We are approaching the second half of the season in Fantasy Premier League which is typical with double and blank gameweeks later on. This opens great opportunities to use chips and gain extra fantasy points. What are potentially the best chip strategies for the second half of the FPL 2023/24 season?
Your strategy 100 % depends on how many chips you have left… Without further ado, let’s jump into some of our early thoughts.
Upcoming blank and double gameweeks
You can check our FPL calendar to see the schedule in the bigger picture.
We can expect the biggest points potential for using chips in:
- DGW28: Bournemouth and Luton play twice
- BGW29: Bigger blank gameweek due to the FA CUP QF
- D/BGW34: Likely a small blank gameweek due to the FA CUP SF + potential double gameweek at the same time
- DGW37: Likely the biggest double gameweek of the season as it has free midweek
*Note: There could be some smaller double gameweek(s) in other gameweek (s) – yet to be confirmed
Read more: When is the next blank and double gameweek in FPL?
Triple captain
Some FPL managers used their Triplce captain chip early in a single gameweek. If you still have this chip, you have many options for where to use it. The disadvantage is that you can have active only one chip in one gameweek, so you cannot combine it with other chips.
That’s why you should aim to use triple captain on a double gameweek, where you do not aim to use other powerful chips – Wildcard, Free Hit or Bench Boost.
- DGW28 – an opportunity to TC Solanke
- DGW34 – it depends on which teams will double here
- DGW37 – this could be an option to use Triple Captain for managers, who already used Free Hit and Bench Boost, so they do not have other chip to use in this big double gameweek
- GW38 – the craziest gameweek of the season with high scoring games
Further reading: When to use Triple Captain in FPL?
Bench Boost
Ideally, you should aim to use Bench Boost in a double gameweek soon after the Wildcard – where you still have playing players on your bench and not many injuries and non-playing players. Also, bench boost is ideal for double gameweeks, where bottom-half teams with cheap players play twice.
Gameweeks to use bench boost:
- GW28 – if you will wildcard in GW27 then GW28 bench boost could be perfect, as you do not have to bench your “strong” single gameweek players
- If we have smaller double gameweeks, you could use BB there
- DGW34 – if you will wildcard soon before this gameweek
- Double Gameweek 37 – if you do not aim to use other chip here
Further reading:
Free Hit
When you use a free hit chip, consider this:
- If you use it in a blank gameweek where big teams have blank, the points potential is low, as bottom-half teams do not tend to score many fantasy points
- If you use it in a double gameweek (where big teams have double), the points potential is huge
However!
You should always assess the potential o a free hit in terms of difference against your original team and then decide, whether to use it in a blank gameweek or in a double gameweek.
So always consider:
- How many points can I gain against my non-free hit team, if I use free hit in this blank gameweek (GW26, GW29, GW34)?
- How many points can I gain against my non-free hit team, if I use it in this double gameweek (GW37)?
Of course, it also depends on the overall chip strategy and when you will use your other chips, and how they influence the shape of your FPL squad. Always have a big picture in mind, when considering using free hit chip.
Potential gameweeks for free hit:
- Blank gameweeks: GW29
- GW34 will likely be blank and double gameweek at the same time – that could be perfect for a free hit, as the points swing could be huge
- DGW37 – big double gameweek
Further reading: When to use Free Hit in FPL?
Wildcard
There are two main opportunities for using a wildcard:
- Wildcard in Gameweek 27/28: to help you navigate blank double gameweek 28, blank GW29 and save free hit in for DGW34 or DGW37
- Disadvantages: But then it will be a little harder to navigate late blanks and doubles in 34 and GW37.
- Advantage: Save free hit for later, you use wildcard early, so if done well, it should benefit you for the rest of the season
- Wildcard after GW30: To rebalance the squad after a big blank in GW29
- Late Wildcard in Gameweek 35-37: Likely different teams will double in GW34 and GW37, so you likely need to use late wildcard after GW34
- Disadvantages: You would benefit from wildcard only for the last few gameweeks of the season.
- Advantage: Great for setting up your FPL team for a late double gameweek in GW37
Read more: When to use wildcard in FPL?
Potential FPL Chip Strategies
Remember, the best chip strategy is very team-dependent. The strategy that might be the best for my FPL team, might not be the best strategy for your FPL team. It all depends on the current shape of your FPL team, how many blank GW players for GW29 do you have etc…
Currently, our preferred chip strategy is:
Currently preferred strategy: TC28/34, FH29, WC35, BB37
- Triple captain Solanke in double gameweek 28 or saving TC chip for DGW34
- Free Hit in the biggest blank gameweek of the season
- Dead end team into hybrid blank and double gameweek GW34
- Wildcard in GW35 to rebalance squad after dead ending team into GW34
- Advantage is, you do not need to compromise your squad with weaker players when dead-ending your team into blank GW29
- Disadvantage is very late wildcard, so it will effect your team only for 3 gameweeks. So it is suitable for managers who have team in perfect shape right now
Alternative chip strategy 1: TC28, WC30, FH34, BB37
- loading up on blank GW29 players with free transfers: Spurs, Luton, West Ham, Aston Villa.
- Triple captain Solanke in GW28 if fit
- dead ending team into a big blank in GW29, then rebalancing with Wildcard
- but a lot of time between wildcard and bench boost – so your team might end up with too many injuries and non-playing bench players in GW37
- Free Hit in GW34 – the points swing could be huge here, as it will likely be blank + double gameweek at the same time
Alternative strategy 2: WC27/28, BB28/37, FH34/37, TC28/37
- wildcarding before GW27 – to set up team for double 28 and blank 29
- Bench boost likely right after in GW28 when you have a fully fit squad, and you do not need to bench your strong single gameweek players
- Free hitting in GW34 or GW37 based on the setup of your team as likely different teams will double in GW34 and GW37
- Navigating the other double gameweek (the one when you do not free hit) with your free transfers
Conclusion
Do not forget that every manager has a different team, so a chip strategy that might be the best solution for one manager does not have to be best for another manager with a completely different FPL team.