Fantasy Premier League 2017/18: Play your chips right

There are only 11 gameweeks to go, and it's time for that final push to increase your Fantasy Premier League rank. There are no better ways to rise up the charts than by utilizing the chips, i.e. bench boost, triple captain and the free hit.

The wildcard is a priceless fourth chip for those who are yet to use it. On that note, let us try and look at when it would be ideal to use the aforementioned chips for best returns:

---

#4 Blank gameweek 31

Spurs and West Ham had a blank gameweek when their game against each other in early January was postponed. However, it was just these two teams that had a blank gameweek, which made life simpler for FPL managers. Gameweek 31 is not going to be remotely as easy.

The only confirmed games so far are Liverpool vs. Watford, Stoke vs. Everton, Huddersfield vs. Crystal Palace and Bournemouth vs. West Brom.

Spurs vs. Newcastle will be the fifth and final game for the gameweek if Rochdale manage to upset Spurs at Wembley. This means that at least ten teams will not feature in gameweek 31, leaving FPL managers with two options.

Option one, which is naturally the easier one, would be to employ the 'free hit' chip. Managers could use the chip in gameweek 31 and build a strong team for that particular gameweek, and conveniently revert to their gameweek 30 team once gameweek 31 is done.

Option two would be to plan ahead. Every transfer in the upcoming weeks should ideally be a player from one of these teams.

#3 Double gameweek 34

Manchester City are set to play two fixtures in gameweek 34

A handful of games scheduled to take place in gameweek 31 have been postponed to gameweek 34, owing to the FA Cup and its fixtures. Gameweek 34 is going to be a bumper double game week with double-digit teams playing two games.

What this ideally means is that we should have almost all, if not all, of our squad of 15 filled with double gameweek players. Employing the bench boost chip would then mean that our squad of 15 would effectively be playing 30 games.

As planning ahead for this big a gameweek might be unreasonable, this would be the ideal time to utilize the second wildcard. As only one chip can be used at a time, it makes sense to use the wildcard chip in gameweek 33 and then deploy the bench boost the following week.

#2 Blank gameweek 35

Manchester City are scheduled to face Swansea in gameweek 35

The FA cup semifinals are scheduled to be played around gameweek 35, which could see matches being pushed forward, which could mean another blank gameweek for FPL managers. The ideal chip for a blank gameweek is always the free hit chip.

Managers need to choose which blank gameweek to use the free hit in. If it's possible to plan ahead for gameweek 31 and field a team of 11 (or close to 11), then the free hit can be saved for gameweek 35 instead.

However, if you are short on players for gameweek 31, it would make sense to use it then. For those using the wildcard and bench boost in gameweeks 33 and 34, it would be ideal to use the free hit in gameweek 35.

#1 Double gameweek 37

Antonio Conte's Chelsea are scheduled to take on Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in gameweek 37

Just like gameweek 34 is a double gameweek owing to a blank gameweek 31, gameweek 37 is set to be a double gameweek owing to a blank gameweek 35, with the FA cup semifinals being the reason.

If you haven't used the triple captain chip yet, the ideal time to use it is during a double gameweek. Gameweek 34 is a bumper gameweek and is as ideal as it gets for the bench boost chip.

Gameweek 37 thus would be ideal for the triple captain chip. Some of the big teams will reach the semifinals in all likeliness, which means that there will probably be some big names playing two fixtures in gameweek 37.