

      1. WE GO FOR IT
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers! 🙂

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

      B

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

        On pebs and will get more game time than jrod

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

    G2G?

    Pope
    Cancelo Stones Coufal
    Salah Bruno (V) Son Grealish Gundo (C)
    Cavani Bamford

    Martinez DCL Dallas Dier
    1 FT, 0.3 ITB

    1. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Looks good

  26. OleBall
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mee Lowton or Pieters?

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

      Lowton. That's my BUR man.

  27. Pringle
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Need to use one of my FTs on something. Who would you sell?

    A. Coufal
    B. Soucek
    C. Antonio
    D. Maguire
    E. Adams

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Coufal probably. West Ham fixtures get difficult after the SHU game.

  28. EWH2020
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play who?

    A) Maguire
    B) Coufal

    1. Ginola14
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

  29. Ginola14
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which 1 Would you play
    Saka
    Bam
    Cresswell?
    Cheers

  30. tim
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope
    Cancelo Dias Targett
    Bruno Gundo Salah Son
    Cavani Watkins

    McCarthy Bam, Soucek, KWP

    Would you BB?