How to Pick Your Captain and Maximise Your Chips

Erik Ibsen, the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League champion, has detailed the strategic framework that propelled him to the top of the global rankings. The Dane’s approach relied on a calculated balance between extreme caution in captaincy and aggressive risk-taking with his starting lineup.

The Philosophy of Low-Risk Captaincy

Ibsen prioritized stability with his armband, viewing the captaincy as a position where a single mistake could ruin an entire Gameweek. To mitigate this, he leaned heavily on Erling Haaland, who served as his captain in 22 of the 38 Gameweeks.

Bruno Fernandes was the only other player to receive the armband more than twice, captaining Ibsen’s side on seven occasions. Other players, including Gabriel, Raya, Tarkowski, Guehi, Rice, Semenyo, and Joao Pedro, were used sparingly.

Ibsen admitted that while following the crowd with Haaland was not always “dopamine-inducing”—noting a period where Haaland blanked four times in five weeks—it was the smarter choice over a full season. He argued that being less risk-averse with the captaincy prevents the massive point losses that often occur when managers chase differentials in the armband slot.

Did You Know? Joao Pedro’s 19-point performance in Gameweek 29, featuring a hat-trick and an assist, was the catalyst that moved Erik Ibsen from eighth place into first.

Aggressive Differentials in the Starting XI

While the captaincy remained safe, Ibsen sought an edge by taking bold risks with his other 10 starters. This was most evident in Gameweek 29, when he kept faith in Chelsea’s Joao Pedro despite hundreds of thousands of other managers selling the player.

Even after reaching the summit of the rankings, Ibsen refused to adopt a defensive posture. In Gameweek 32, he chose Brentford’s Igor Thiago over Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, despite the latter having a Double Gameweek and a favorable schedule.

Another key move was the inclusion of AFC Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott during the Gameweek 32 Wildcard. Scott delivered a 12-point haul against Arsenal, a move Ibsen noted was unique as almost no one in the top 50 owned the player at the time.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter suggests that Ibsen’s success stems from a sophisticated understanding of variance. By neutralizing the risk of the captaincy, he created a “safety net” that allowed him to absorb the volatility of high-risk differentials, effectively gambling only where the potential reward outweighed the systemic danger to his overall rank.

Mastering the Dual-Chip System

The 2025/26 season introduced two sets of chips—Bench Boost, Free Hit, Triple Captain, and Wildcard—for each half of the campaign. Ibsen’s early use of the Wildcard in Gameweek 2 provided a steep learning curve that informed his later success.

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In the second half of the season, Ibsen emphasized patience, resisting the urge to Wildcard in Gameweek 24 or Triple Captain Gabriel in Gameweek 26. This discipline allowed him to orchestrate a precise sequence of chips during the season’s most critical window.

His final sequence began with a Wildcard in Gameweek 32 (75 points), followed by a Bench Boost in Double Gameweek 33 (112 points). He then used a Free Hit in Blank Gameweek 34 (52 points) and concluded with a Triple Captain chip on Haaland in Double Gameweek 36, resulting in 92 points.

Ibsen viewed the Free Hit not as an aggressive tool, but as a way to be risk-averse during weeks when his team looked its worst, thereby strengthening the impact of his Wildcard and Bench Boost.

Future Outlook

Given his experience, Ibsen is unlikely to repeat his early-season Wildcard strategy in the 2026/27 campaign. He may instead adopt the patient approach used in the second half of the 2025/26 season as his primary blueprint. Future success for managers following this model could depend on the ability to balance “defensive” captaincy with “aggressive” squad selection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which player did Erik Ibsen captain most frequently?
Erling Haaland was his primary choice, captaining the side in 22 of the 38 Gameweeks.

What was the purpose of Ibsen’s Free Hit chip strategy?
He used the Free Hit to be risk-averse during weeks when his team looked worst, which he believed made his Wildcard and Bench Boost chips stronger.

How did Ibsen handle his second set of chips?
He used them in a specific sequence: Wildcard in Gameweek 32, Bench Boost in DGW33, Free Hit in BGW34, and Triple Captain in DGW36.

Do you prefer a safe captaincy approach or do you chase differentials to climb the rankings?