Liverpool, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace will all be without a Premier League fixture in Blank Gameweek 29 (BGW29). Newcastle and Palace will then play twice in Double Gameweek 32 (DGW32). So far we know that Chelsea v Everton, Liverpool v Spurs, Newcastle v Ipswich and Wolves v Leicester will definitely go ahead in BGW34.
Here, The Scout's panel of Fantasy Premier League experts reveal when they plan to use their chips over the rest of the season.
Gianni Buttice (@GianniButtice)
I have been committed to Free-Hit in Blank Gameweek 29 for some time and while the latest injuries to Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) and Lewis Hall (£5.0m) hinder that plan a bit, and in an attempt to stack up on 32 "Doublers" in Palace and Newcastle, I am continuing with this strategy in the hope my players from these two clubs will prove good differentials in the coming weeks.
Double Gameweek 33 and Blank Gameweek 34 will be difficult to navigate without a Free Hit, which is why I will likely use my Wildcard in BGW34. The hope of using a Bench Boost in a big Double to get your bench players playing twice looks unlikely this season, so I am open to playing this chip any time - likely post Wildcard in Gameweeks 35-37.
Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
I'm holding firm right now and planning to Wildcard in Gameweek 30 to set me up for an end-of-season onslaught! I plan to use my Assistant Manager chip from Gameweeks 31-33, then Free Hit in Gameweek 34 and finally Bench Boost in the final few weeks, possibly Double Gameweek 36, to hopefully finish my season on a high.
Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
I plan to Wildcard in Gameweek 30, having dead-ended my team for the blank in Gameweek 29. Ahead of Gameweek 25 I sold Lewis Hall, and I will be looking to sell my Liverpool, Villa and Palace assets ahead of BGW29. I will, however, hold and bench Mohamed Salah (£13.8m) and Alexander Isak (£9.4m), because I know I will want them back after the blank and I don't want to lose the value I have in them.
I'll then Bench-Boost in either Gameweek 33 or 36, and will likely Free-Hit in Gameweek 34, which is expected to be a Blank Gameweek. If the FA Cup results mean I don't need to Free-Hit, which is possible with Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Newcastle certain of a fixture in Gameweek 34 then I will hold it for Gameweek 38.
Utkarsh Dalmia (@ZopharFPL)
With Newcastle having a DGW32, that's where I will likely be using my Triple Captain chip as I fancy Alexander Isak in the two home matches.
The next big Double is likely to be Gameweek 33, due to FA Cup semi-final postponements, which means I want to use my Bench Boost in DGW33.
Keeping the above two chips in mind, it's likely that I Wildcard in Gameweek 31, by which point we should have a clear view of the landscape ahead.
Harry Daniels (@FPL_Harry)
After the latest round of the FA Cup did not give us many answers, I plan on pushing decisions back until Gameweek 30 after the next round.
However, with my Assistant Manager chip still available, I still plan on prioritising this and using it first. I am currently looking at the Assistant Manager chip in Gameweeks 31-33, the Free Hit in Gameweek 34, the Wildcard in Gameweek 35, and finally the Bench Boost chip in Gameweek 36.
Pranil Sheth (@Lateriser12)
With the DGW32 announcement, I will likely be using the Triple Captain chip in either Gameweek 32 or 36.
I will likely be using the Bench Boost in Gameweek 33, as that is expected to be the big Double Gameweek, and will likely Wildcard before that, around Gameweek 31.
Nick Harris (@WGTA_Nick)
I still have my Assistant Manager chip but will likely save that until the end of the season and hope there is a Double Gameweek 36 to capitalise on.
I will likely Wildcard around Gameweek 31 and use my Bench Boost for the Double Gameweek in 32 or Gameweek 33, before Free-Hitting in Blank Gameweek 34.
Az Philips (@FPLBlackbox_Az)
I'll be Wildcarding in Gameweek 30 as by then we'll have information on which teams are blanking in Gameweek 34. It feels like I'll be limping my way to this point, with numerous injuries in my squad and a team I'm not entirely happy with. It will be great to refresh these with an entire cast of new players.
The Bench Boost will likely get played in Gameweek 32 or 33, depending on the Blanks/Double Gameweek announcements. I'll then have the Free Hit chip to cover me in Gameweek 34. It's frustrating to not have the Triple Captain available after getting just six points from Erling Haaland (£14.7m) back at the start of the season, but at least I got a great score from my Assistant Manager chip.
Pras (@Pras_FPL)
I have the Wildcard, Free Hit and Bench Boost chips left. At the moment, my plan is to play through BGW29 as I can play a good team without taking a hit. I would then see how the FA Cup quarter-finals play out. These are all close ties and remember that the teams who make it to the semi-finals will blank in Gameweek 33. I would react to this information and then plan a Wildcard in Gameweek 30 or 31 with a view to Bench-Boost in Gameweek 32 or 33. I plan to Free-Hit in Gameweek 33 or GW34. When exactly will depend on the fixture announcements after the FA Cup quarter-finals which take place between Gameweek 29 and Gameweek 30.
Oscar (@FPLFocal)
My remaining chips are Wildcard, Bench Boost and Free Hit. I'm not committed to a particular chip strategy yet. I am still waiting on fixture announcements and particularly how DGW33/BGW34 look. I quite like a Wildcard in Gameweek 31, using my Bench Boost in Gameweek 33 and the Free Hit in Gameweek 34. However, if DGW33 looks a bit underwhelming, I'm open to Bench-Boosting in another week such as Gameweek 32 when Crystal Palace and Newcastle both play twice.
