FPL Chip Strategy GW5: Should You Play Triple Captain or Bench Boost?
Chip outlook
Gameweek 5 is a standard single gameweek with no doubles, making it a weak chip week where patience is the wisest strategy.
Wildcard
Not recommended. With no fixture congestion or blank/double gameweeks on the horizon, there's no structural reason to overhaul your squad this early in the season—save it for when fixture swings or injury crises demand wholesale changes.
Bench Boost
Absolutely not. Your bench players (Palmer, Reed, Davis, Walle Egeli) combine for just 9.9 expected points, and playing Bench Boost in a single gameweek is wasteful when this chip delivers maximum value during double gameweeks where all 15 players have two fixtures.
Triple Captain
Not recommended, but if you must, captain Haaland. While Haaland faces favorable opposition in Sunderland at home with a tournament-high 9.3 expected points, Triple Captain should be reserved for double gameweeks where your captain plays twice—tripling 18.6 points sounds good until you realize that same chip could deliver 30+ points when used on a premium player with two matches.
Free Hit
Not recommended. Your squad is well-balanced with strong assets across Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Brighton, and there's no fixture quirk or blank gameweek that justifies using Free Hit to chase marginal gains—this chip is designed for navigating blank and double gameweeks later in the season.
Final verdict
Hold all chips. Your team features Haaland captaincy against Sunderland, triple Man City defense against weak opposition, and the premium João Pedro who leads Chelsea's attack. With 66.2 total expected points, this is a solid foundation for the gameweek without needing chip intervention. The 2026-27 season will present better chip opportunities when fixture pileups create genuine advantages—playing chips in ordinary gameweeks is the fastest way to regret it when blank/double gameweeks arrive and you're chipless. Be patient, back your team, and keep your powder dry for when it truly matters.Build this squad in the optimizer
Pre-selected 4-4-2 formation. Tweak the squad with your own preferences.
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