Fantasy Premier League is back for the 2022-23 campaign, and the FPL chiefs have opted to change very little in terms of rules, as the game continues to grow in the millions.
For FPL newcomers, the premise of the game remains the same – build the best 15-man squad you can with a budget £100.00 million, manage the team with transfers and chip strategy, and sit back and watch the points pile up.
Of course, FPL is never that simple. Learning the nuances of the game is fundamental, and there are a few minor changes from last season to keep an eye on ahead of what promises to be a jam-packed year of football.
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Points will still be dished out in the same way – goals, assists, saves, clean sheets and bonus points (BPS) – and the nature of the Bench Boost, Triple Captain and Free Hit chips have remained untouched.
However, with the 2022 World Cup in November set to clash with the Premier League’s schedule, FPL has devised a fresh plan to tackle the postponement, which will likely change the way managers approach the season.
More articles in this series:
- The 100 best FPL team names
- The 25 players you need to consider for your squad this season
- The best budget goalkeepers
- The best budget defenders
- The best budget midfielders
- The best budget forwards
- The best and most selected players
Here, we have assembled a thorough explainer of FPL’s new rule changes, ensuring you head into next season with the best possible chance of success.
A ‘third’ Wildcard
FPL has gifted each manager unlimited transfers between GW16 and GW17 in a bid to help them work through the disruptive World Cup schedule.
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The Premier League will halt on Saturday November 21 – exactly a week before the first kick-off in Qatar – and return five weeks later on Monday December 26.
As injuries, form and fatigue are all likely to change during that period, FPL managers have been handed an unlimited supply of permanent transfers ahead of the GW17 deadline on Boxing Day.
Therefore, there will be four moments during the season – excluding the Free Hit - when managers can make unlimited transfers.
- Pre-season (before GW1)
- First Wildcard (between GW2 and GW16)
- World Cup Wildcard (before GW17)
- Final Wildcard (between GW18 and GW38)
FPL managers would be wise to split their transfer planning into these four mini-sections throughout the season and prioritise short-term fixtures over long-term value as a result.
Five substitutions
Although the five-substitution rule is a Premier League rule addition as opposed to an FPL one, it’s a vital component to consider ahead of next campaign.
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From the start of the season, Premier League bosses will be able to make five substitutions every match, two more than before.
FPL managers must be wary when building their squads, as the rule will undoubtedly increase the risk of the dreaded one-point cameo.
In years gone by, cheap and solid bench options were profitable assets, as they would automatically come on to replace any starting player who failed to register a single minute.
But now, with five substitutes in play, Premier League managers are more likely to use their bench late on in matches, handing the player just one FPL appearance point and little time to score elsewhere.
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Moreover, managers will be more tempted to replace players before the 60-minute mark, before they can lock in extra appearance and clean sheet points.
During his time at Inter Milan, Antonio Conte made the most of the five-subs rule and replaced his wingbacks before the 60th minute in most matches.
It is too early to tell at this stage, but managers should be wary not to choose a defender who is likely to be hauled off early.
Old rules
It’s important not to forget the unchanged rules, so we’ve written them below.
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Managers must pick a 15-strong squad, consisting of two goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders and three forwards.
Whilst the initial budget is £100.00, manager can only select three players from any single Premier League team.
Every week, managers must then choose a staring 11 and a captain - who scores double points.
The vice-captain picks up double points if the captain misses out altogether. However, if both miss out, no player's score is doubled.
There are eight formations to choose from (3-4-3, 3-5-2, 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 5-4-1, 5-3-2, 5-4-1) and bench players automatically come on to replace a player should they feature for zero minutes, in the order they are placed on the bench.
Every match, points are awarded for goals, assists, saves, clean sheets and bonus points – as determined by FPL’s unique Bonus Points System (BPS).
Managers are given a free transfer every week to help manage their squad. If they choose not to make one, the transfer rolls over into the next week.
The maximum number of free transfers a manager can hold at any one time is two, unless a Free Hit or Wildcard has been played.
If a manager needs or wants to use an extra transfer, they can take a ‘hit’ worth a four-point deduction per transfer.
All decisions – captaincy, team selection, transfers, etcetera – must be done prior to the FPL deadline, which is almost always 90 minutes before the first kick-off of the gameweek.
Managers can play a Wildcard twice a season – excluding the break between GW16 and GW17 – which allows them to make unlimited transfers to their squad. These changes are permanent.
The Free Hit chip can be activated once a season and allows the manager to make unlimited transfers in a single gameweek. Unlike the Wildcard, these changes are temporary and the squad returns to the state it was originally in before the Free Hit was played.
The Triple Captain chip can be played once a season and triples the number of points scored by the team’s captain that gameweek.
Finally, the Bench Boost chip can also be activated once a season and adds all points scored on the bench to the team’s total that gameweek.
Featured Image Credit: FPLTopics: Fantasy Football, Fantasy Premier League, Erling Haaland, Manchester City
