Using a wildcard during the international break is a widely adopted strategy in the FPL community. It’s therefore no coincidence that over 127,000 FPL managers have activated their wildcard chip this week. If you happen to be among those managers utilizing your wildcard during this gameweek, this article has been tailored specifically for you.
Within this piece, we will examine the top 15 players to consider for your Gameweek 5 wildcard. Following that, we will construct three distinct Gameweek 5 wildcard teams to provide you with valuable inspiration as you navigate your wildcard choices.
Why Are FPL Managers Wildcarding in GW5?
FPL managers are turning to their wildcards this week for several reasons:
- Explosive Forward Options: Erling Haaland’s (£14.1m) impressive performance has made him the go-to captain choice, sitting at the top of the player standings with 39 points. His partnership with Julian Alvarez (£6.7m) has been highly effective, with Alvarez being the second top-scoring forward in Fantasy on 28 points. This duo has undoubtedly attracted the attention of FPL managers looking to revamp their forward lines.
- Midfield Dominance: Midfielders have dominated the player standings this season, with 15 of the top 31 point-scorers in the opening four Gameweeks belonging to this position. The popularity of the 3-5-2 formation reflects this trend, with midfielders consistently delivering high points. James Maddison (£7.8m), Son Heung-min (£9.1m), Bryan Mbeumo (£6.8m), and Raheem Sterling (£7.2m) are among the top-performing midfielders enticing FPL managers to invest in their attacking potential.
- Scarce Clean Sheets: The decrease in clean sheets this season has impacted defensive choices in FPL. Only 14 clean sheets have been recorded in 2023/24, a 33% drop from the previous campaign’s first four Gameweeks. This shift is evident in the player standings, as the current top-scoring defenders are no longer reliant on clean sheets. Defenders with strong attacking capabilities, such as Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie of Spurs, Pedro Porro, Pervis Estupinan, Ben Chilwell, and Matty Cash, have emerged as standout targets due to their potential to contribute both defensively and offensively.
Some important things to keep in mind as you play your FPL wildcard in gameweek 5
As you create your GW5 wildcard team, here are a couple of things you should keep in mind:
- First, you want to try as much as possible to select players who are guaranteed a place in the first eleven of their teams.
- You want to keep the long-term in mind when selecting players for your GW5 team.
- You want to try to have a solid bench, in case of rotations and injuries.
- You want to target players who play for teams with great fixtures – teams with good fixture difficulty ratings.
- You want to target in-form players.
The best teams to target for your GW5 FPL wildcard team
To help you know the teams that have good fixtures from GW5-11. You can see the FPL fixture ticker here on the official Premier League site :
From the fixture ticker, we can see that the following sides have great fixtures, so when wildcarding this week you should be looking to buy players from the following teams.
| Team | Players to Target |
|---|---|
| Aston Villa | Diaby, Cash, and Watkins |
| Liverpool | Trent, Salah, and Alisson |
| Luton | Morris |
| Man United | Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Hojlund |
| Man City | Walker, Alvarez, and Haaland |
| Newcastle | Botman, Isak |
| Arsenal | Saka, Odegaard, and Jesus |
Targeting players from these teams would be a great strategy for those on a wildcard. Now that we’ve seen why people are wildcarding and what teams to target, we now want to look at 15 of the best players to target when wildcarding in GW5.
The Best GW5 Wildcard Teams
GW5 Wildcard Strategy
Our approach with this Gameweek 5 wildcard team is to assemble players in top form, benefiting from favorable fixtures, and holding assured positions in their respective squads. The player selection reflects this strategy.
In defense, we’ve opted for Walker, Udogie, and Cash, all of whom have featured in every game for their teams this season. Notably, these are attacking full-backs, not center-backs, offering the potential for attacking returns through assists or goals—an astute move given the scarcity of clean sheets this season.
Our midfield boasts an exciting blend of mid-priced options, featuring players like Diaby, Sterling, Maddison, and Saka. We’ve also included Son, the most transferred-in player this gameweek, in the hopes of him carrying forward his impressive form from the previous week.
Upfront, Haaland is a must-have, accompanied by Jesus and Alvarez. Jesus represents a solid differential pick with potential given his fixture. Diversifying with differentials is a smart strategy when utilizing your wildcard, explaining our inclusion of Jesus.
This team isn’t just tailored for Gameweek 5; it also excels in Gameweeks 6, 7, and 8. Here’s how your team lines up for GW6:
Without making any transfers, your squad for GW6 would look like this. We believe this lineup is quite strong and should serve you well in GW6.
Moving on to GW7, your team would shape up as follows:
In GW7, your squad will resemble the lineup above. If you’re not comfortable with the double Spurs midfield, you have the option to consider Rashford or Mbeumo instead of having both Maddison and Son. Brentford and United have appealing fixtures as well, making them viable alternatives.
Find out other great GW5 transfer picks in our article: FPL Gameweek 5 Transfer Tips, Differential Picks and Team Selection
More GW5 Wildcard Teams For Inspiration
Once again, we’ve crafted another wildcard team employing the same successful strategy—identifying in-form players with favorable fixtures who are assured of their place in their starting eleven. This time around, we’ve chosen a different set of players to illustrate the abundance of excellent options at your disposal when using your wildcard.
Find out this week’s to captain pick in our article: Haaland, Son, or Salah? Who Should You Trust as Your GW5 Captain?
Ferguson is not included in our wildcard teams, find out whether he is a good buy this gameweek in our article: Is Evan Ferguson a Good FPL GW5 Transfer? Here’s What You Need to Know
Much like the initial draft, this wildcard team is designed with the long term in mind. Here’s how it shapes up for GW6:
In GW7 your wildcard team would like this without any transfers:
For updates on potential transfers and player choices in GW6 and beyond, be sure to explore our transfer series. This resource will help you make informed decisions about which players to bring into your FPL squad in future gameweeks.
Check out gameweek 5’s odds and prediction in our article: FPL GW5: Clean Sheet Odds, Anytime Scorer Predictions, and FPL Points Projections
22 Of The Best FPL Assets For A GW5 Wildcard Team
Here are 22 players you can target when wildcarding in GW5
Goalkeeper:
- Leno – £4.5m – 11.3% – GKP / FUL
- Flekken – £4.5m – 2.9% – GKP / BRE
Defenders:
- Walker – £5.2m – 11.8% – DEF / MCI
- Udogie – £4.7m – 13.5% – DEF / TOT
- Cash – £4.6m – 14.7% – DEF / AVL
- Botman – £4.5m – 14.5% – DEF / NEW
- Henry – £4.6m – 7.0% – DEF / BRE
- Estupiñan – £5.3m – 64.2% – DEF / BHA
Midfielders:
- Maddison – £7.8m – 26.4% – MID / TOT
- Son – £9.1m – 10.1% – MID / TOT
- Saka – £8.7m – 65.7% – MID / ARS
- Sterling – £7.2m – 16.4% – MID / CHE
- Diaby – £6.6m – 9.5% – MID / AVL
- Salah – £12.5m – 25.8% – MID / LIV
- Rashford – £8.9m – 35.8% – MID / MUN
- Mbeumo – £6.8m – 27.0% – MID / BRE
- Mitoma – £6.5m – 40.4% – MID / BHA
Forwards:
- G.Jesus – £7.9m – 2.1% – FWD / ARS
- Haaland – £14.1m – 91.9% – FWD / MCI
- J. Alvarez – £6.7m – 13.5% – FWD / MCI
- Archer – £4.5m – 5.4% – FWD / SHU
- Ferguson – £6.0m – 7.8% – FWD / BHA
These players encompass a range of positions and are based on current form and potential value for the upcoming Gameweek 5 and beyond. Feel free to check out: 369,501 FPL Managers Transfer Son Heung-min Ahead of GW5? Here’s Why
Check out Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and Man United Predicted Lineups here:
Arsenal vs. Everton Predicted Lineup, Injury News and Tactical Insights GW5
Man City vs. West Ham Predicted Lineup, Injury News, Tactical Analysis PL GW5
Man United vs. Brighton Predicted Lineup, Injury News and Tactical Insights GW5
GW5 Wolves vs Liverpool Match Preview, Predicted Lineup and Injury News
Our GW5 FPL Articles Coverage:
Here is our coverage for gameweek 5 a complete guide that can help you make great informed decisions
FPL GW5: Clean Sheet Odds, Anytime Scorer Predictions, and FPL Points Projections
FPL Gameweek 5 Transfer Tips, Differential Picks and Team Selection
Is Evan Ferguson a Good FPL GW5 Transfer? Here’s What You Need to Know
Over 369,501 FPL Managers Transfer Son Heung-min Ahead of GW5? Here’s Why
Redeyedrae, is an FPL content writer with years of experience in playing and writing about FPL. He has written for major FPL blogs like ALLABOUTFPL, Fantasytipsters, FF Titans, and nevermanagealone. With his deep knowledge of the game, he has become a trusted source for FPL fans worldwide. His content is well-researched and always up-to-date. He’s passionate about helping FPL managers gain an edge in their leagues by sharing insights and analysis about everything fantasy football on raensports.
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