There is a tricky weekend to navigate in Fantasy Premier League, as the FA Cup weekend sees popular FPL sides like Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion out of league action in game week 28.
There are only seven fixtures in blank game week 28, while 12 sides have a Double Gameweek 29. Hence, activating your Free Hit chip in GW28 is a smart strategy if you are short of enough players and looking to maximise DGW29.
Others may save their Free Hit for Blank GW32 but The FootballCastle takes you through the best GW28 tips ahead of the deadline on Friday 17 March at 18:30 GMT.
Goalkeepers
Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.7m)
The Spanish custodian is averaging five points per match under Graham Potter as Chelsea boast the best defensive record at home this season, conceding just eight goals.
Kepa can continue his strong run at home against relegation-battling Everton who have only one away win all season.
Emi Martinez (£4.9m)
The World Cup winner has two clean sheets and 19 FPL points in his last three matches, and he faces a Bournemouth side who are yet struggling to attain consistency in the Premier league.
Defenders
Ben Chilwell (£5.9m)
Chilwell is the most-bought player in GW28 and has delivered an attacking return in back-to-back games for 18 points.
The left-back is a solid attacking threat with two goals and three assists in eight starts this season, and boasts prospects at both ends of the pitch as Everton have failed to score in five of their last six visits to Stamford Bridge.
Kieran Trippier (£6.0m)
After four consecutive blanks, the highest-ranked defender in this season’s FPL provided an assist against Wolves in GW27. Newcastle’s creative hub has delivered 72 chances this season and can look forward to FPL returns in the coming weeks.
Gabriel Magalhaes (£5.2m)
The Brazilian is a frontrunner with a goal and three clean sheets in his last four games, and he boasts potential for further returns.
GW28 opponents Crystal Palace have conceded the most headed attempts (38) since the restart while there is real clean sheet potential, offering multiple routes for Gabriel.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.2m)
Arsenal’s dynamic left-back has registered 32 points in his last five matches to show his rising prospects in recent times. Zinchenko has combined a goal, an assist and three clean sheets over the last five GWs.
Midfielders
James Maddison (£8.1m)
The Leicester City playmaker may have blanked in his last three games but could be set for a favourable upcoming schedule. Maddison has 14 goal involvements in his 19 outings this season, and has meetings with Brentford, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Bournemouth to come in his next three GWs.
The attacking midfielder has hauled in all three previous meetings against GW28 opponents Brentford with two goals and an assist totalling 23 points.
Martin Odegaard (£6.9m)
Arsenal’s in-form captain has led from the front with 20 shots and 17 chances created over the last five GWs and he holds further appeal in the foreseeable against Crystal Palace and Leeds.
Forwards
Ollie Watkins (£7.4m)
The red-hot striker is the most transferred-in forward this week after hitting six goals in his last seven games, claiming 50 points in that run.
Watkins’ prospects are heightened in the blank game week against Bournemouth who have conceded 35 goals in 13 matches. Yet, that is followed up by double fixtures in GW29.
Harry Kane (£11.7m)
Kane is yet to blank in consecutive GWs this season so he is likely to be the most-captained player in a weekend short of star power.
His brace last time out against Nottingham Forest made it 20 goals already this season which equates to five double-figure hauls. The England captain is capable of adding some more points given his excellent record against bottom-placed Southampton, while he faces Everton thereafter.
Ivan Toney (£7.8m)
The Brentford marksman continued his fantastic run of form with a goal and assist against Southampton in midweek to take him to 143 FPL points.
Toney is fixture-proof at the moment and can bear the attacking burden in this blank game week.
