As we approach the hectic Christmas period of the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season, managers finally have a large enough data set to make informed decisions.
With the third international break nearly over, Gameweek 12 looks like the ideal moment to activate your FPL Wildcard — especially with the AFCON free transfer reset arriving in Gameweek 16.
In this guide, we use Fantasy Football Fix’s AI-powered Assistant Manager to build the best FPL Wildcard team for Gameweek 12.
This squad is designed to maximise points over the upcoming fixture run, manage rotation risks, and give you a major advantage before the busy winter schedule kicks in.
The AI-powered Assistant Manager tool helps you create a fully tailored FPL team based on your own strategy.
Whether you want to exclude specific players, load up on midfielders, or experiment with different formations, this smart tool adapts to your preferences.
As shown in the image above, managers can easily lock-in or exclude players such as Salah and Haaland, while adjusting the rest of the squad around them.
Once your criteria is set, the Assistant Manager generates an optimised FPL team designed to maximise points.
However, the below team is generated without any specific players included/excluded and is purely the best Wildcard squad for Gameweek 12 as per the Fix Algorithm.
DEFCON continues to be a major source of points for FPL defenders, and the Algorithm leans heavily into that trend by selecting four DEFCON-friendly picks in this Wildcard draft. Jurrien Timber is the only exception to that strategy.
Gabriel is currently flagged ahead of Gameweek 12, but if he’s declared fit, the projections show him outperforming the Dutch defender — making him the preferred option for your FPL Wildcard team.
As shown in the Stats Sandbox graphic above, Senesi (141), Virgil van Dijk (119), and Chris Richards (118) lead the way for DEFCON points among FPL defenders this season, with Nathan Collins also sitting eighth on 104. These numbers highlight why DEFCON-heavy defenders remain such strong picks for a Gameweek 12 Wildcard.
Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber ranks sixth among defenders for both Expected Goals (1.42 xG) and chances created (12), while Arsenal boast the best Expected Goals Conceded (7.60 xGC) in the league. That combination of attacking threat and defensive stability strengthens Timber’s case as a standout option for your FPL Wildcard team.
As the above image from our Fixture Difficulty Ratings shows, Villa are ranked seventh for 'Defence Difficulty' over the next six Gameweeks which makes Martínez a great pick.
Salah has shown clear signs of returning to form. As the Stats Sandbox graphic highlights, the Egyptian has been given more big chances (seven) than any other midfielder over the last six Gameweeks and also ranks top for Expected Goals (3.83 xG). These numbers underline why he remains a premium consideration for any FPL Wildcard team ahead of Gameweek 12.
As the below Optimal Player Rotation Strategy from our Assistant Manager feature shows, Salah provides an excellent home captaincy alternative to Haaland when the Norwegian international has away fixtures in Gameweek 12, 14 and 16.
Semenyo (six) and Sarr (three) have scored nine goals combined this season, as the below image from our Stats Sandbox feature shows, the duo are ranked first and fourth for xG amongst midfielders priced at £8.5m and under.
Meanwhile, no midfielder has racked up more DEFCON than Anderson (141), he is a useful bench option when needed and may even be sharing spot-kick duties with Gibbs-White.
Potts will likely be a third sub in most weeks.
Haaland's virtues do not need extolling, with the Norwegian international top amongst all players for shots (45), 'big chances' (22), and xG (11.00).
Thiago's underlying numbers are impressive given his price tag of just £6.3m. As the below image from our Stats Sandbox feature shows, only Mateta (15) and Haaland (22) have been afforded more 'big chances' than his 13 this season.
Welbeck has found the back of the net six times already, with only Thiago (eight) and Haaland (14) being more prolific.
As the above image from our Fixture Difficulty Ratings shows, Brighton are rated fourth for 'Attack Difficulty' over the next six Gameweeks which makes the former England international great value at just £6.5m.
This Wildcard draft retains both of the game’s most expensive assets — Haaland and Salah — ensuring you keep access to explosive captaincy options.
It also invests heavily in Arsenal’s rock-solid defence and targets Liverpool’s favourable fixture run, creating a balanced and high-upside FPL Wildcard team for Gameweek 12.
If you want to adjust the Algorithm’s setup in the Assistant Manager tool, one popular alternative is swapping Salah for Saka. Doing so frees up significant funds, allowing you to strengthen your bench — a valuable move if you’re considering a Bench Boost in the coming weeks.
The Assistant Manager tool also lets you build your own custom Wildcard draft using FPL AI. You can prioritise certain positions, rotate defenders for fixtures, chase differentials, or tailor the squad to your own management style. Your perfect FPL Wildcard team may only be a couple of smart tweaks away.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on the Elite XI: Team Reveal page.
Mark Mansfield — a manager with 7× Top 10k finishes — has hinted he may activate his Wildcard in Gameweek 12, saying:
“However, the FPL gods savagely have turned against me and I may be forced into WC12. I can cope with the Gabriel injury, but Semenyo would tip it over the edge, so I'll keep an eye out for news of his injury.”
If you’re playing your Wildcard this week, you’ll want to compare your draft to his.
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