The Fantasy Premier League game week rolls on in the weekend of the Carabao Cup final when Liverpool and Chelsea face off at Wembley. This means there will be a reduced schedule of FPL action with the absence of a number of popular players in Blank Game Week 26.
Hence, it may be a good chance to play the Free Hit chip but keep in mind that there is another upcoming blank in Game Week 29. The Free Hit chip is a feature in the game that allows for unlimited transfers in a single Game Week which can only be used once throughout a season.
Once activated, managers can use the chip to replace their entire squad for that Game Week in order to gain immediate dividends from high-potential players.
The likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Luton Town and Tottenham Hotspur all have a Blank in Game Week 26 so it is pertinent to find strong alternatives if your squad is full of their players.
The FootballCastle brings you the best Free Hit considerations and differentials ahead of the BGW26 deadline on Saturday, 24 February at 13:30 GMT.
Goalkeepers
Emiliano Martínez (£5.3m)
The Argentine is a top pick for BGW26 when Aston Villa host Nottingham Forest who have won only once in the last five league games.
Martínez will be eyeing a clean sheet at home after back-to-back blanks.
Defenders
Alex Moreno (£5.2m)
Moreno also boasts strong all-round potential having registered two goals and as many clean sheets in his seven starts this season. Since returning from a long-term injury, the Spaniard has averaged 4.7 points per game and he looks set to add more in an exciting home game against Forest.
Gabriel Magalhães (£5.2m)
Arsenal have won five games on the bounce and their defender has produced two goals, an assist and three clean sheets in that period, making Gabriel a top pick.
The Gunners are set to continue their good run at home to Newcastle in BGW26 and Gabriel must come into your side.
Craig Dawson (£4.5m)
Dawson is a strong pick against relegation-bound Sheffield United after delivering 34 points from his last six home appearances with a goal, an assist, three clean sheets and five bonus points.
The Blades have failed to score in two of their last three games and Dawson is an added threat from set-pieces given his total of 13 shots from free-kicks and corners.
Midfielders
Bruno Fernandes (£8.2m)
Manchester United are on a four-game winning run and their playmaker has two assists with a clean sheet while producing 17 key passes in that time. Fernandes is due a big haul soon and he boasts multiple routes in BGW26 particularly at set-pieces where Fulham have conceded a league-high 30 shots in the last four matches.
The Cottagers are also without a clean sheet in their last 11 away matches in all competitions which makes the Man Utd captain bound to deliver returns.
Pedro Neto (£5.8m)
The Portuguese winger was hailed for his assist to João Gomes last time out against Tottenham to keep him around the top of the creative leaderboard.
Neto has now delivered a goal and three assists in the last four games since returning from injury and he is set to keep up that form in a home meeting with Sheffield United.
Leon Bailey (£5.6m)
The Aston Villa winger has a good run of upcoming fixtures as he enjoys his best-ever campaign for returns. Bailey has produced seven goals and seven assists this season, and he is five points off his FPL points tally from the 2022-23 campaign which should be surpassed over the next two Game Weeks against Nottingham Forest and Luton Town.
Simon Adingra (£5.0m)
The AFCON 2023 winner delivered a season-best haul of 15 points after scoring twice against Sheffield, he is now primed to return against Everton while his less than one per cent ownership is an ideal scenario for a huge differential.
Adingra has now delivered double-figure scores in two of his last four league games and his fantastic bargain price makes him a must-have for your squad.
Alejandro Garnacho (£5.0m)
Garnacho has notched four goals and two assists over the last seven Game Weeks while Man United themselves have won all of the last four matches, scoring 11 times.
The home game against Fulham raises the Argentine’s appeal as he has scored four times in the last three matches at Old Trafford. Marco Silva’s side, on the other hand, have kept just one clean sheet in nine league matches.
Hwang Hee-chan (£5.6m)
The South Korean returned from the Asian Cup last time out and he is favoured to haul at home to Sheffield where he is Wolves’ top scorer this season, earning 58 points thanks to six goals and an assist.
Hwang plays upfront for a side who have scored 12 goals over the last six games and he faces a defence that has conceded 18 goals over the same period.
Forwards
Ivan Toney (£8.2m)
The Brentford talisman has made an immediate impact since returning thanks to four goals and an assist in six matches.
Toney can keep up his prolific form against a West Ham side that have conceded 11 times in the last three games.
Rasmus Hojlund (£7.2m)
Hojlund is in red-hot form after seven goals and two assists in his last six matches which makes him the most-bought player ahead of BGW26.
The Dane welcomes Fulham after 55 FPL points in his last six appearances and he is set to punish a shambolic defence.
Dominic Solanke (£6.9m)
Bournemouth’s marksman hauled a goal and an assist in GW25 against Newcastle United to rise to a key target with games against all three promoted sides over the next four Game Weeks.
Solanke’s best-ever Premier League season is set to get even better over the coming weeks and managers who have sold him would be smart to get him back now.
