26 Dec, 2024

FPL Wildcard Chip Guide

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The Wildcard chip in FPL is a powerful chip. Whether you’re an FPL veteran or or a newbie attempting to figure out the basics and fundamentals of the game, understanding how the Wildcard chip works and how best to deploy the two per season that every manager is granted, is crucial for your team’s success across an entire season.

This article investigates what the FPL Wildcard chip’s are along with how and when to best deploy them.

What are the Wildcards in FPL

In Fantasy Premier League, the Wildcard chip permits you to make limitless transfers to your team for the Gameweek it is active, without any point deductions. Normally, transferring players beyond your allotted free transfers results in a penalty (-4 for every non-free transfer). The Wildcard chip allows you to reshape your whole team if you desire, without stressing over losing points to do so.

Each FPL season gives you two separate Wildcard chips at two different points of the Premier League season:

First half Wildcard: Available from the opening game of the season until December 29th.

Second half Wildcard: The second Wildcard managers have will be available after Sun 29 Dec (prior to the January transfer window opening) and remains available until the end of the season.

How to use wild cards:

Using a wild card is straightforward however timing it accurately is basic:

1. Activate the wild card: Go to your “Transfers” tab on the FPL site and remove the players you would like to transfer out of your team, and select their replacements within your £100m budget.
2. Make Limitless Transfers: You can transfer in and out as many players as you desire throughout the week the chip is active as long as you are staying within your £100m budget and you are still only allowed to own a max of 3 players per club. You have limitless transfers while the chip is active and so you can make as many transfers as you desire until the Gameweek deadline.
3. Save Your Changes: Whenever you’ve finished your initial transfers, hit confirm. You will be asked whether you’d like to confirm the transfers as normal, or use your Wildcard or your Free Hit chip. Select the Wildcard chip and confirm. Your wild card will be enacted, and no points will be deducted for any of the transfers.
4. Remaining free transfers: Any free transfers you had prior to activating your wildcard chip will remain. If you had 1 free transfer at the start of the Gameweek, you will retain that one free transfer for the next Gameweek.

Strategies for using wild card

Analyse fixtures and forms.

Before activating your wild card, review the fixture list of the players you want to target as well as their expected minutes and role in their team. Target players with a solid run of fixtures, whose teams are performing well in the key metrics, and they themselves are performing well. Avoid selecting players who are rotated often, have a difficult upcoming schedule or players whose teams are not performing well.

Sit tight for Key Minutes

Try not to hurry to utilize your wild card right off the bat in the season except if it is necessary. Numerous experts sit tight for international breaks or significant moments in the season (such as a big double Gameweek) or for the unfortunate time your team has multiple key injuries.

Scout for upcoming double-Gameweeks

Double-game weeks happen when a team plays two times in a single Gameweek. Utilising a Wildcard to get players with double gameweeks that are around the corner can provide a huge advantage to your team and help managers climb those rankings significantly.

Work for Long -haul Gains

Keep away from short term / transient fixes. While utilising your Wildcard, the focus should be on owning players you feel can perform reliably and provide returns consistently and over longer periods of weeks or preferably multiple months.

Mistakes to avoid while using your Wildcard

Ignoring team balance: Don’t spend a lot on premium players while ignoring the remainder of your team and filling in the holes with poor assets on bad teams. Keep a balance within your lineup with premium players along with quality cheaper assets with consistent minutes and production.

Not Thinking about Substitutes: Guarantee your bench has at least two players who can contribute in the event of injuries or squad rotation.

Utilising your Wildcard too soon: Unless you believe you have made grave errors in judgement with your original team, fight the temptation to utilise your Wildcard in the first few weeks for the sake of it. Best time to use wild card is when it is necessary or you believe can provide your team immense value over the coming weeks or months.

FAQ’s:

Can I reverse a wild card after activating it? A: No, once a wild card is activated and moves are saved, it can’t be switched.

Q: Do wild cards extend if unused? A: No, wild cards terminate toward the finish of their assigned period, so use them carefully.

Q: Can I play other chips like bench boost with wild cards? A: No, just a single chip can be utilized per game.

Wildcard example

Imagine your unique team comprised of players who don’t perform well. Or those with tough upcoming fixtures. By activating your wild card, you can trade out players like:

• A premium player who isn’t producing returns worthy of their price-tag.
• Midfielders with poor form, who are not in the attacking role you may have anticipated or not playing enough minutes.
• Defenders who are not playing enough minutes or their teams are conceding goals consistently.
• Picking the correct replacement players when using your Wildcard can replace them with  players will help to put yourself in a good position to climb your league tables and overall ranking in the weeks to come – check out some ideas about what a successful Wildcard team for this season would look like.

Conclusion

The Wildcard chip in FPL require’s some research and preparation to maximise the benefit you can gain from it. By understanding when and how to utilise them, you can beat recover from tough periods of the season, profit greatly by transferring in a player that is a must-own who is producing consistent and large returns, solve an injury crisis within your team and by doing so, positioning yourself for a strong post-Wildcard run of Gameweeks.

Our Transfer Wizard is a great tool to help you select the best options within your budget, whenever you do decide to activate your Wildcard.

Last updated: 25/12/24