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. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start dalas or son ?

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

      Son

    2. More Cowbell
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Got to be son I think

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

      Son.

    4. In Bale We Trust
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Son

    5. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sonaldo

  2. More Cowbell
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is 5x DGW players enough for this week?
    3 x city
    1xbur defender
    1 x fulham keeper

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

      More than average

    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      yep I also have 5 🙂

    3. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

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

      yep looks good

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

    Would you BB the team below? Or is next week better if I bring in some Leeds/Ings?

    (Striker flags putting me off a little - no FTs left but could do Forster > Pope for -4.)

    Martinez
    Tarkowski, Cancelo, Shaw
    Salah, Gundo (V), Sterling (C), Bruno,
    DCL, Antonio, Bamford
    (Forster, Soucek, Coufal, KWP)

  4. cutch
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    What are the odds of Antonio starting against SHU?

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

      High I would say, but one never knows

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

      75%, says on the website mate.

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

      High

    4. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      70%

    5. Fudgy
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He's starting for sure and hauling

      1. Pep Roulette
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        This

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

          didn't happen...

    6. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I just sold him, so 0%.

    7. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm just not convinced.

      Last game, he was holding his hamstring and signalling to the bench to be subbed. Moyes says he's just back on grass. Yarmo, their backup striker, is injured. Are they going to risk rushing back Antonio with his track record of hamstring injuries against Sheffield United? Also Moyes has form earlier in the season of saying Antonio was close to a return but he didn't appear for weeks and weeks.

      I guess it's 50-50 to be honest. And if he does start, I wouldn't be surprised if he had minutes managed or was careful in himself.

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

        Worth the risk I reckon

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

    Fabianski (Meslier)
    Stones Cancelo Lowton (Kilman, Justin)
    Salah Son Grealish Fernandes (Soucek)
    Jesus(C) Antonio Watkins

    1FT and 1.5m in the bank. Any changes suggested or am I G2G?

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

      cap bruno or cancelo

  6. F_Ivanovic
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is it worth a 4 point hit for Richarlison? My front 3 are Antonio, Bamford and DCL - currently benching DCL but there are doubts over Antonio starting which would mean I only have DCL for the tough city fixture.

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

      No. I would forget about Everton regardless of their DGW

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

        I'm WC next week so it's a 1 week punt. Even if he just gets 4 points I'd likely only been down a couple.

  7. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Justin to ?

    A) shaw
    B) rudiger/alonso
    C) white/burn
    D) lowton/taylor (have pope)
    E) digne
    F) cahill/dann

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

      D lowton

  8. Andre_The_Giant
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is Pope (c) lunacy?

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No, but boring

    2. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah

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

      No

    4. Mork calling Orson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Watching 3 hours of football praying for all those shots not to go in is bad for your health.

  9. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who's a best DCL replacement for upcoming gameweeks? No WC or FH remaining. Probably BB this week.
    (Except Bamford & Antonio. Money no issue)

    1. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      the best**

    2. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ings or Kane. Watkins decent also.

    3. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I went with Cavani

    4. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm keeping for now, but I sold Antonio for Ings. After that, I'm hoping to get Kane. Then I would consider Watkins for the DGW(s).

      It's good to plan ahead, but I'd go for the one with a confirmed DGW next week, personally, as I did, or keep DCL, as I did.

    5. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cheers everyone

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

    I wouldn’t, especially if you have any value tied up in him

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

      Reply fail to the above

      1. Pep Roulette
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers. No value tied up on him!

  11. In Bale We Trust
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    People who are benching son. Who is in ahead of him for you?

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

      Dias, Cancelo, Mee, Shaw, Saka, Sterling, Bruno, Soucek

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

    McCarthy
    Cancelo Chilwell Coufal
    Salah Bruno Son Gundo
    Antonio Bamford DCL

    Steer H.Barnes Dallas J.Lewis

    2 FT, 2.8 itb, planning to WC25, BB26

    Son, Chilwell and DCL to Sterling, Tarkowski and Richarlison -4?

    Thoughts appreciated!!

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

    Bench Son or Dias (have Cancelo)?

  14. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best def under 6.1m (not City def, Mee, Coufal)?

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

    Rashford, Stones to Sterling (c), Lowton for -4? Yay or nay?

    1. Steiger
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nay

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

      Nay

  16. More Cowbell
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is this a bench worth boosting?
    McCarthy (WOL)
    Dallas (ars)
    Konsa (bri)
    Bissouma (AVL)

    Currently thinking NO, but welcome opinions

    1. In Bale We Trust
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Definitely not

    2. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nope

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

      No way

  17. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mendy
    Dias(V) Stones Mee Tarkowski
    Gundo(C) Bruno Salah
    Bamford Richarlison
    Meslier Grealish Son Coufal
    GTG?

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

      Antonio in starting XI also

    2. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah, almost bench boostable

  18. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How’s she looking? -4 & BB

    Mendy
    Cancelo, Digne, Tarkowski
    Salah, Sterling, Grealish, Gundogan
    Cavani, Richarlison, Reid

    Martinez, Minamino, Shaw, Chillwell

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Great - only issue is Chilwell, maybe him to Tarkowski

      1. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Tarkowski in the starting XI ! On a -4 already too

  19. More Cowbell
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who to start:
    a) Soucak (SHU)
    b) Ings (WOL)

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      b

    2. ZAWAd25
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

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

      A

  20. Franfe98
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Hi guys, need some help here

    Have 4.4 in the bank, buy Pieters (0 point) or a 5.4 defender (-4 point)? If second, suggest defender.

    Thanks!

  21. TSILIKAFENEIAKOS
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    If you don't have Gundo yet would you do :

    A. Maddisson -> Gundo
    B. Son -> Sterling

    5th in my ML and everyone else has Gundo

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B but get back for 26

    2. Steiger
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah, and cap Sterling

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

      b

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

      B

  22. Will J 256
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Thoughts on this?
    Dier and Justin to Lowton and Dallas for free?

    1. rjcv177
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Great

  23. bruuuno
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who should be benched?

    A. Son
    B. Bamford
    C. Coufal

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

      C

    2. Park the bus
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

      1. Park the bus
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        sorry C

        didnt "C" that option...

  24. Park the bus
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    probably pretty common Qs this week:

    SELL: Saka or Soucek
    BUY: Foden or Gundo

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Saka - will hurt your rank less if he punished you.
      Gundo

  25. PL Ball
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    DDG (Johnstone)
    Cancelo*, Stones*, Cresswell, Coufal, Mee*
    Bruno, Son, Soucek, Gundo* (Smith-Rowe)
    Bamford, (Watkins, DCL)

    2FTs.8.7 ITB

    Any thoughts on what to do here?

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      DCL to Kane/Ings/Cavani

      Play Watkins

      1. PL Ball
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Hmm. Who would you play for Watkins and DCL replacement?

        1. Paqueta Rice
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          I’d play Watkins and Cavani over the hammers

  26. ZAWAd25
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    DCL to who? 3.9m itb

    1- Kane
    2- Punt on Cavani
    3- Watkins fro DGW
    4- Someone else?

    1. Fer Fuch's Ake
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Richa?

    2. rjcv177
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I did 2

    3. Kay317
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I've gone for cavani. Fixture is too good to resist.

  27. Corona is not good 4 U
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    G2g?

    Pope
    Dias, Stones, Mee, Digne
    Güdogan (C), Fernades, Salah, Soucek
    Bamford, Antonio

    Mc. Carthy, Coufal, Raphinha, Calvert-Lewin.

    Thanks!

  28. rjcv177
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Evening great rivals

    This week only
    A) bamford
    B) lowton (-4)

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

      Let's guess:

      Say Bamford scores once = 6 points
      Arsenal i'm sure will conceed, and most goals involve Bamford.
      Even just an assist is 5 points in total.

      Lowton 2 clean sheets = 12 points (-4) = 8 points
      He hasn't logged a single assist or goal or season so little chances there for extra.
      He also only has 2 bps all season.

      Therefore you're relying on Burnley to get 2 clean sheets for a gain of roughly 2 points. For 6 points gain in total you're relying on Bamford to blank and Burnley 2 CS.

      Burnley chances of 2 CS are probably less likely than a single goal involvement from Bamford I would say.

      1 Burnley CS and 1 Bamford goal makes your transfer a cost of -2 points.

      All points to holding and playing Bamford mate!

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

      bamford

  29. Kay317
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GTG? Bench and line up correct?
    Martinez
    Shaw, Cancelo, Lowton
    Salah, Sterling (c), Gundo, Bruno (vc), Grealish,
    Cavani, Antonio
    (Forster, Cresswell, Bamford, Dallas)

    Any advice appreciated.

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

    Thoughts on what to do this week? 1.0 ITB 1FT

    McCarthy
    Stones I Mee I Shaw
    Salah I Bruno | Sterling | Son | Gundo
    *DCL | Watkins

    Forster I Coufal I Dallas I Brewster I

    Thanks