Following the release of the 2025/26 fixtures, The Scout highlights the clubs and players to target for the opening Gameweeks in Fantasy Premier League.
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca’s side have one of the very best runs of opponents to start the new campaign.
Chelsea will avoid ALL of last season's top seven clubs over the first six Gameweeks, and their first four opponents all finished 10th or lower in 2024/25: Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Fulham and Brentford.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) - where the easiest possible matches are ranked as No 1 and the hardest are ranked as No 5 - NONE of Chelsea's opening six matches score more than three.
Chelsea's first six fixtures
| GW | Opponent | FDR* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crystal Palace (H) | 3 |
| 2 | West Ham (A) | 2 |
| 3 | Fulham (H) | 3 |
| 4 | Brentford (A) | 3 |
| 5 | Man Utd (A) | 3 |
| 6 | Brighton (H) | 3 |
*1 = easiest, 5 = hardest
Chelsea's enticing schedule is set to make Cole Palmer a popular pick in Fantasy.
Although he failed to match the heights of his debut season with the Blues last time out, it’s worth remembering Palmer still finished as the third top-scoring player in 2024/25 Fantasy on 214 points.
Put into perspective, that total was 79 points more than any of his Chelsea team-mates.
Palmer’s huge influence on his side’s attack is further highlighted by the underlying statistics.
His 126 shots and 89 chances created both ranked top among Chelsea players last season.
If he can get back to his best, Palmer’s potential for huge hauls could make him a must-have in the early stages of 2025/26.
In defence, Marc Cucurella looks the best option thanks to his all-round output.
The left-back delivered a career-high 133 points in 2024/25 Fantasy, combining five goals and two assists with nine clean sheets.
Elsewhere for the Blues, Enzo Fernandez could prove a handy midfield option if he remains in the budget bracket.
The Argentinian started at £5.0m last season and produced 135 points, thanks to six goals and eight assists.
Up front, Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson will compete for the lone forward role following the former’s arrival from Ipswich Town earlier this summer.
It will be worth monitoring the Blues' pre-season friendlies to get a better idea of Maresca’s plans for the new campaign.
Next: Everton