In the high-stakes world of FPL, strategic use of chips can make or break your season. These special tools—Bench Boost, Triple Captain, Free Hit, Wildcard, and a new addition for 2024/25—each offer unique advantages, but understanding their proper use is crucial to getting the most out of them. In this guide, I’ll dive into how often you can use each chip, whether you can combine them in a single gameweek, and what happens if things don’t go as planned.
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How Often Can Each Chip Be Used?
Bench Boost and Triple Captain
The Bench Boost and Triple Captain chips are powerful but limited in their use. Each chip can be used once per season. To activate them, you’ll need to go to the “My Team” page, where you can select the chip and then confirm your team for the upcoming gameweek. If you have a change of heart, you can cancel the chip before the Gameweek deadline, giving you flexibility in your planning, especially if you’re an overthinker like me.
Free Hit
The Free Hit chip is a one-time season chip, offering a significant advantage by allowing you to make unlimited transfers for a single gameweek. It’s played when you confirm your transfers, and once activated, it cannot be canceled. At the NEXT deadline, your squad and bank balance will revert to their state before the Free Hit was played, incorporating any price changes that occurred during the Free Hit gameweek.
Wildcard
The Wildcard chip is the most versatile of the bunch, as it can be used twice per season. The first Wildcard is available from the start of the season until December 29th at 21:30, and the second Wildcard becomes available after this date, running until the season’s end. The Wildcard allows you to make unlimited transfers without affecting your points score. However, once you confirm your transfers, the Wildcard cannot be cancelled.
Mystery Chip
One of the biggest changes to Fantasy Premier League (FPL) in years is set to arrive this season. Fantasy managers will be given a NEW CHIP in 2024/25, adding to the existing arsenal of two Wildcards, the Bench Boost, the Free Hit, and the Triple Captain. At this stage, it’s only known as the “Mystery Chip”. The only other detail we have is that it will be revealed ahead of January 2025, allowing FPL managers to plan ahead before the chip becomes playable in January.
The answer is a big fat no — only one chip can be active in any given Gameweek. For instance, if you want to use your Wildcard to overhaul your team, you cannot activate your Bench Boost in the same Gameweek. Planning your chip strategy is essential; you need to decide which chip will offer the most value in a specific week based on your team’s performance, upcoming fixtures, and other factors.
That’s great and everything, but when should I use them?
Fantasy managers often save their chips for Blank or Double Gameweeks, but there are other strategies to consider. During Blank Gameweeks, when one or more Premier League teams have no fixture, a Free Hit chip can be useful. In Double Gameweeks, when teams play twice, Bench Boost and Triple Captain chips become popular. The Wildcard is best used when a squad needs significant changes, like when players are injured or benched, or to target specific fixtures. Many managers use their first Wildcard early in the season to bring in standout players but should always plan with the long term in mind.
What If My Triple Captain Doesn’t Play?
If you use your Triple Captain chip and your captain does not feature in the match, the triple points bonus will automatically be passed to your vice-captain. If your vice-captain also doesn’t play, unfortunately, the bonus is lost. This makes it CRUICIAL to choose your captain wisely and consider their likelihood of playing in the gameweek.
How Do Price Changes Affect the Free Hit Chip?
Price fluctuations can impact your squad’s value, but when using the Free Hit chip, you don’t have to worry about them during its activation. Once you’ve played your Free Hit, any price changes that occur in the subsequent gameweek will be reflected in your team when the Free Hit period ends. However, any changes to your bank balance or squad during the Free Hit gameweek will be lost when you revert to your original squad.
These chips can be a game-changer for Fantasy Football!
Understanding how and when to activate your Fantasy Football chips can be a game-changer in your quest for success. By mastering the rules around each chip and strategically planning their use, you can navigate your way through the season’s ups and downs with greater confidence. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to outsmarting your competition and climbing the ranks in your league. For more information, please visit the official fantasy football website’s help page
