Here's the updated GW 16-22 schedule after the PL announced which fixtures have been moved from BGW18 to DGW19.
The schedule might change again:
There's space for the GW 1+11 Blanks to move to GW18/19, and they could also move to GW17 if neither side reaches the EFL Cup QFs.
It might be the case that they're unwilling to move a postponement to GW 18/19 because they want to let all 20 teams have a mini winter break
One the other hand, they might want to reschedule the GW 1/11 Blanks as soon as possible and are waiting to see if GW17 will be free.
Looking at the TV schedule, I think it's more likely that none of the GW 1/11 Blanks will be moved to GW 18/19 as they'd clash with the current fixtures and the contract that the TV companies signed means they get all 10 fixtures at unique kick-off times in the split Gameweek
MCI & NEW are playing on Sun in GW17 and AVL are playing their FA Cup 3rd Rd tie on the following Friday so...
Neither AVL vs NEW nor MCI vs AVL can be moved to GW17
BUR vs MUN could possibly be moved to GW17 if Man Utd lose to Everton in the EFL Cup QFs
The chip strategy I'm following is:
WC1 - GW16
FH - BGW18
BB - DGW19
TC - saving it for another DGW
WC2 - planning on using it to rebuild my team after BGW29
Here's the FPL schedule up to GW29 (which clashes with the FA Cup QFs):
I think the strategy I'm following is best if you still have all your chips (although you may want to WC before GW16 if you're unhappy with your current team).
But there's no one-size-fits-all strategy for people who have already used their Wildcard or Free Hit.
One possible strategy for navigating GW18/19 if you've already used your 1st WC is:
WC2 in GW17
FH in GW18
BB in GW19
The big downside to this strategy is that you'd have no team-changing chip (FH/WC) left to help navigate BGWs and DGWs later in the season.
If you WC before the GW 18/19 fixtures are announced then you might chose to use your 2nd Wildcard in GW17 and Free Hit in GW18 - but then you'd have to navigate the final 3rd of the season without a team-changing chip (WC/FH).
In a normal season, you'd want to have both FH and WC available to help navigate the Blanks and Doubles in the final third of the season, but this isn't a normal season.
GW29 will likely be the only big BGW in the final third of the season and we may not get a big DGW after GW19
I haven't tweeted much about chip strategy recently...
You don't need to commit to a chip strategy until next week, when we'll have a lot more clarity on the Blank and Double Gameweek schedule.
Here's what we'll learn before the Gameweek 27 deadline:
We'll know which teams will Blank in GW31.
We'll have a good idea of which teams will Double in GW32 (or the DGW32 fixtures could even be confirmed before the deadline next Friday).
We'll have more clarity on the potential Blanks in GW33 and the potential the Doubles in GW35.
And we'll have more clarity on whether there'll need to be another mini-Double Gameweek outside of GWs 32 and 35.
(If Chelsea and Brighton both lose their FA Cup 5th Round ties, there almost certainly won't be another mini-Double GW)