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What is your Fantasy Premier League chip strategy?

As the schedule craziness goes into high gear, it is time to start thinking about using your remaining chips. But is it time to pull the trigger yet?

Coach Tanya Oxtoby writes out tactics - Women’s FA Cup
This is how we do it.
Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images

With the transfer deadline on the horizon, you’re likely confused about what to do for game week 31. Due to the FA Cup, there are only 5 games scheduled, leaving half of the Premier League teams without a league fixture. You may not have properly prepared for this and are now struggling to get an eleven man lineup, hello minus four (or dare I say eight?). For those of us who still hold chips, the possibility exists to use the free hit. This allows a manager to create an entirely new roster for one week only without paying any points. This week seems to be tailor-made for that free hit. Is it?

We can’t approach this week in a vacuum; the upcoming schedule will feature double game weeks for several teams, starting in game week 32 with Manchester United and Wolverhampton (other fixtures may be confirmed). What will be your plan for the double week if you use the free hit now, or will you wait for the double week? There are lots of permutations to consider for fantasy managers, keeping in mind the two teams with a double week so far in week 32, have another blank in week 33. It can be a lot to process, prepare as best you can with the information that is available (there are many fixtures yet to be rearranged).

I’m not here to tell you if it’s best to use your free hit in week 31 or 32, but we can discuss the benefit of each. Week 31 presents Liverpool, West Ham United, and AFC Bournemouth with very favorable fixtures, and we can argue for Chelsea too. To play the free hit and create a team featuring the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Eden Hazard, along with the likes of Callum Wilson or Ryan Fraser, and Declan Rice maybe, well that is a team that could put lots of points on the board. Doing well in week 31 could improve your overall rank, because there are many who may be fielding a team of only seven or eight players.

There are those among us who have flashlights and extra batteries for an unforeseen power outage, clean drinking water and canned goods in case of some natural disaster. These managers would have prepared and should have an eleven available this week, and so they’ll be able to use the free hit in week 32 (or 37). What a great tool that can be; in a double week for some teams, one can have the maximum three per team. The second-half wildcard chip then becomes a power tool for further double game week that will arise.

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Don’t forget the Bench Boost and Triple Captain chips; either Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, and Raul Jimenez owners will be considering the latter next week. What are your plans for using the available chips? How many do you still have? Make sure you find places to profit from all of them; we’re running out of weeks! Please take the poll below and then share your thoughts in the comments!

Poll

Are you using any of your chips in Week 31?

This poll is closed

  • 41%
    Using the Free Hit chip
    (160 votes)
  • 5%
    Playing my Wildcard chip
    (22 votes)
  • 5%
    Have a hunch about the Triple Captain chip
    (23 votes)
  • 0%
    Going off script with the Bench Boost chip
    (1 vote)
  • 46%
    Nope, not using any chips this week
    (182 votes)
388 votes total Vote Now

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