fantasy premier league DGWs and Blank gameweeks updated for the FACup 3rd round results

Here’s my fantasy premier league DGWs and blank gameweeks article updated for the end of the FA Cup 3rd round. Here we outline a potential schedule for both. Plus we include some thoughts on using the 2nd wildcard, the triple captain, free hit and bench boost chip

FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE BLANK GAMEWEEKS AND DOUBLE GAMEWEEKS – A POTENTIAL SCHEDULE

You may have seen my original blank and double gameweeks article.  With the FA Cup 3rd over I thought I would update it and continue doing so every week where something significant happens.

It’s a very simple schedule which outlines all the fixtures on a weekend and midweek basis to establish where the doubles and blank game weeks could be.

THE BASICS

I’ll keep repeating this so each article stands alone.

Starting with the obvious. Blanks are the result of EFL Cup fixtures and the FA Cup fixtures clashing with premier league fixtures and forcing postponements in the gameweek. Therefore blanks are created if the postponements can’t be moved to midweek of the same gameweek.

Double gameweeks result from when the postponed fixtures are moved into midweek of a future gameweek meaning some teams will play twice in 1 gameweek.

By loading up on those double gameweek players or planning for blank gameweeks in advance to maximise your FPL teams playing numbers you can potentially gain a significant points advantage.

It’s worth noting that weather postponements could also mean DGWs and blanks.

SOME ASSUMPTIONS

As for the basics, I’ll keep repeating this so each article stands alone.

The biggest assumption is that UEFA keep to the rule that postponed domestic games cannot clash with European Matches irrespective of whether English teams are playing or not. This has been relaxed in the past but only on the odd occasion

The FA Cup replays will go to the next available midweek space. Quarter and semi final clashes do not go to replays.

My knowledge gap is that I don’t know time periods for notice of postponements which could be relevant.

HOW THE SCHEDULE WORKS

Again, I’ll keep repeating this so each article stands alone.

The schedule outlines each week of the season identifying PL, EFL (aka the Carabao) Cup, FA Cup and UCL/EL matches to identify which PL matches will need to be postponed and where there are gaps that will accommodate those postponed games.

Each week is broken into weekend and midweek matches. Midweek is where matches will most likely be postponed to.

Then the 3rd column identifies possible blank and double gameweeks

Underneath that I’ve talked about each potential double and blank week

It’s worth noting that the FA can spring surprises very easily and these are only my theories following through the various fixtures and making some assumptions.

THE SCHEDULE

Potential DGW26

Potential DGW for Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea depending on EFL semi results and FA postponement decision.

Providing there are no team clashes with the 4th round FA Cup replays the FA faces a problem if City and Chelsea are potentially in the EFL final, the FA Cup quarters and the FA Cup semi’s as that requires 3 double gameweeks for 3 sets of postponements.  This is the natural home for the 3rd.  I believe the FA did this last season.

If City go through to the EFL final that could mean that Arsenal v City would be moved to DGW26 giving them both a DGW but also a potential blank GW28.

If Chelsea go through then Man Utd v Chelsea could go to GW26 giving a DGW26 for both but also a potential blank GW28.

POTENTIAL BLANK GW28

Potential blank week for Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea depending on results and ability to play midweek.

This is when the EFL Cup final on Sunday February 26 clashes with GW28 forcing postponements. It is possible that the postponements could be played in the same gameweek if there are no clashes with 5th round FA Cup replays or even be brought forward into GW26 as I say above (if there’s applicable notice) .

The EFL semis are Man City v Bristol City and Arsenal v Chelsea. Lets assume for a moment that Man City go through. That would mean Arsenal v Man City is postponed.

If Arsenal win the other semi that will be the only postponed game. However if Chelsea get through then Man Utd v Chelsea will be an additional postponed game as well.

We won’t know this until after GW24. That would give us 4 transfers to get a full team out or just 2 transfers for a DGW26.

POTENTIAL BLANK GW31

FA Cup quarters.  PL clashes postponed.  Only GW31 Stoke v Everton safe at the moment.  See schedule below.

This is the week that the premier league clashes with the FA Cup quarters and it could be a big week of postponements with no where to go except for midweek GW34 or midweek GW37.

Here’s a schedule with the GW31 fixtures showing how they stack up FA Cup wise so far.  I have put in bold the fixtures guaranteed to be on:

POTENTIAL DGW 34 AND DGW37

The natural home for the postponed games above and for GW35 below

Depending on which games are postponed to where, there could be the double gameweeks ahead in both of these gameweeks.

As long as the same teams are in two of the EF Final, the FA Cup quarters and the FA Cup semis then 2 double gameweeks will be needed. City could easily be in all 3 which is why it wouldn’t surprise me if the GW28 postponements stay in GW28 or moved forward to GW26 although that would be quite short notice.

POTENTIAL BLANK GW35

This is the clash between GW35 and the FA Cup semis.

The postponed games couldn’t be moved to midweek due to UCL/EL games and midweek GW37 seems the only home for them

Using the Chips

This is how I see it at the moment:

2nd wildcard and bench boost – a week or 2 before one of the DGWs and then bench boost in the DGW.  You can’t use 2 chips in the same gameweek

Triple captain – for the DGW not used above

Free Hit – for either blank GW31 or blank GW35 to maximise the DGW players in DGW34

PLEASE ADD ANY COMMENTS

I don’t pretend to be the ultimate expert in this. I’ve just tried to match fixtures and join the dots. So any corrections or thoughts are definitely welcome. Please put them in the comments section below and I’ll update the article if needed.

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