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. Yankee Toffee
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    DCL and Son > King and Sterling?

    1. Yankee Toffee
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      WCing next week

    2. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      for free probably

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

      Cavani + Sterling

    4. RealSocialDads
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      King eewwwwwwwwww

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

    Is there anyone worth doing a -4 for?

    Martinez
    Alonso, Cresswell, Stones
    Gundogan, Fernandes, Foden, Grealish, Salah
    Richarlison
    SUB: 4.0, Dallas, Justin, Bamford

    0 FT, 6.0 itb.

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

      only priority out is justin but u cant really start whoever u bring in this week. tough unless u go burnley def and start over alonso

    2. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      3-5-1

      and no

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

    Thinking Martínez better than Pope + transfer in+out

    1. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      definitely

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

      Yeah, I've decided to play Martinez and save 2 x FT, to get Spurs, Villa etc in next couple weeks

      McCarthy is the keeper I was going to transfer out, so bonus is I get to keep him for DGW next week

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

    bottomed...start one:
    a) DCL (MCI)
    b) Bamford (ars)
    c) Decordova Reid (eve/bur)

    1. The White Pele
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not A. Probably B

    2. KDB4PREZ
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

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

      B

    4. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      c) probably

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

    Thoughts on this?

    Current team:
    Martinez
    Cancelo Stones Coufal
    Grealish Gundogan Bruno Salah Son
    Watkins Antonio
    Forster DCL Dier Mitchell

    Forster + Dier + DCL to Pope + Shaw/AWB + Cavani (-4)

    BB24
    WC25
    TC26 (Kane)
    FH29

    Thought process was the problem with WC25 is you want 3x Leeds (Bamf + Raphinha + Dallas) but then they only have a single GW in 26 so it's going to be difficult to get the holy trinity of 15 DGWers post BB. My issue is do I risk wasting BB if Antonio is out and Mitchell doesn't play?

    1. The White Pele
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Good plan.

    2. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      then your BB will only add 2 players..

      my BB was giving me an additional 7 points to give you some perspectives
      and a few weeks later my bench gave me a total score of 36 :mrgreen:

      1. FPL Theorist
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah, if you can only BB, say, 13 DGW'ers, that's still better than doing it on a full bench of SGW players. GW26 won't be your last opportunity to TC Kane in a DGW, he's got more fixtures to rearrange.

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

          Yeah, I'll still have to think about it. The problem is I think I need to WC next week due to having zero Leeds and Soton to start with but then that means I have two FTs to use this week as a single week punt (hence the idea about targeting Man Utd vs. WBA)

  6. KDB4PREZ
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Am stumped at what to do here any help would be great.

    Mcc/Forster
    Digne/Rüdiger/Dallas/Cancelo/Diaz
    Salah/Son/Bruno/Grealish/Gundo
    DCL/Antonio/Bambam
    1Ft .8 itb

    Plan was bench boost next week but team not set up for it anymore with injuries.. feel like best to W/C 25 BB 26 as have no other chips. Would you take -4 to get Pope?
    Any help would be great

    1. T88MYE
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Save, play. 4-5-1

      Bench: Forster, Rudiger, Antonio, DCL

      1. KDB4PREZ
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks for reply man but it just feels like a red arrow with this team lol

    2. HaveYassineChikhaoui
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      If you're gonna WC in 25 and BB 26 you may as well burn the free transfer you have on a Burnley defender surely?

      1. KDB4PREZ
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah would be Dallas to lowten for free which I considered and just take the small loss of value I made on him as will get on W/C next week.

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

          On second thoughts your defence is really good for this week as is. Possibly do DCL > Richarlison?

  7. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A) Salah to Sterling
    B) Son to Gundo/Foden

    Also... DCL to Cavani or Justin to AWB

    1. Sterling Malory
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Justin to AWB

      Unsure on A or B, although I think Gundo is essential.

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

    A) Stones or B) Dias med to long term?

    Have Cancelo and Gundogan

    TIA

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B) thoughts above?

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

    AREOLA
    CANCELO Maguire Coufal
    STERLING(C) GUNDOGAN Bruno Son Raphinha
    Bamford Antonio

    Martinez Targett Mitchell DCL*

    A. Save FT & save BB

    B. Mitchell to Tarkowski for free and bench Son

    C. Mitchell & DCL to Tarkowski & Cavani for -4 and BENCH BOOST

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Defo not A. C looks lovely

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

        Cheers mate

    2. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

  10. Sterling Malory
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Need advice pls.

    Gw 24
    Maddison > Lookman = Bench Son?

    GW 25
    Son & Antonio > Kane & Grealish

    Areola
    Stones Cancelo Shaw Lowton
    Son Salah Bruno Gundo
    Bamford Antonio
    Martinez Maddison Dallas DCL

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Love it 🙂 thoughts above?

    2. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Playing Lookman over Son?! Leicester have good fixtures after 24, I'd keep Maddison.

      I like Kane in but losing Son seems a bit sideways to me. I'm considering Salah, Antonio to Raphinha, Kane.

      1. Sterling Malory
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Well, yeah Lookman has 2 games, Burnley and Everton, whereas Son has one game Man City away. So I'm backing Lookman to score more points than Son.

        You're moves sound good, but I won't be losing Salah.

  11. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    2 FT, £2.4 ITB.

    Martinez
    Cancelo Stones Coufal Talyor*
    Salah Bruno Sterling
    Antonio DCL* Bamford

    Fraser, Maddy, Mitchell, Bissouma

    A) Mee to Tark
    B) DCL to Cavani
    C) Both - Taylor DCL to Tark, Cavani

    Thanks!

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Guessing A is Taylor to Tark :). I’d go C

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Oops thanks for making up the mistake, mate:)
        Night is catching up with me

        And thanks for input!

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

      d - bissouma > mee, Dcl > Cavani ... if funds allow

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Come again, mate
        Bissouma to who?

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

          Ben Mee mate, but for 0.3m more you can do tark. Im just about to transfer in Tark too

          1. HD7
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Bissouma midf and Mee defender right?

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

              ah crap ofc my bad!

              Can you do mitchell to mee/tark and dcl to cavani? If not go both

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

    Start 2 of...

    A - Bamford
    B - Soucek
    C - Antonio
    D - Grealish

    1. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A
      B or C

    2. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      AC

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

      What's the point of owning player with most assists in PL to bench against Brighton

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

        Grealish has the most assists?!

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

          Yes 12. 1 more than Bruno and Kane. 2 more than KDB

          1. Hulk Smash
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Brighton have actually been solid recently though.

      2. VTown
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah fair call however Antonio could haul if he plays and we know what Soucek is capable of

    4. All about the galacticos
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      BC

  13. Hulk Smash
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone else thinking they may not need to WC before GW 30? Using only 4 out of 7 FTs I can likely field:

    24: 3x City, Pope
    25: 3x Leeds (don't like SOU fixtures)
    26: 10x DGWers + Bamford (BB already used)
    27: Decent team (3x City if they get a DGW)
    28: Decent team
    29: 9 players for the blank

    Anyone else saving WC for GW 30 and beyond?

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yup... which dgws for 26?

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        3x Villa
        3x City
        2x Man Utd
        2x Tottenham
        Bamford

    2. HaveYassineChikhaoui
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      BB this week, TC in 26 and WC 30 to get rid of the nonsense left in the team from all this madness.

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

      I'm WC'ing next GW for usure to take full advantage of the doubles, plus because i need to go for it.

    4. Mile Plankton
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      That looks ok.
      I have no idea what to do yet, but I think I'll have to use FH in blank GW29.

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        If you have FH it's the obvious week to use it. Or if you have no BB, you could FH in 26 and use your free transfers to build towards a decent team in GW 29.

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

    Antonio or Bamford

    1. The White Pele
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio

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

        tanks

    2. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bamford

  15. Mile Plankton
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Have Stones and Sterling. For the third City player:
    a) Saka -> Gundogan
    b) Justin -> Cancelo/Dias?

    1. The White Pele
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

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

      B because Justin ain't playing anytime soon

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

    Do we think Gundo retains penalty duties after he missed against Pool?

    1. Mile Plankton
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I think yes. Until Kevin returns.

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

        Col, fingers crossed bud

  17. davies
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A) Cavani Pieters

    B) Richarlison Lowton

    1. All about the galacticos
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

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

    Sit Antonio or Bamford or Coufal

    1. Mile Plankton
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Imo, Anthonio either starts or not plays at all.
      So him, then Bamford, then Coufal.

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Likely to be hauled off early if he starts though...

  19. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Considering playing Soucek over Antonio. Right call?

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

    McCarthy
    Cancelo Tarkowski Coufal
    Sterling Gundo Salah Bruno
    DCL Antonio Bamford

    Steer H.Barnes Dallas J.Lewis

    1.2 itb, WC next week

    Anything worth one week punt for -4?

  21. 420king
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope
    Cancelo Stones AWB
    Salah Sterling Bruno Grealish
    Antonio DCL Bamford
    (Martinez Dier Burke Ferguson)
    2FT, 0.5m ITB

    What's the move here? I haven't played my BB yet so I'll probably WC next round.

    A) Dier and DCL to Mee and Cavani
    B) Dier and DCL to Digne and Barnes

  22. Max City
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Am I GTG?

    Areola
    Dias Cancelo Tarkowski
    Salah Son Bruno Gundo (c) Grealish
    Watkins Bamford

    Sub:
    Martinez Antonio Cresswell Dallas

  23. HaveYassineChikhaoui
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope(C) & Mee in for Martins & Justin. BB Activated; Martinez, Vardy, Coufal, Mitchell. Gl all!

  24. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play:
    Coufal SHU
    or
    Madisson LIV
    ?

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

      A

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

      Mad

  25. tinear
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mitchell to Lowton and bench Coufal, is that good? Carrying another ft next gw.

    Martinez
    Stones Cancelo Digne Coufal
    Son Salah Gundo Bruno
    Antonio Bamford

    Mitchell Bissouma DCL
    2ft 5m itb

  26. H-SF
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who would you rather have going into the double Cancelo or Dias?

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

      Dias if I was certain he would play both games. Which is annoying because I think I'm gonna sell him because of that flag.

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

        He will play both - trained today.

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

          Don't say that.

  27. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How much time until price changes?

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

      ~10 min

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

      13 minutes

  28. Lingard’s Shin Guards
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best Burnley defender?

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

      Mee then Tarkowski then Lowton

    2. Sterling Malory
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lowton for best value and assist potential

      Mee for best goal potential

      Tark for BPS

  29. yanky
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    good to go? rolling FT so I can have 2 next week...

    Pope (c)
    Dias Cancelo James Coufal
    Gundo Salah Bruno Raphinha Soucek
    Bamford

    bench: DecordovaReid, Dallas, DCL

  30. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is DCL > Richalison for free worth it?

    Would mean benching Soucek and might want DCL back if not seriously injured

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

      Rather Cavani for WBA game and Richarlison has Liverpool week 25 when Cavani has Newcastle

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

        Yeah, true enough

        Reckon I'll just save FT, thanks