With the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) getting more and more competitive each season, you will need to take advantage of every opportunity to gain extra points. Your Vice Captain can help you gain extra points when you least expect it so it is important to be very intentional with who you pick as your backup captain for each week.
Here is all you need to know about how the Vice Captain role works in FPL and how you can use it to your advantage.
What does vice captain do in FPL?
Your Vice Captain in Fantasy Premier League is primarily there to play the role of Captain when your actual captain does not play in that gameweek. What this means is simple, when your captain does not play any minutes the player you vice captain automatically becomes your captain and receives double points.
In the case in the above team, Haaland is the captain. In the event that Haaland does not play (for example through injury or by being benched), Wilson automatically becomes the captain.
Note: Your captain will bear the letter (C) next to the player’s kit and your vice captain will bear the letter (V).
Read more: How to pick a captain in FPL?
Does vice captain get extra points in FPL?
How many points does the vice captain get in FPL? In the event your captain does NOT play any minutes your vice captain automatically receives double points. In the event your captain does play any minutes in that gameweek your vice captain does NOT receive any extra points, so he will score just a regular amount of points without them being doubled.
Note: your FPL points will show a few hours after a match is played. Any bonuses awarded to players will also be automatically included a few hours after the game.
How to choose your vice captain in Fantasy Premier League?
Choosing your vice captain will require some strategic thinking. You can either choose to go for your second highest points potential player or a player with an easy fixture. For example, last season Manchester City and Arsenal have been in terrific form especially players like Saka and Haaland. You can choose to use one as captain and the other as vice captain.
In recent times, matches have been postponed due to covid or strikes so that should also play into your consideration. If fixtures are at risk, you can opt to go for a player with a different fixture to minimize risk. For example, if by any chance some match is likely to be called off (and you wan to captain a player from that fixture), it is probably safe to pick a player with a different fixture as vice captain.
Read more: FPL Captaincy Index: Best captain picks for each gameweek
What happens if your Vice Captain does not play?
In the case your vice captain does not play in a gameweek, he will be automatically subbed off for a bench player after the last match in that gameweek is played. The player who comes on will NOT be considered as your new vice captain. He will come in as a normal player.
What happens if your captain and vice captain do not play?
In Fantasy Premier League when both your captain and vice captain do not play any minutes in that gameweek no other player in your squad will receive double points unfortunately. They will automatically be subbed off for your bench players provided your bench players played in that gameweek.
Read more: How to order bench of your FPL team during busy schedule?
When do vice captain points get added?
Vice captain points get added during the last game update of the gameweek. So when the last fixture of the gameweek ends, first, bonus points get added (1 hour after the end of last fixture) and then (after another 2-3 hours), auto subs happen and vice captain points are added.
My FPL vice captain points does not show, what should I do?
If your vice captain points does not show, you need to first check whether your actual captain played 0 minutes (he could be for example on 0 points due to penalty miss or playing less than 60 minutes and receiving yellow card).
If that is the case and your captain did not play in that gameweek at all, you need to wait for the last update of the gameweek (3-4 hours after the end of the last fixture). That is the time when auto subs happen, vice captain points get added and rank is recalculated. Your vice captain points will show after this last gameweek update.
What happens if your triple captain does not play?
In the event your triple captain does not play, your vice captain will receive triple points.
Note; the total points will reflect on your vice captain after the final match of that gameweek. Your captain will then be subbed off for a benched player after the end of the gameweek.
How to select your vice captain on FPL
To select your vice captain, click on your preferred player from your team. A tab will open, then click on vice captain option. Finally, do not forget to click on save team to confirm your changes.
Conclusion
In a game where every point matters, it is crucial to know what the vice captain does in FPL. Chances are your Captain may not always play and that is when your decision to pick the right player as your fpl vice captain really counts.
This will give you an edge in your mini league and even in your global ranking. Always keep a keen eye on who you choose; their form and fixtures and any news of match postponements and injury concerns.
The top 1% of FPL managers are always strategic with who they pick as a backup captain and this gives them an edge over the rest. Always keep an ear on manager’s press conferences as they often give important information like injuries and any tactical changes.
The official FPL social media accounts are also key to first hand information on any kind of fixture changes. All these news outlets will help you make informed decisions on who to pick as your vice captain.
Further Resources
