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NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MARCH 07: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, looks on prior to the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Newcastle United and Manchester City on March 07, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Navigating the final stretch of the Fantasy Premier League season requires more than just picking the right players; it requires a masterful chip strategy.
With blank and double gameweeks looming, knowing exactly when to pull the trigger on your remaining chips is the key to outperforming your mini-league rivals.
Below, we break down the most effective ways to manage your FPL chips and when to use them to maximize your points potential.
Navigating the Blank and Double Gameweeks
The schedule for the 2025/26 season is becoming clear, and it is heavily influenced by the domestic cups. Gameweek 31 will be a significant Blank Gameweek (BGW) because it clashes with the EFL Cup Final.
Arsenal and Wolves are already confirmed to blank, and Manchester City and Crystal Palace are highly likely to join them.
Even more chaotic is Gameweek 34, which is expected to be the biggest blank of the season.
Due to the FA Cup semi-finals, up to eight teams could find themselves without a fixture, while other teams might have their postponed matches moved to create a massive Double Gameweek (DGW) 33.
Understanding these swings is vital when deciding on your FPL chips and when to use them effectively.
Triple Captain
While many managers burned this chip in Double Gameweek 26 on Arsenal assets, those who still have it should look toward the end of the season.
Double Gameweek 33 and Double Gameweek 36 are prime opportunities.
If Manchester City has a double in GW36, Erling Haaland becomes the premier candidate.
Using the Triple Captain during a double gameweek is almost always the superior choice, as it gives your elite asset two chances to find the back of the net.
Bench Boost
The Bench Boost is arguably the most difficult chip to get right because it requires 15 starting players.
A popular and highly effective strategy is to pair this with the Wildcard.
By wildcarding in Gameweek 32, you can set up a squad specifically designed for the Double Gameweek 33 Bench Boost.
This ensures that all 15 of your players have the maximum number of fixtures possible, turning your bench into a point-scoring engine.
Free Hit
The Free Hit is your “get out of jail free” card for blank gameweeks.
If your team is heavily invested in Arsenal and Manchester City players who blank in Gameweek 31, the Free Hit allows you to field a full XI of active players without ruining your long-term team structure.
Alternatively, saving it for the massive Blank Gameweek 34 might be even more lucrative, as that week could see the majority of the popular “template” players sitting on the sidelines.
Wildcard
The second Wildcard is the most powerful tool for restructuring your team for the season’s conclusion.
As mentioned, using it in Gameweek 32 is a “pro” move to prepare for the DGW33 Bench Boost.
However, if you can navigate those weeks with free transfers, holding the Wildcard until Gameweek 34 or 35 allows you to set up for the final sprint and the potential Double Gameweek 36, ensuring your team is optimized for the very last day of the season.
The most successful managers are already looking four or five weeks ahead. My current plan is to Free Hit in Blank GW31, Bench Boost in Double GW33, and potentially Wildcard in Blank GW34 to reset for the final run-in.
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