The 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season is in full swing, and virtual managers face the challenge of strategically deploying their chips to climb the rankings. With tools like Triple Captain, Free Hit, Wildcard, Assistant Manager, and Bench Boost, mastering their use can be the difference between an average campaign and a record-breaking score. As of March 2025, with blank and double gameweeks on the horizon, planning becomes even more critical. Stars like Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, and others are in the spotlight, while key dates like Blank Gameweek 29 and Double Gameweek 32 shape players’ tactics.
Success in Fantasy hinges on well-informed decisions. Each chip offers a unique chance to boost points, but timing them poorly can prove costly. This season has already delivered surprises, such as Liverpool’s early FA Cup exit, reducing Salah’s double gameweek prospects, and Isak’s standout form, making him a prime pick for Newcastle. Drawing on the latest insights, managers are tasked with balancing tough choices and seizing rewarding opportunities.
Below, this guide breaks down how each chip works and the optimal moments to activate them. A blend of forward planning and adaptability to the fixture schedule will be key for those aiming to shine through the season’s end.
Understand the Chips and Their Best Moments
Triple captain boosts stars in key rounds
The Triple Captain chip is one of Fantasy’s most potent tools, tripling the points of your chosen captain in a single gameweek. In Double Gameweek 24, Mohamed Salah of Liverpool showcased its potential, racking up 29 points across two matches with three goals, an assist, and six bonus points. Managers who triple-captained him pocketed a staggering 87 points, underscoring the chip’s impact in double gameweeks. Now, Salah, priced at £13.8 million, faces Southampton at home in Gameweek 28—a tempting matchup against the league’s bottom side. However, with Liverpool out of the FA Cup, another double gameweek for him seems unlikely this season.
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, valued at £9.4 million, emerges as a strong contender. He’s set for a Double Gameweek 32, with home fixtures against Manchester United and Crystal Palace. His recent form and favorable schedule make him a prime Triple Captain candidate. Managers must weigh whether to use the chip now or hold out for a double: a single gameweek carries less risk but caps the reward, while a double offers explosive potential tied to a player’s consistency.
Free hit solves blank week woes
The Free Hit chip lets managers overhaul their squad for just one gameweek, with changes reverting afterward. It’s a lifeline in Blank Gameweeks, when multiple teams sit out. Blank Gameweek 29 will see Liverpool, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa sidelined due to the EFL Cup final and other commitments. Managers heavy on players from these clubs can deploy Free Hit to field a competitive lineup, dodging point gaps.
Another window looms in Blank Gameweek 34, which could be even trickier. Depending on FA Cup quarter-final outcomes, up to eight teams might miss out, making it a prime Free Hit target. So far, only four matches are confirmed: Chelsea vs. Everton, Liverpool vs. Tottenham, Newcastle vs. Ipswich, and Wolverhampton vs. Leicester. Planning this chip demands tracking the FA Cup and fixture updates to minimize losses effectively.
Strategies for Crucial Rounds
Wildcard reshapes your squad at pivotal times
The Wildcard allows unlimited squad changes without point deductions, serving as a reset button for major overhauls. Seasoned managers often save their second Wildcard for late in the season, when blank and double gameweeks clarify. Gameweek 30 stands out as a strategic moment, as by then, the teams impacted by Blank Gameweek 34 and potential doubles will be known. This lets managers tweak their squad proactively, shedding blank-week players and locking in long-term assets.
A popular tactic is to “dead-end” your team before the Wildcard. In the weeks leading to Gameweek 30, managers can use transfers to bring in short-term picks with favorable fixtures—those playing in Blank Gameweek 29—then reset with the Wildcard. Newcastle, with a guaranteed Double Gameweek 32 and a game in Blank Gameweek 34, becomes a smart post-Wildcard investment, especially with Isak’s rising stock.
Assistant manager adds extra points
New this season, the Assistant Manager chip has been a hit. In Double Gameweek 24, over 1.17 million managers used it, tapping into points from real-life Premier League bosses across three consecutive gameweeks. Eddie Howe of Newcastle, priced at £1.5 million, and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, at £0.8 million, are enticing options for Double Gameweek 32, when their teams face two matches each. Glasner’s Gameweeks 31-33 slate—home games against Brighton and Bournemouth, plus trips to Manchester City and Newcastle—offers bonus-point potential given the current league standings.
Alternatively, saving the chip for Gameweeks 36-38 could pay off late in the season, when player rotation spikes and managerial decisions shine. A catch: you can’t stack chips in the same gameweek. So, tripling Isak in Double Gameweek 32 means skipping Howe or Glasner’s assistant points that week.
Tips for the Season’s Endgame
Bench boost multiplies opportunities
The Bench Boost chip counts points from all 15 squad players, not just the starting 11, in one gameweek. Its peak value hits in Double Gameweeks, when your entire roster can play twice. A savvy move is to play the Wildcard right before a double, loading up on players with two fixtures, then triggering Bench Boost. This nets points from 30 games—triple the haul of a standard gameweek with 10 matches.
With at least one more Double Gameweek expected late in 2024/25, likely featuring Newcastle and Crystal Palace, managers have time to prepare. The trick is ensuring bench players have solid fixtures too, avoiding real-life substitutes. Pairing Wildcard and Bench Boost takes patience but can clinch tight races.
Key dates for upcoming decisive rounds
The 2024/25 Fantasy calendar holds critical moments that shape chip strategy. Here’s a rundown of pivotal dates and events:
- Gameweek 28: Salah faces Southampton at home, a Triple Captain chance.
- Blank Gameweek 29: Liverpool, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa miss out.
- Gameweek 30: Ideal for the second Wildcard, with full blank and double intel.
- Double Gameweek 32: Newcastle takes on Manchester United and Crystal Palace.
- Blank Gameweek 34: Up to eight teams could sit out, pending FA Cup results.
Keeping tabs on FA Cup progress and Premier League rescheduling will be vital for staying ahead.
Tactical options to turbocharge your team
To maximize chip value, consider these practical moves:
- Prioritize in-form players like Isak for double gameweeks.
- Gradually cut Blank Gameweek 29 players before the Wildcard.
- Track injuries and rotation risks, especially late-season, for Bench Boost.
- Avoid rash chip plays; align them with fixtures and player form.
These steps can turn challenges into point-scoring opportunities throughout the campaign.
