Over 1.3million have used the chip in Blank Gameweek 31 to navigate the reduced round of matches
A season-high 1.3million Fantasy Premier League managers have played their Free Hit chip to navigate Blank Gameweek 31.Â
Four teams are without a fixture due to the EFL Cup final taking place on Sunday, meaning the finalists, Arsenal and Manchester City, together with their scheduled Premier League opponents this weekend, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace, all blank.
Using the Free-Hit allows managers to keep their players from those teams, such as Erling Haaland (£14.5m), Antoine Semenyo (£8.2m) and Gabriel (£7.2m), and select 15 players ideally suited to this round of matches. Their regular squad then returns for Gameweek 32.
Only twice before in Fantasy history have more Free Hit chips been played in a Gameweek.
Most Free Hit chips played in a Gameweek
Season
Gameweek
Free Hits played
2023/24
GW29
1,705,262
2020/21
GW18
1,410,195
2025/26
GW31
1,344,160
2024/25
GW29
1,189,224
2022/23
GW12
1,063,311
Manchester United‘s Bruno Fernandes (£10.2m) is the most-popular player among those using their Free Hit chip, selected by 93 per cent of managers.
The Portuguese duly delivered for his backers, producing 13 points in the 2-2 draw with AFC Bournemouth thanks to a goal, an assist and the maximum three bonus points.
It’s his 11th double-figure return of the campaign, the most of any player, and his second-highest score on the road. Only against Wolves in Gameweek 15 has he recorded more points in an away fixture, when he totalled 18 points.
Most popular players on Free-Hit
Player
Selected by
Percentage
Pts
Fernandes
1,255,354
93%
13
Joao Pedro
1,070,888
80%
–
Virgil
974,905
73%
–
Thiago
965,110
72%
–
Wilson
904,296
67%
–
Ekitike
843,445
63%
–
Thiaw
664,105
49%
–
Gordon
619,672
46%
–
Senesi
601,618
45%
1
Rogers
547,526
41%
–
It wasn’t such a good evening for Marcos Senesi (£5.1m), however, who finished with just a single point. Usually so reliable for defensive contribution points – he’s reached the threshold 22 times – he made only four defensive contributions in Blank Gameweek 31, his lowest tally in a match this season.
More from Blank Gameweek 31
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