Free Hit: Week 32 vs Week 34
The subjects of the Fantasy Premier League, and Fantasy Football betting offers continue to be popular topics of conversation as we approach the exciting run-in to the 2022/23 campaign.
In relation to FPL strategy, the key question facing many players is just when to play the potentially game-changing Free Hit Chip. Heading into week 30, just over half of the top 10,000 players are still to use this boost.
Of the remaining game weeks, two stand out like sore thumbs as likely candidates to thrust this chip into action – namely Gameweek 32, and Gameweek 34. Here we look at the potential benefits for each of the weeks in question.
What is Free Hit Chip?
First things first for the uninitiated. A Free Hit Chip allows players to make unlimited transfers to their squad. However, these transfers will last only for the duration of the Gameweek in question, after which point the squad will revert to its former state.
Free Hit in Gameweek 32
Gameweek 32 is what is known as a “Blank” week. In FPL parlance this simply means that whilst many teams do play, a number do not – handing a disadvantage to squads featuring players from those sides without a game.
There are a number of “Blank” weeks throughout the season, but what makes Gameweek 32 stand out is the fact that the four teams who do not play are four of the most popular sides in the game – namely Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion – all of whom have the week off from Premier League duties, due to City, United and Brighton making it through to the FA Cup semi-finals.
Advantage of a Free Hit
Gameweek 32 appears to be an ideal chance to make up ground on those players who have already used their Free Hit Chip, and have a squad containing players from the sides not in action. Such players will head into the week with a – possibly severely – depleted squad.
Deploying your Free Hit Chip here will effectively enable you to field a full 11 players against a large number of these depleted sides, giving you a real chance to climb the leaderboard.
Free Hit in Gameweek 34
Choosing to use the Free Hit Chip in Gameweek 34 is built on the simple logic of more games = more points. During Gameweek 34, a total of six sides play twice, whilst the remaining sides play only once.
Advantage of a Free Hit
The idea here is to jettison players from the one-fixture teams and build a free-hit squad built entirely around the sides with two games to play.
This strategy clearly comes with risks attached, as Arsenal, Newcastle, and Spurs are amongst the teams with only one game – all sides with players capable of hitting a big number in a single match. That said, the list of sides with two games consists of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Brighton, Fulham and West Ham – making for a pretty attractive menu for those opting to take a Free Hit punt. If lagging behind in your mini-league, this may be a gamble worth taking.
