In this FPL Dilemma we take a look at 2 of the cheapest (7.0m), underrated Chelsea players who both can offer Fantasy Premier League managers something different, whilst not being too much of a risk.
However, to choose which one can cause quite the headache… in this case an FPL Dilemma!
Cesc Fabregas
For the past 2 or 3 seasons, Cesc Fabregas has been a gem at the start of each season, which makes him a solid foundation to build around. In the 2015/16 season, Fabregas made 37 appearances in the league alone, in which he scored 5 goals and provided 7 assists.
In the most recent 2016/17 season he managed 5 goals and 12 assists in 29 appearances. However, discipline is what Fabregas is somewhat at risk of, as he was booked 5 times in 2015/16 and 8 times in 2016/17. Those extra points could be crucial for football bets today in FPL.
Fabregas has always been a steady performer in the Premier League and his ability certainly isn’t on the downward spiral just yet. His physical levels may be different, but his football intellect is what makes him the instrumental player for Chelsea each season.
It’ll certainly be an interesting beginning to the FPL season if Fabregas starts as he has in previous seasons.
Willian
Willian has been a player that has gone under the radar for Chelsea, but always manages to score a solid amount of FPL points. Looking at Willian’s statistics on paper it really does show how much he actually does for his club, which can go unnoticed by FPL players and fans likewise.
In the 2015/16 season Willian made 35 appearances in the league scoring 5 goals and bagging 6 assists which is not a bad return for a winger. With a couple goals from set pieces as well as free play, this could be a big factor for FPL managers.
In the most recent 2016/17 season he made 34 appearances, scoring 8 goals and providing 2 assists. He certainly improved on taking his own odds comparison chances and excelled last season especially with his goal scoring. He also toned down his foul ratio as in 2015/16 he managed to get 5 yellow cards, whereas in 2016/17 he only got 3, which as already eluded too, this could be crucial for those extra points.
The Verdict
With both Cesc Fabregas and Willian featuring a lot in the first XI during pre-season games, it’s questionable whether or not either of them will be dropped?
A large factor that should be considered is which player will start more on a regular basis. It could be argued that Willian will, as Chelsea have made signings such as Tiemoue Bakayoko, potentially threatening Fabregas’ playing time. However, Fabregas could feature alongside N’golo Kante especially in the opening gameweeks, keeping the 3-4-3 formation that proved so much success in the 2016/17 season.
On the other hand, FPL points potential should be considered… Who will score more goals? Who’ll create more assists? Rotation risks?
In my opinion, Willian will get his biggest tally of goals in the upcoming season and will be dangerous on the wing as his performances in pre-season have been excellent. Chelsea may lack cover in the right wing spot and Willian only really has Pedro and Moses for competition. Of course the transfer window is still open and it’s worth keeping a firm eye on the situation.
Fabregas will get more assists for me, but is a bigger rotation risk than Willian with Bakayoko, Kante and possibly David Luiz being moved further up field like he used to.
For this FPL Dilemma my winner is Willian. However, I’d not shy away from Fabregas and always keep an eye on pre-season line-ups and performances.
Written by James Milburn (@jamesmilburn95)
