The Scout on the best Chelsea players to own in Fantasy Premier League ahead of a very favourable run of fixtures.
After winning against Brentford and Crystal Palace in Liam Rosenior's first Premier League two matches in charge, Chelsea are set to embark on a very kind schedule which looks likely to reward managers at both ends of the pitch in Fantasy.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) – where the difficulty of each match is ranked from one to five, with one being the easiest possible match and five being the hardest – all four of their matches across Gameweeks 24-27 score only two.
As the table below shows, Rosenior's side play at home on three of those occasions, against West Ham United, Leeds United and Burnley, while also visiting Wolverhampton Wanderers.
If that run isn't enticing enough, Chelsea could also have a Double Gameweek 26 (DGW26) if they defeat Arsenal in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg at Emirates Stadium next week.
If they overcome a 3-2 first-leg deficit and clinch a place in the final, the Blues' DGW26 would consist of a home match with Leeds and a visit to Everton.
As a reminder, a “Double Gameweek" is when a club play TWO Premier League fixtures in a round of matches, and their players get two chances to score points.
Chelsea's next four matches
| GW | Opp. | FDR* |
| 24 | West Ham (H) | 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Wolves (A) | 2 |
| 26 | Leeds (H) | 2 |
| 27 | Burnley (H) | 2 |
*1=easiest possible fixture, 5=hardest possible fixture
Who have been Chelsea's top performers for Rosenior?
Recent injuries to both Cole Palmer (£10.4m) and Liam Delap (£6.2m) have meant that Rosenior has yet to have a full complement of attackers at his disposal.
Instead, it's been Joao Pedro (£7.2m) and Enzo Fernandez (£6.7m) who have been quick to make an impact for the new head coach.
They have produced attacking returns in each of those wins, with Joao Pedro leading the way on 20 points thanks to two goals, an assist and five bonus points.
Fernandez converted a penalty in the absence of first-choice taker Palmer against Palace last weekend and has amassed 14 points, level with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez (£4.9m).
Estevao's (£6.4m) goal, assist and 13-point haul against Palace also suggests he can secure the role on the right of Rosenior's new 4-2-3-1 set-up.
In defence, Trevoh Chalobah (£5.7m) has collected defensive contribution points in both his outings for Rosenior.
Chelsea's top-scoring players over last two Gameweeks
| Player | G+A | Clean sheet* | DC+Bonus | Pts |
| Joao Pedro | 3 | N/A | 5 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernandez | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Sanchez | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
| Estevao | 2 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| James | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| Chalobah | 0 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
Scroll across on mobile to see the full table. Goalkeepers and defenders earn four points for a clean sheet, while midfielders earn one point
Who's had the greatest attacking threat under Rosenior?
The underlying data helps to highlight those who have been involved in big chances, which are situations where a player is expected to score.
Estevao's numbers are all the more impressive bearing in mind he missed the Brentford match through injury.
The Brazilian had two big chances and created one at Selhurst Park, which means he has been involved in a total of three big chances.
That's more than any other Chelsea player over those two matches, with Joao Pedro and Fernandez his nearest rivals on two big-chance involvements each.
As you can see, though, Joao Pedro boasts a greater goal threat the Fernandez, leading him by four shots in the box to two, and by two big chances to one.
Goal threat stats over last two Gameweeks
| Player | Shot in box | Big chances | BCC | BC inv. |
| Estevao | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joao Pedro | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Fernandez | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Palmer | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Garnacho | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Neto | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scroll across on mobile to see the full table. BC = big chance; BCC = big chance created; BC inv. = big-chance involvement
So, who are the best Chelsea picks?
Chalobah’s potential at both ends of the pitch, added to his defensive contributions, make him the standout pick at the back.
The fact that he is second only to Arsenal's Gabriel (£6.9m) in the defender standings says enough about his pedigree. He has three goals, an assist and nine clean sheets to his name in a breakout Fantasy campaign.
Among midfielders, Palmer’s ongoing injury issues mean he is simply not worth the risk at such a premium price. Fernandez's all-round style of play gives him the advantage, while Estevao's display last weekend suggests he should also be monitored.
Up front, Joao Pedro's superb start under Rosenior looks the ideal solution for managers seeking a replacement for a host of misfiring forwards right now.
Indeed, if Chelsea do get a DGW26, the Brazilian's goal threat could make him one of the very best armband options.