An injury to Reece James (£5.5m) could force a reassessment of the best way to invest in Chelsea’s defence in Fantasy Premier League.
The right-back is set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury.
James’ absence comes as a huge blow to his owners, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side set to embark on a very kind run of opponents.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), five of their six matches from Gameweek 3 score only two.
Chelsea’s GW3-8 schedule
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | LUT (H) | 2 | 6 | AVL (H) | 3 |
| 4 | NFO (H) | 2 | 7 | FUL (A) | 2 |
| 5 | BOU (A) | 2 | 8 | BUR (A) | 2 |
The news only further enhances the appeal of Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) as Chelsea’s go-to pick at the back.
The left-back is the most-bought player in the Gameweek after his assist and seven points against Liverpool. He has collected more than 550,000 new owners for the Blues’ trip to West Ham United.
James’ absence has lifted the prospects of Levi Colwill (£4.5m) and Axel Disasi (£5.0m) for managers keen on a Chelsea double-up in defence.
Disasi played as a centre-back, getting the equaliser, as Pochettino rolled out a wing-back formation against Liverpool.
Disasi's goal v Liverpool
Off the mark on debut! 🙌#CheLiv pic.twitter.com/DOe6G96Sst
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 13, 2023
But with fewer options at his disposal, the Argentinian may drop that system and revert to his favoured 4-2-3-1 set-up.
This would allow Disasi to occupy the right-back berth vacated by James, with Colwill partnering Thiago Silva (£5.0m) in the centre of defence.
While this seems the likeliest scenario, managers in Fantasy will be hoping Pochettino turns to Malo Gusto (£4.0m) as a like-for-like replacement for James at right-back.
Pochettino’s preference for attacking full-backs could mean that Gusto, at a cost of just £4.0m, could be a Fantasy gem over the upcoming schedule.
Remember, the FPL deadline is Friday, 18 August, at 18:15 BST.
Also in this series
Part 1: Whose FPL prospects have improved after Gameweek 1?
Part 2: The Scout’s FPL Gameweek 2 Ones to watch
Part 3: Foden and Alvarez can thrive in FPL in De Bruyne's absence
Part 4: The Scout’s FPL Gameweek 2 Differentials
Part 6: FPL experts: Do you NEED a Liverpool player for Gameweek 2?
Part 7: FPL long view: Plan ahead for Chelsea and Spurs' dream fixtures
Part 8: Scout Selection: Best FPL team for Gameweek 2
Part 9: Why Salah can outscore Haaland as FPL captain in Gameweek 2