The Scout explains the factors to consider when deciding whether you should use your Wildcard chip now in Gameweek 30, or whether you should wait until Gameweek 31 in Fantasy Premier League.
A large number of Fantasy managers have earmarked this upcoming period as the best time to play the Wildcard chip.
The Wildcard allows managers to make unlimited, permanent changes to their 15-man squad without any points deductions.
Importantly, this gives you a chance to load up on Crystal Palace and Newcastle United’s key players ahead of Double Gameweek 32 (DGW32), when each club will play TWO matches.
It also allows you to build a squad that can navigate Blank Gameweek 34 (BGW34), when six sides are unable to play their Premier League match on the same weekend as the FA Cup semi-finals.
On top of that, you can prepare to capitalise on any future Double Gameweeks this season.
Wildcard in Gameweek 30?
You can get the jump on your Gameweek 31 rivals by immediately bringing in Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (£10.2m) and Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m).
Both have returned to fitness following spells on the sidelines and can be huge differentials for Gameweek 30, owned by eight and six per cent respectively.
Crucially, both Palace and Newcastle have kind schedules prior to their DGW32.
If you are planning to use your Bench Boost chip in DGW32 to profit from the points of all 15 players in your squad, tripling up on both sides NOW can pay off.
Daniel Munoz (£5.1m) and Ismaila Sarr (£5.7m) are the best Palace picks to go alongside Mateta.
Alexander Isak (£9.3m) is the standout option from Newcastle, while a move for Jacob Murphy (£5.0m) could pay off now, with his fellow winger Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) suspended for another match. At the back, Dan Burn (£4.4m) and Tino Livramento (£4.5m) are the budget picks who are secure starters.
Rescheduling of fixtures
The main issue with Wildcarding in Gameweek 30 is the logistics of fixture rescheduling.
Following the results of last weekend's FA Cup quarter-finals, three matches have been removed from the Gameweek 34 schedule.
Those three Premier League matches will need to be rescheduled, which could result in Double Gameweeks.
Crucially, there are just over 48 hours between the end of the last FA Cup quarter-final and the Gameweek 30 deadline, at 18:15 BST on Tuesday 1 April.
So although managers now at least know the clubs who have progressed to the FA Cup semi-finals, it remains to be seen whether the matches postponed from BGW34 will be given new dates BEFORE Tuesday's deadline.
That information will be crucial to your planning as it is also likely to determine when the final Double Gameweeks of 2024/25 fall.
So if you Wildcard in Gameweek 30, there is a good chance you will be picking your squad without having the full picture.
Wildcard in Gameweek 31?
The Gameweek 31 deadline is six days after the FA Cup quarter-finals, and the matches removed from BGW34 are more likely to have been rescheduled by that point.
If you then have all the information on the remaining Blank and Double Gameweeks, you can fine-tune your Wildcard and chip strategy to greater effect.
Again, though, this comes down to the players in your squad.
For example, AFC Bournemouth, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers all have favourable home fixtures in Gameweek 30.
If you’ve already loaded up on players from those clubs and your team looks well set for the next round of fixtures, holding the Wildcard until Gameweek 31 would give you a better chance of having more information at your disposal to build around the final Blank and Double Gameweeks.
