{"id":518687,"date":"2026-04-08T01:52:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T01:52:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/518687\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T01:52:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T01:52:23","slug":"gameweek-32-v-35-wildcard-the-pros-cons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/518687\/","title":{"rendered":"Gameweek 32 v 35 Wildcard: The pros + cons"},"content":{"rendered":"

For those Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers with the Wildcard still intact, when is the best time to use it?<\/p>\n

In this article, we run through the pros and cons of playing the Wildcard in Gameweeks 32 and 35, the two most popular windows that remain.<\/p>\n

GAMEWEEK 32 WILDCARD: THE PROSDouble Gameweek 33 Bench Boost<\/p>\n

A Gameweek 32 Wildcard allows you to load up on Gameweek 33 \u2018doublers\u2019, with a Bench Boost in mind.<\/p>\n

Bournemouth, Brighton and Hove Albion, Burnley, Chelsea, Leeds United and Manchester City are the six teams that play twice in Gameweek 33:<\/p>\n

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Therefore, you could potentially include 14 \u2018doublers\u2019 on your Wildcard, as well as the in-form Bruno Fernandes (\u00a310.3m), who is very difficult to leave out given his Gameweek 32 fixture at home to Leeds. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Although it\u2019s not guaranteed, this approach puts you in a really strong position to rack up a big Double Gameweek 33 score, in turn propelling you up the rankings.<\/p>\n

Neale has already looked at a few Gameweek 32 Wildcard drafts to consider in this piece here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Get on Brighton early<\/p>\n

Brighton have a superb Gameweek 32 fixture, away at Burnley, so it\u2019s the perfect entry point for a triple-up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already discussed the merits of a defensive triple-up here<\/a>, with Jack Hinshelwood (\u00a35.1m) and Danny Welbeck (\u00a36.2m) alternatives further forward.<\/p>\n

Like Brighton, Leeds also have some decent fixtures to target in Gameweeks 35 to 38 (BUR, tot, BHA, whu), so look decent bets for the run-in.<\/p>\n

Stock up on Man City\"FPL<\/p>\n

Man City visit Chelsea in Gameweek 32, who have kept just one clean sheet in 15 Premier League matches.<\/p>\n

They follow it up with a Double Gameweek 33, and remember, City will have another \u2018double\u2019 beyond that one, likely in Gameweek 36.<\/p>\n

Erling Haaland (\u00a314.4m), who many FPL managers have recently sold, will have plenty of interest after Saturday\u2019s hat-trick against Liverpool<\/a>, while Antoine Semenyo (\u00a38.2m) is hard to look past in midfield.<\/p>\n

Defensively, Nico O\u2019Reilly (\u00a35.0m) looks a threat regardless of position, as demonstrated by his FA Cup assist against the Reds.<\/p>\n

Gameweek 34 Free Hit<\/p>\n

After Bournemouth, Brighton, Burnley, Chelsea, Leeds and Man City \u2018double\u2019 in Gameweek 33, the same six teams then blank in Gameweek 34.<\/p>\n

Gameweek 32 Wildcarders can subsequently Free Hit in Gameweek 34, allowing you to build an optimal squad for that specific round of fixtures.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Gameweek 34 fixtures, sorted by difficulty on our Season Ticker<\/a><\/p>\n

The matchups admittedly don\u2019t scream points, but it is, after all, part of a much bigger plan, and probably shouldn\u2019t be focused on in isolation.<\/p>\n

GAMEWEEK 32 WILDCARD: THE CONSNot great entry points<\/p>\n

One of the \u2018cons\u2019 for playing a Gameweek 32 Wildcard is the fact that so many of the Gameweek 33 \u2018doublers\u2019 have poor entry points.<\/p>\n

Bournemouth and Leeds are away at Arsenal and Manchester United respectively, for example.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s Man City and Chelsea, who play each other. You could feasibly have five or six of your starting XI involved in that fixture alone, which is far from ideal if there aren\u2019t many goals.<\/p>\n

So, the trade-off is clear: a weaker-looking XI this week, but lots of players with two fixtures in Gameweek 33.<\/p>\n

No Arsenal players?<\/p>\n

Arsenal not \u2018doubling\u2019 in Gameweek 33 has made it trickier for Gameweek 32 Wildcarders, as they have some great fixtures from now until the end of the season.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

No Arsenal coverage could hurt in Gameweek 32, for example, when Mikel Arteta\u2019s side are the bookies\u2019 favourites to keep a clean sheet.<\/p>\n

You could, of course, include Gabriel Magalhaes (\u00a37.2m) in your Wildcard squad, who most managers will have value tied up in, but it isn\u2019t ideal to maximise the Bench Boost chip in Gameweek 33, when Arsenal visit Man City.<\/p>\n

Arsenal + Palace transfer focus in Gameweeks 35\/36<\/p>\n

Should you choose to exclude Arsenal players from your Wildcard, you will probably need to prioritise them in Gameweek 35, ideal for those with a few free transfers already banked.<\/p>\n

But if you don\u2019t fall into this category, it becomes a bit more complicated, especially considering that players from Crystal Palace may also need to be transferred in before their \u2018double\u2019.<\/p>\n

Either way, it will give you less flexibility with transfers for the final few Gameweeks.<\/p>\n

To help navigate this period, you could include someone like Ismaila Sarr (\u00a36.3m) on your Gameweek 32 Wildcard. Bench Boosting a single Gameweek option isn\u2019t ideal, but Palace do at least have West Ham United at home.<\/p>\n

GAMEWEEK 35 WILDCARD: THE PROSKeep Arsenal players + your Gameweek 32 team<\/p>\n

One of the main advantages of a later Wildcard is that you can keep your Arsenal players.<\/p>\n

The same applies to Man Utd and Liverpool assets, who both have favourable on-paper fixtures in Gameweek 32.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Gameweek 32 fixtures, sorted by difficulty on our Season Ticker<\/a><\/p>\n

If you Wildcard this week, you\u2019ll probably offload those aforementioned options because they don\u2019t \u2018double\u2019 in Gameweek 33.<\/p>\n

As a result, by holding off, your immediate points potential is likely higher.<\/p>\n

Gameweek 33 Free Hit\"FPL<\/p>\n

A Gameweek 35 Wildcard could be preceded by a Gameweek 33 Free Hit, which would allow you to field a full team of \u2018doublers\u2019.<\/p>\n

It means the Free Hit chip could be used a bit more aggressively, knowing that you don\u2019t have to commit to these players for the remainder of the campaign.<\/p>\n

It could open up a short-term punt on a Bournemouth attacker, or perhaps Man City\u2019s Rayan Cherki (\u00a36.3m).<\/p>\n

If you do opt for a Gameweek 33 Free Hit\/Gameweek 35 Wildcard approach, you can further differentiate this week with players like Matheus Cunha (\u00a38.0m) and Jarrod Bowen (\u00a37.6m), who enjoy decent home matches on either side.<\/p>\n

Get ready for Palace\u2019s Double Gameweek<\/p>\n

A Gameweek 35 Wildcard allows you to triple-up on Crystal Palace assets, since they are expected to \u2018double\u2019 in Gameweek 36.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll know if they are still in Europe by that point, which may influence our decisions on who to invest in.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, you can target players from teams such as Arsenal, Newcastle United and Leeds, who have some favourable fixtures in the final four Gameweeks, by which point we\u2019ll also know each team\u2019s motivation for the run-in.<\/p>\n

GAMEWEEK 35 WILDCARD: THE CONSIs the Palace \u2018double\u2019 really that appealing?\"FPL<\/p>\n

Crystal Palace will likely face Everton (h) and Man City (a) in Gameweek 36, which isn\u2019t the easiest of \u2018doubles\u2019 on paper, particularly if Pep Guardiola\u2019s side are still in the title race.<\/p>\n

The appeal of a later Wildcard also takes a hit if Palace are still in Europe, with the UEFA Conference League semi-finals set to take place on either side of Gameweek 35, which in turn would increase the risk of domestic rotation\/minute management.<\/p>\n

The Eagles are the current bookies\u2019 favourites to win the Conference League, too.<\/p>\n

A worse Bench Boost?<\/p>\n

If you Bench Boost in Gameweek 36, you\u2019ll probably be doing it with single Gameweek options, rather than \u2018doublers\u2019.<\/p>\n

It perhaps has limited upside compared to Gameweek 33, then, when Wildcarders could get to enjoy three bench options playing twice, as well as Fernandes.<\/p>\n

On a Gameweek 36 Bench Boost, you\u2019ll likely be looking at cheap options from the likes of Brighton (at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Aston Villa (away at Burnley).<\/p>\n

Time running out<\/p>\n

By the time we reach Gameweek 35, we will be very much nearing the end of the 2025\/26 season, giving the Wildcard limited time to make an impact and gain rank.<\/p>\n

By going in Gameweek 32, it at least gives you a few more rounds of fixtures to try and eke as much out of the chip as possible.<\/p>\n

Finally, if you do choose to pursue the Gameweek 35 Wildcard approach, it is crucial to consider Blank Gameweek 34 and ensure you have enough starters without taking multiple points hits.<\/p>\n

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