The Best Times to use Your FPL Chips: Gameweeks 30-38 

With plenty of FPL managers still in possession of 3 or even 4 of their chips, the discussion arises around when the best time to play them is. This is where leagues are won and lost and where swings can be absolutely massive if you nail the right strategy.

We will make sure we cover for all eventualities and strategies and help guide you towards those green arrows.  

Before we get started, make sure you check out our Gameweek 30 differentials piece for more sneaky ways to gain rank. As well as our Gameweek 30 captains’ piece to ensure you nail the captaincy decision. 

As always, make sure you check out our Predicted Line-Ups and Team News Hub before locking in any changes. 

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get stuck into the best Chip Strategies for FPL Gameweek 30 onwards. 

 

The Blanks and Double Game weeks

Credit for the chart to the legend himself: Ben Crellin

Firstly, let’s start by breaking down the blank and double game weeks we have coming up. 

• GW31: Arsenal, City, Wolves and Crystal Palace blanks. (Carabao Cup Final) 

• DGW33: Teams likely to Double: Arsenal & Newcastle (quite likely), Chelsea & Brighton (quite likely). City or Liverpool, West Ham or Leeds and all their Gameweek 34 opponents also potentials.

• BGW34: Teams likely to blank: Arsenal & Chelsea + Other Prem teams who made it to semis of FA Cup. Teams confirmed not blanking: Wolves, Spurs, Fulham, Villa, Sunderland, Forest, United, Brentford. 

• DGW36: Teams likely to double: Man City and Crystal Palace. Potentially Villa and Liverpool.

• BGW37: Unconfirmed as of yet but potential movements from GW37 to GW36 depending on FA Cup final.

While that can all be a bit confusing, we will do our best to sum it up here.

• The teams who qualify for the FA Cup semis, will see their fixtures for that week likely squeezed into the Gameweek before, and their cup fixtures would take place during the FPL Gameweek instead.

With Arsenal and Chelsea both having good cup fixtures, it is likely they both make it through to the semis. 

REMINDER: There is always the chance that fixtures are rescheduled or pushed back to later Gameweeks, especially considering a large amount of teams are still in European competitions. So make sure you stay up to date with all scheduling news.

 

So what is the best strategy? 

Here are the optimum chip strategies during that period: 

• WC32, BB33, FH34  

• WC32, FH33, BB34/BB36. 

• FH33, BB34, WC35. 

For now however, we are more at the mercy of FA Cup results than anything else. Essentially what the main question boils down to is this: 

‘Will the optimum Gameweek 32 team be achievable with or without a Wildcard?’ 

Naturally, if there are upsets such as Southampton over Arsenal or Port Vale over Chelsea, then suddenly GW33 becomes less spicy as Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Newcastle players will not be doubling.  

This makes a wildcard less attractive, and means that the optimum team can be more easily reached using just transfers, as the gap in value between a team of doublers may not be there. Meaning the wildcard can be saved for the final few Gameweeks, as teams separate into those playing for something and those not. 

However, if Arsenal, Chelsea and ideally Liverpool and Leeds make it through, then suddenly DGW33 has the potential to be loaded with fun doubling teams, fixtures permitting. 

 

The more of these teams win the better potential WC32 has: 

• Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds, Liverpool. 

REMINDER 2: There is always a chance that fixtures get moved or rotated based on several other factors, so paying attention to scheduling is vital. 

 

When should I use my Wildcard?

There are 2 main windows for this.

• GW32 – To set up for the GW33 and GW34 blanks and doubles.
• GW35 – If there are some upsets or the doublers in GW33 don’t seem that appealing. Allows you to target teams with stuff left to play for.

Both work however we would lean towards the wildcard in GW32 for now. Naturally this will completely depend on your team’s set up.

 

When should I use my Free Hit?

Ideally for Free Hit we have 2 pretty good options.

• FH33 – to go after doubles.
• FH34 – to cover blankers.
• FH31 – You can also use your Free Hit in GW31 if you have to and have sold yourself short, but make sure you have a solid Wildcard and Bench Boost strategy for GW33 and GW34 if you are going to do so.

FH33 and FH34 are both solid strategies and will be completely dependent on the team you set up with in GW32.

 

So what teams should I target ahead of GW33? 

If you are on FH33: United, Villa, Loser or Liverpool or City, Sunderland. 

If you are on FH34: Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Brighton, Winner of Liverpool or City. 

 

When should I use my Triple Captain? 

If you still have your Triple Captain chip there are a few opportune moments for it. But ideally you are looking at DGW33 or DGW36. 

If you do decide to push the boat out on GW33, it looks like you’ll get one of at least Gabriel, Joao Pedro or Haaland/Ekitike to choose from.  

However, the optimum week for TC is DG36. This is because you will likely be wanting to use your Free hits and wildcard chips between GW32 and GW35. So, designating GW36 for a Triple Captain chip where it is safe to do so and likely won’t impede your use of the other chips is probably the smartest option. Also, it is very likely that you will have either Haaland or Semenyo to choose from for this. Who are currently both #1 and #2 in total FPL points. 

 

When should I use my Bench Boost? 

Whenever the bench boost should be used is entirely dependent on the team you decide to build, and there are a few possible windows. 

The first window will be GW33. This is likely to be a strong double gameweek including Arsenal, City and Chelsea players etc, and will mean that the Wildcard in 32 or even Free Transfers can be used to construct a team which covers plenty of the doublers. Meaning that benches can be loaded with players from said teams. If you plan on Triple Captaining in DGW36 then this is the play. 

The next opportune window comes around in GW34. Now even though many teams are blanking this week, if you are using your bench boost in GW34, it is likely because you have built a team which is not comprised of GW34 blankers and used your Free Hit in GW33 to target those players. This should allow you a pretty solid team to be able to Bench boost with in GW34. 

If you have already used your Triple captain chip, then GW36 is another fantastic opportunity for Bench Boost. Depending on which teams make it through. There is a strong chance that the final will comprise 2 out of Arsenal, Chelsea, City/Liverpool. 

The ideal final would be City or Liverpool vs Chelsea, as this would mean we not only get those teams assets doubling, but also Villa (If Liverpool make it), Bournemouth (If City make it) or Leeds (If Chelsea make it. As opposed to Burnley (If Arsenal makes it). 

 

Play your own Game 

At the end of the day, half of this article is built on speculation and you should always play your own game. If there is a week you prefer a wildcard or bench boost that suits your team better, then go for it. This is just here to help provide a loose guideline. 

 

Check out our Game Week Tips section for more great Gameweek specific advice.