This season of FPL brings a brand new and exciting twist to the game – every chip now comes with a double. That means two cracks at hitting the perfect Triple Captain, two chances to land a monster Bench Boost, and generally twice the chaos (and reward) if you play them right, writes FPL expert Blake Hurst. Extra chips also mean extra planning, and knowing how to time them becomes even more important.
In this guide, we’ll run through what each chip does, why it matters, and some broad pointers on when they could be most effective. It’s not about dictating exact gameweeks – it’s about giving you the tools to figure out your own plan.
Remember, all chips reset after Gameweek 19, which essentially hands you a second round of opportunities. With that in mind, let’s dive into the best windows to make each chip count.
Wildcard – Your Fresh Start
The Wildcard is your chance to completely rebuild your squad without using any of your transfers. Arguably the most powerful chip, if used correctly. You can use this either tactically or in an emergency. If injuries, suspensions, or just plain poor form have left you frustrated, the Wildcard gives you a clean slate to sort things out. On the tactical side, it’s best used when the fixtures take a turn for the better. If you time it well and combined with an effective chip strategy – you can overhaul your squad for maximum gain.
Some of the most popular weeks for engaged FPL managers to play your Wildcard this season include:
- GW7: Arsenal and Man City’s fixtures improve while Liverpool and Nottingham Forest’s take a dip
- GW8: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man City all have good runs, compared to tougher matches for Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and Tottenham.
- GW13: Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle see good fixtures, while Chelsea, Everton, Tottenham, and West Ham fixtures take a turn for the worst.
Also, remember that in GW16, FPL grants an extra five free transfers to help manage the AFCON period – something to keep in mind when planning your Wildcard play.
Free Hit – One Week Reset
The Free Hit is my personal favourite chip – it lets you build a completely fresh squad for just one gameweek. Want to triple up on Bournemouth attack? Or go heavy on Everton’s defence? This chip makes it possible without having those players permanently in your team. It can be a lot of fun if you use it correctly.
Free Hit works best when players you don’t normally own have strong fixtures for a single, isolated week. Timing is everything, and picking the right week can really pay off. Some of the top weeks to consider include:
- GW4 (Liverpool focus): Teams with good fixtures are Arsenal, Chelsea, Palace, Fulham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Tottenham. Tougher fixtures include Brentford, Manchester United, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, and Wolves.
- GW6 (Man City focus): Bournemouth, Chelsea, Man City, Nottingham, and Tottenham are the teams to target, while Arsenal, Palace, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Tottenham have tricky matches.
- GW7 (Villa & Man Utd focus): Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham all have great fixtures. Chelsea, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham struggle.
- GW15: Brighton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle, and Tottenham are teams to target. Aston Villa, Bournemouth, and Brentford are avoids.
Mastering the Bench Boost
The Bench Boost gives you the chance to score points from all 15 players in your squad – not just the usual starting 11 – for one Gameweek only. This chip is best played when your entire squad, including your bench, has favourable fixtures, maximizing the points potential from your substitutes as well as your first team.
Ideally, you want to use the Bench Boost before playing your Wildcard. This way, after using this chip, you can use the Wildcard to upgrade your starting eleven and downgrade some bench players without worrying about their fixture runs. Of course, having a “perfect” Bench Boost team isn’t always possible, as it requires a deep squad with quality players.
Some of the most popular weeks to play the Bench Boost this season are GW5, GW8, and GW9 – though if your squad looks especially strong in a random week, that could be the right time too. Planning this chip carefully can add valuable extra points, especially when combined with good timing and favourable fixtures.
Triple Captain – Maximise your returns
The Triple Captain chip is one you’ll either swear by or curse, depending on how it plays out. Use it and your chosen player scores triple points for that gameweek.
The reward can be massive if your pick hauls, but the risk is painful if they blank.
Some managers go with their gut on a standout player, while others prefer to back one of the premium heavy hitters against an easier defence. Of course, football is unpredictable, so success often depends on a bit of luck alongside strategy.
Here are the best fixtures for the three premiums this season:
- Mohamed Salah: GW4 (Burnley away), GW14 (Sunderland home), GW15 (Leeds away)
- Erling Haaland: GW6 (Burnley home), GW13 (Leeds home), GW15 (Sunderland home), GW19 (Sunderland away)
- Cole Palmer: GW9 (Sunderland home), GW11 (Wolves home), GW12 (Burnley away)
You don’t need to stick to these players or weeks – these are simply the premium options with their most favourable fixtures. There are always good reasons to consider other players or weeks based on form, rotation risks, or personal strategy.
Chip Strategy – A Recap
Among the most engaged FPL managers, these weeks tend to be the most popular for chip usage:
- Wildcard: Gameweeks 7, 8, and 13
- Free hit: Gameweeks 4, 6, 7, and 15
- Bench Boost: Gameweeks 5, 8, and 9
- Triple captain: Gameweeks 4, 6, 9, 13, 14, and 15
Of course, there’s no “right” time to use your chips – just general patterns and popular strategic weeks that many managers are leaning towards.
For what it’s worth, my personal chip plan (always subject to change as the season progresses) looks like this:
Free Hit in GW4 – mainly because I don’t have Liverpool or Crystal Palace players at that stage.
Bench Boost in GW8 – my current bench has the best fixtures in this week
Wildcard in GW13 – aiming to capitalise on strong fixtures for Liverpool, Man City, and Newcastle.
Triple Captain – still undecided
Every manager’s approach is different, and flexibility will be key with this season’s extra chip opportunities. This guide is just explaining what weeks are the most popular amongst the engaged FPL managers.
