There are only four more opportunities for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers to use their first Free Hit chip of 2025/26: Gameweek 16, 17, 18 and 19.
Indeed, more than 24% of participants in our on-site poll say they are planning to activate it this week.
Time is ticking away so, in the article below, we’ll present three drafts for consideration, created on PlanFPL.
DECIDING WHEN TO FREE HIT
Using our Fixture Ticker, we can study the teams that currently have well-owned FPL players hanging around the template.
If one Gameweek has a sea of red fixtures, a Free Hit user might want to briefly look elsewhere.
On the other hand, does one Gameweek have a bunch of green ones worth attacking?
For example, managers currently with an Arsenal triple-up, plus some from Brentford and Chelsea, probably don’t think now is the time.
Squads with Yankuba Minteh (£6.3m) might not like upcoming trips to Liverpool and Arsenal, but those lacking either him, Manchester United or Newcastle United assets could aggressively go for Gameweek 19.
Complicating matters is that, this week, everyone has been topped up to five free transfers. Could those desperate to ditch Antoine Semenyo (£7.6m) sell him now and temporarily have him at home to Burnley in Gameweek 17?
It’s similar for Virgil van Dijk (£6.0m) owners, knowing that Liverpool host last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers in Gameweek 18.
As is often the case, choosing a time to activate depends on both your current squad and how safe you like to be.
GAMEWEEK 16 FREE HIT DRAFT ONE: FOMO
This safety-first XI is based on our Scout Picks ‘bus team’, but instead opts for double Arsenal defence now that Declan Rice (£7.1m) will miss the Gunners’ midweek match. It’s only an illness, mind you, so there’s every chance that he recovers.
Piero Hincapie (£5.4m) has started their previous four league outings, claiming defensive contribution (DefCon) points in the latest couple. Teammate Bukayo Saka (£10.2m) is a very tempting captaincy choice, based on form and fixture. He has three successive attacking returns and gets the honour of hosting last-placed Wolves.
Meanwhile, if all bases are being covered, highly selected duo Erling Haaland (£15.0m) and Phil Foden (£8.6m) must be there, despite having a difficult trip to Crystal Palace. The latter’s 44 points from three quickly-played matches have led to six price rises in nine days.
Igor Thiago (£7.0m) is the league’s leading scorer behind Haaland, and Monday night’s haul not only gave Bruno Fernandes (£9.1m) the best Gameweek 15 score, it made him FPL’s top overall midfielder.
But near-namesake Enzo Fernandez (£6.6m) is the controversial inclusion here. He’s still in 16% of the top 100k, although only returning twice in 11 matches.
GAMEWEEK 16 FREE HIT DRAFT TWO: YOLO
Free Hit users could take the opposite route, collecting some exciting differentials.
Now back from injury, Cole Palmer (£10.3m) netted four times at home to Everton in 2023/24. Admittedly, none came in their two meetings since, but it’s better than Foden, who has never scored past Palace.
Another calculated absentee is Haaland, as three blanks in four have reduced the fear of going against him.
Matheus Cunha (£7.9m) did everything but score past his former club Wolves on Monday, shooting eight times. Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo (£8.4m) took the plaudits, but maybe it’s now the Brazilian’s turn.
- READ MORE: Goals + assists imminent! Who is ‘due’ an attacking return?
- READ MORE: Who is close to a ban or suspended in FPL Gameweek 16?
Elsewhere, Riccardo Calafiori’s (£5.8m) suspension should give Myles Lewis-Skelly (£5.1m) a start, although it’s still worth researching Arsenal’s Wednesday line-up beforehand. Another banned player is Kevin Schade (£7.0m), adding more security to Dango Ouattara‘s (£6.0m) minutes. The Brentford winger’s previous three home appearances delivered two goals and three assists.
A true punt is Donyell Malen (£5.1m), knowing he’s started just one of Aston Villa’s last seven. However, should Ollie Watkins (£8.5m) start on Thursday, the Dutchman is worth considering. After going with a conservative line-up against Arsenal, Unai Emery also likely sacrifices a central midfielder on Sunday and goes with a more offensive XI. Between Gameweeks 11 and 15, Malen has had 13 shots and two goals in just 182 minutes.
Alternative options at the price include in-form Fulham pair Harry Wilson (£5.3m) and Samuel Chukwueze (£5.3m), but this draft has many millions left in the bank.
GAMEWEEK 16 FREE HIT DRAFT THREE: A BIT OF BOTH
Truth be told, the sweet spot is probably a balance of both ideas, where there’s a compromise of having one Manchester City attacker and the highly-owned Jurrien Timber (£6.5m), alongside differentials like Ouattara and Lewis-Skelly.
In a mere 1.3% of current squads, Raul Jimenez (£6.2m) is part of all three drafts for several reasons. Not many forward have appeal, even for a one-off. Also, he feels certain of a start versus Burnley, fresh from one goal and three assists in his last seven. Albeit none of these exceeded six points.
Fulham colleague Joachim Andersen (£4.5m) is in each draft, too. He loves DefCon rewards.
As for the aforementioned Mbeumo, it feels ok to grab a couple of Man United assets when noticing that opponents Bournemouth have just two points from six matches.
In defence, perhaps investing in Chelsea’s backline over Brentford’s is advised. After Arsenal, they are the next-best for restricting attempts on target (45) and box shots (99).
Yet Leeds United just scored several past them, part of eight goals against Man City, Liverpool and the Blues. Fueled by a rampant Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.5m), initial confidence in a Brentford clean sheet is suddenly waning.
