The first two weeks of the 2026/27 season are behind us and Fantasy Premier League players are starting to look at how best to use their chips in the coming weeks.
With two lots of chips to play with throughout the season, many FPL players will have got their Bench Boost out of the way, and gameweek 3 looks like a good time to play one of the others.
Lots of managers will be using their Wildcard in gameweek 3, particularly to bring in Manchester City's Erling Haaland for anyone who left him out for the opening couple of weeks, but those wanting to keep their Wildcard might be eyeing up their Free Hit.
Manchester City face Coventry City at home and there's been little to suggest the Sky Blues will pose any real problems to Enzo Maresca's men, fresh off the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea and Iliman Ndiaye from Everton.
Liverpool, while looking shaky at the back, face newly promoted Ipswich Town away and they may be worth targeting this week.
Arsenal have looked excellent so far, but against a free-flowing Chelsea, maybe this is a week to put your Gunners defensive assets to one side. Likewise, how potent will Chelsea's attack trio be against a stubborn Arsenal back line that has conceded just one shot on target in two games?
For those considering using their Free Hit this week, we've put together a squad to give you some inspiration.
Best FPL Gameweek 3 free hit team
GK - Gianluigi Donnarumma, £5.5m - COV (h)
In the Pep Guardiola era, there was constant uncertainty around which of his players would play -- and how long for. It's a similar situation at the Etihad under Enzo Maresca, with Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden and now Iliman Ndiaye vying for three spots, and that's before Jeremy Doku returns.
But against Coventry at home, three Manchester City players is a must, and Gianluigi Donnarumma feels a safe enough bet for a clean sheet.
DEF - Jarrad Branthwaite, £5.5m - MUN (h)
Looking for defenders against Manchester United might seem risky given they've just stuck five past Ipswich Town, but United did draw a blank against Hull City the week before.
Jarrad Branthwaite put up 12 DEFCONs against Bournemouth last week, remains a threat from set pieces, and while Manchester United are sure to throw plenty at Everton, you couldn't rule out a David Moyes defence holding firm.
DEF - Riccardo Calafiori, £5.6m - CHE (h)
The joint-highest scoring defender in the game across the first two weeks, Riccardo Calafiori is making a mockery of his price. It's one thing keeping clean sheets most weeks, but the Italian has popped up with an assist in each of his first two games.
There's a risk at the back against a potent Chelsea outfit, but Arsenal may well blunt Xabi Alonso's men, and there's every chance Calafiori pops up at the other end with another telling contribution.
DEF - Nikola Milenkovic, £5.5m - TOT (h)
The likelihood is that once Tottenham get up and running this season, they will score against most teams they face, but right now they're unorganised at the back, conceding goals from set pieces in both of their opening games, and are yet to score a goal.
Roberto De Zerbi's men did show more attacking impetus against Newcastle last time out, but that could play into Nikola Milenkovic's hands from a DEFCON perspective, with the centre-back recording 13 defensive contributions against Liverpool last time out.
MID - Rayan Cherki, £7.7m - COV (h)
While it's hard to pick between the Manchester City midfielders at the moment, Rayan Cherki has been irrepressible so far this season, laying on two goals and two assists, and the injury to Jeremu Doku should confirm his place in Maresca's starting XI against Coventry.
MID - Morgan Gibbs-White, £7.9m - TOT (h)
After blanking in his first game against Nottingham Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White scored a goal and laid on an assist for the Tricky Trees against Liverpool last time out in what was a more familiar Oliver Glasner performance. Tottenham are likely to leave plenty of gaps at the back which Gibbs-White could well take advantage of.
MID - Florian Wirtz, £7.7m - IPS (a)
Florian Wirtz looked much improved last time out against Nottingham Forest, providing the assist for Liverpool's second equaliser, and Andoni Iraola wants the German playmaker operating much closer to Alexander Isak, which should lead to more goal involvements.
Liverpool have looked far from the finished article under Iraola, but with four goals in two games, they've demonstrated plenty of goalscoring options, and while Ipswich could be a bit of a banana skin for the Reds, Wirtz is worth the gamble.
MID - Dominik Szoboszlai, £7.0m - IPS (a)
Despite Liverpool dominating the ball against Nottingham Forest and chasing for most of the game, Dominik Szoboszlai still came up with 13 DEFCONs. He also scored from the spot against Newcastle and may still be on penalties despite Alexander Isak's fitness.
At £7.0m, the Hungarian is a safe pick against Ipswich.
FWD - Erling Haaland, £15.5m - COV (h)
This one doesn't need overthinking. Erling Haaland's record at home to the lesser sides is formidable, frequently putting newly promoted teams to the sword.
Frankly, Haaland scoring twice against Coventry would be less surprising than him failing to score at all.
FWD - Igor Thiago, £7.0m - SUN (h)
With a lack of premium forwards in the game, there isn't a whole lot to choose from to fill out your front line with a Free Hit, but this might be a good week to return to Igor Thiago.
The Brazilian blanked last week against Leeds and went one further the week before by missing a penalty, but he's had eight shots so far and a goal seems due. Sunderland at home feels like an ideal fixture to get off the mark, particularly with Joao Pedro and Dominic Calvert-Lewin facing tougher fixtures.
FWD - Yoane Wissa, £6.1m - BOU (h)
Yoane Wissa has looked rejuvenated so far this season under Matthias Jaissle. His debut season on Tyneside was impacted by a long-term injury at the start and the former Brentford man was never able to gather any momentum or consistency from there.
But fresh off a full pre-season, Wissa has a goal and assist to his name already. Doubts around Newcastle are ever-so-slowly being erased, and at home to Bournemouth feels like a positive fixture for the DR Congo star.
Subs
- Jason Steele (£4.0m) - A useful backup to have with Brighton at home to Leeds
- John Egan (£4.0m) - A DEFCON monster for Hull so far, and at home to Villa, a third straight clean sheet can't be ruled out
- Maxim De Cuyper (£4.6m) - Also at home to Leeds, but currently deployed as a winger, the Belgian was the top scoring player in GW1
- Pascal Gross (£5.5m) - On penalties, playing back-to-back 90s and scoring and assisting for Brighton against Chelsea last week
