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. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who would you play between Coufal and Rafinhha?

    I see SHU scoring and ARS- Leeds being a open game

    1. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      So you already have your answer

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Would like to know others opinion too 🙂

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

      Raphinha

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

      Coufal

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

    Antonio, Soucek, Maddison - Bench one

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

      Antonio

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Souchek

  3. FPL Doctor
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play 1:

    A) Son (mci)
    B) Barnes (LIV)
    C) Coufal (SHU)

    1. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. Prince of Persia
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

    3. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Never bench Son

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

    Was there any news on C.Taylor and if he’ll play any mins over the double?

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Touch and go, didn’t make bench for Fa cup, I think pieters is perfect for WC25 teams

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

    Would you plan to WC this team next week?

    If saving WC for 31 I'd likely take a -4 over the next 3 weeks to do Bellerin, Martinelli, Sterling & DCL -> Tarkowski, Raphina, Son & Kane

    A) FT this week, WC next week
    B) Save FT (or BUR defender in), and delay WC

    Pope
    Cancelo, Coufal, Bellerin
    Salah, Bruno, Sterling, Gundogan
    DCL, Bamford, Watkins

    Forster, Targett, Martinelli, Mitchell
    Bank 2.3m, 1FT, all chips

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I have similar problem below. Inclined to not WC25, as the main core is already there but I can't see how we can maximize the benefit of BB later.

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        And how would you get out of your more expensive bench?

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

    2 FTs, 3m ITB and WC next week - any ideas for one week punts?

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

    Was thinking Forster to Pope (bench Martinez) and DCL to Cavani (bench Antonio or Son)

    1. luk46
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      ye, I would get along with your suggested moves

    2. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      If just a 1 week punt, I would double Burnley defense

  7. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Plan to BB in dgw26. I doubt any better chance to use TC in future gw than this gw24, probably Gundo/Sterling.

  8. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    2FTs, 1.9itb. Can't decide which way to go with this team and all chips intact. What looks better?

    DDG
    Stones, Cancelo, Coufal,
    Grealish, Bruno, (G)undo, Salah, Son
    Antonio, Bamford
    Forster, DCL, Justin, Mitchell

    A) Justin+Mitchell> Mee+Tark (WC25)
    B) Justin+Forster> Pope+Mee/Tark (WC25)
    C) Justin> Lowton (save FT and save WC25)
    D) please suggest other options

    1. FPL Bond @ Twitter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C looks best..

  9. abhirup780
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    play Coufal or Dias?
    play Antonio or Soucek?

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Dias and Coufal

    2. luk46
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Dias and Antonio

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

    Maddy Coufal Bamford - bench one?

    1. Simon69
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Madderz

  11. Simon69
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    G2G?

    Pope

    Cancelo, Stones, Mee, Maguire

    Foden (c), Fernandes, Salah

    Antonio, Bamford, Watkins

    Subs: Martinez, Soucek, Maddison, Mitchell

    1. luk46
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      interesting captain choice, g2g

      1. Simon69
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Bit worried about it tbh

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Foden huh...

      1. Simon69
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Haha. Yes. I'd be lying if I said I felt confident about that shout.

        1. The Suspended One
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          I’d be going Bruno, owning foden is enough

  12. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Like and agree with every bit of this article.

  13. LABILLETHEGOAT
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Martinez
    Mee Stones Coufal
    Salah Bruno Gundo Grealish Son
    Bamford Antonio

    DCL, Mitchell, Justin

    Which would you do guys? 1FT 1.6ITB
    a. Dcl > Cavani
    b. Justin > shaw
    c. Son + DCL > Sterling + Watkins
    d. Hold

  14. squ1rrel
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is DCL confirmed out? Who do I start out of DCL, Bamford, Son?

    1. Postman Ty
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bamford.

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes, out for Fulham

      Never bench Son

  15. Postman Ty
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    This is hands down the weirdest gameweek I can remember in almost 10 years playing fantasy.
    5-3-2 formation with a bench of Raphinha (who is red hot), Son, and Calvert-Lewin...
    Expecting at least one of Chilwell or Antonio not to play.

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Don’t start Chillwell over son or raph

      1. Postman Ty
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        If he starts it's a guaranteed clean sheet, assuming Rudiger doesn't decide to tuck Mendy again. So far he hasn't come on in any of the games he's been benched so I'm not worried about a 1 pointer.

  16. fish&chips
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope*,
    Mee*, Dias*, cancelo*, digne*
    Bruno, rashford, gundo*
    DCL*, Bamford, antonio

    Martinez (BHA), coufal (SHU), bowen (SHU), ESR (LEE)

    1 FT, 7M ITB

    Want to bench boost to get it out the way. Will WC in 26.

    A) DCL -> Rich / Ings / Cavani
    B) DCL & ESR -> Rich / Ings / Cavani & Lookman (-4)
    C) something else

    1. luk46
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I would just do A, B not worth a hit really

      1. fish&chips
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah you're probably right. Just not sure ESR will do anything and I'm getting double GW fever. Mind you Lookman is hardly prolific

  17. luk46
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    what would you do?

    A - save ft and take couple hits for gw26 bb
    B - DCL > Ings now, no Kane for gw26 or wc instead

    Pope
    Cancelo Stones Coufal Shaw
    Salah Son Grealish Bruno Gündogan
    Antonio
    Martinez DCL KWP Brewster

  18. Dirty Harry
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Contemplating saving WC till GW30 and bench Boost GW26.

    Worth holding DCL and keep on the bench for a week or two and see if he's back for DGW26.

    Should be able to field 13DGW+Bam+Dallas for DGW26

    1. luk46
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      same plan really, fixtures are quite tough anyway...

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

    When do we expect to know what the DGW26 & 27 games are?

    1. The Big Fella
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Wondering this myself

  20. FPL Alaska
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench two:

    A) Son
    B) Watkins
    C) Bamford
    D) Soucek

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

      Whoops, bench one of them

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

    Maddy or Mitchell - first on bench?

    Palace vs Burnley h
    Leicester vs Liverpool h

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

    I’m feeling like I’m already pretty well set up for bench boost in DGW 26 and also that most people would be. Why so much tall about wildcards in 25 to prepare for it?

  23. TheOneAndOnly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which 2 to bench out of these 4?

    A) Coufal (SHU)
    B) Soucek (SHU)
    C) TAA (lei)
    D) Son (mci)

  24. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    G2G?

    Mendy
    Cancelo Stones Coufal(Dallas)(Holding)
    Salah Fernandes Gundogan Grealish Son
    Bamford Antonio (DCL)

    Or do Holding to Lowton just to bench Son?

    1FT, 2.2 itb

  25. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GTG for BB?

    Martinez Meslier
    Cancelo Stones Tarkowski Mee Coufal
    Salah Bruno Son Gundo Soucek
    Antonio Bamford Adams

    Anything worth a hit?
    Planning to WC 26

    1. Maarrrr17
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm sketch on Adams tbh.

  26. Maarrrr17
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Point predictions?

    Richarlison (fulham/man city) -
    Saka (Leeds) -
    Antonio (shef) -
    Holding (Leeds) -
    Martinez (Brighton) -
    Cavani (West brom) -

  27. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    What do we reckon guys ? will they start ?

    Antonio ?
    Digne ?

    1. Maarrrr17
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Digne I'm pretty sure, Antonio idk :/ worried

      1. Hotdogs for Tea
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        its a tricky call, but i think I will BB them and then WC out of my bench headache team 🙂

  28. DrogsBallacks
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    2FT - Stones & Son > Sterling (C)
    or..
    1FT - DCL > Cavani (bench Coufal?)

    Team:
    Martinez
    Stones Cancelo Mee Coufal (Dallas)
    Son Salah Gundo Bruno (Soucek)
    Bamford Antonio (DCL)

  29. Valkyrie
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone giving the armband to Richarlison?

    1. Maarrrr17
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      What do you expect he will score over these games?

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

        Well, with DCL out of the match against Fulham, he could come good, no?

        1. Maarrrr17
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Could be good, I dont know whether to shift Antonio on for him.

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

        And yeah.. i feel City wont get a CS against Everton. Hopefully Rich will get some points there.

    2. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      could think of worse choices

  30. Gatsby
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    What do we think?
    Anything you would do/non punty.
    1ft - 6m itb

    Martinez
    Dias, Stones, Cresswell, Dallas,
    Fernandes (C), Salah, Gund, Soucek
    Bamford, Watkins

    Subs: Forster(gk), Calvert-Lewin, Son, Mitchel

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

      maybe start Son over Watkins

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

        interesting, u fancy spurs to turn up?

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

          Yep and not expecting Watkins to get much. One of those 50-50 decisions I guess