Many Fantasy Premier League managers like to save their chips to navigate Blank Gameweeks or maximise points returns from Double Gameweeks.
But because of adjustments to the football calendar in 2024/25, that could be about to change.
There are expected to be FEWER, and SMALLER, Blank and Double Gameweeks this season, which could result in a change in managers' chip strategies.
What are Blank and Double Gameweeks?
If you're new to FPL, here's a quick breakdown of the terminology.
There are 38 Gameweeks in a season. Generally, each Gameweek is made up of 10 matches, with each Premier League club playing once.
A Blank Gameweek occurs when at least one top-flight club DOESN'T have a Premier League fixture in a particular Gameweek.
This a problem for Fantasy managers because it means any players from the clubs in question score ZERO points in FPL.
A Double Gameweek is when at least one club has TWO league fixtures in a given Gameweek.
This gives Fantasy managers an opportunity because the players from these clubs have two opportunities to score points.
Occasionally, the two coincide.
For example, in Gameweek 34 last season, seven teams "doubled", while 12 others played once, and Tottenham Hotspur "blanked".
What causes Blank and Double Gameweeks?
Blank Gameweeks are caused by Premier League matches being postponed.
Typically, these postponements come about because of a fixture clash with domestic cup competitions.
Last season, the FA Cup quarter-finals, FA Cup semi-finals and the EFL Cup final were each held on the same weekend as Premier League fixtures.
As a result, any top-flight club still involved in these cup competitions had their league matches postponed.
Those outstanding fixtures were then slotted into other Gameweeks, creating Double Gameweeks for the teams in question.
So what's changing this season?
The big change to the football calendar in 2024/25 is that the FA Cup quarter-finals will now take place on a weekend in late March when there AREN'T any Premier League matches also taking place, so there will be no clash of fixtures.
Often, the postponements caused by the FA Cup quarter-finals result in the biggest Blank Gameweek of the campaign.
Indeed, last season only four Premier League fixtures survived on that weekend.
So, this new schedule is a significant development for Fantasy managers. There are set to be fewer fixtures postponed because of cup ties, and therefore fewer fixtures needing to be rearranged.
Why will this affect chip strategy?
Using a Free Hit in a big, problematic Blank Gameweek has traditionally been a popular strategy, because FPL managers can then ensure that they can field a full XI, rather than having a number of players in their team who are scoring zero points.
Meanwhile, the Triple Captain and Bench Boost chips have historically been widely used in Double Gameweeks. Doing so can help maximise points returns when so many teams and players are playing twice.
The Wildcard chip can also assist with preparation for Blank and Double Gameweeks, as it gives Fantasy managers the chance to set their squads up for the weeks ahead.
What could new chip strategies be?
If there are now fewer, or smaller, Blank and Double Gameweeks towards the end of 2024/25, Fantasy managers could consider using their chips at other points of the season.
A Bench Boost in Gameweek 1 is one such strategy, given that so many clubs name strong line-ups on the opening weekend, and there's less concern about rest and rotation than there might be later in the campaign.
Fantasy managers who use this chip in mid-August can then focus all of their attention, and budget, on having a strong starting XI for the rest of the season, without having to worry about having four good substitutes for an upcoming Bench Boost.
The Free Hit could be saved for Gameweek 38, too. The goals tend to flow on the final day of the season and some clubs may have a title or Premier League safety to play for, so having the ability to cherry-pick a squad may be advantageous.
But it might be worth hanging on to a chip or two, and seeing how the schedule develops in the final months of the season. There will still likely be Blank and Double Gameweeks caused by the EFL Cup final and the FA Cup semi-finals, even if they are smaller in scale than they were before.
Also, there's always the risk of poor weather or an unexpected event causing further postponements.
For example, Burnley v Spurs fell to snow in 2021/22, and the following season Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace was called off due to a train strike.
