Liam Delap could have an early chance to stake his claim as Chelsea's new starting centre-forward and entice managers in Fantasy Premier League to select him in their Gameweek 1 squads.
Delap has joined the Blues from Ipswich Town, where he scored 12 goals in 2024/25.
Jackson suspension hands Delap early chance
Barring further signings, Delap will be expected to battle with Nicolas Jackson for the No 9 position at Stamford Bridge.
Longer term, there may be some risk around both players' minutes, especially with Enzo Maresca's side competing in the UEFA Champions League in 2025/26.
But Delap already has an early advantage over his positional rival.
Jackson still has one more domestic match to serve of a three-game ban, so he will sit out Gameweek 1 as a consequence.
That should pave the way for Delap to start up front on the opening weekend of 2025/26.
If Chelsea are handed a favourable Gameweek 1 fixture, Delap could be hard to resist, even as a short-term pick.
More chances at Chelsea
It's difficult to imagine Cole Palmer giving up penalties for the Blues, given his excellent record from the spot.
That's one route to goals that may therefore be denied to Delap at Chelsea.
However, only two of his 12 strikes for Ipswich came from penalties, so he is more than capable of sourcing goals from elsewhere.
Delap can also expect more chances to fall his way in the new season.
Chelsea unsurprisingly provided more opportunities for Jackson than the struggling Tractor Boys did for Delap, so the latter shouldn't have to work as hard for his open-play opportunities in 2025/26.
Jackson v Delap shots and Expected Goals (xG) comparison, 24/25
| Statistic | Jackson | Delap |
|---|---|---|
| Mins/shot | 28.9 | 38.3 |
| Mins/shot in the box | 32.3 | 54.2 |
| Mins/xG | 178.2 | 278.6 |
Delap's clinical edge
Despite having fewer shots than Jackson last season, Delap outscored his new team-mate by 12 goals to 10.
Indeed, a closer look at the two forwards' underlying numbers highlight just how ruthless Delap was.
Jackson v Delap goals stats comparison, 24/25
| Jackson | Delap | |
| Goals | 10 | 12 |
| xG | 12.3 | 9.3 |
| xG Delta (goals minus xG) | -2.3 | +2.7 |
| % of shots scored | 13.2 | 17.6 |
| % of big chances scored | 25.0 | 44.4 |
That suggests the young English forward is more clinical in front of goal, something that could help turn the chances created by Palmer and Enzo Fernandez into more assists.
The pair carved out 168 opportunities between them in 2024/25, placing them among the top four FPL midfielders for chances created.
So, as well as Delap being a tempting Fantasy pick in Gameweek 1, a repeat of last season's sharp-shooting could boost the prospects of the likes of Palmer and Fernandez from the Chelsea midfield.
