For Draft Fantasy Football managers, Chelsea players are likely to be at the top of the list of priorities as we approach the start of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign.
After an excellent showing from the Blues last term, for many, Belgian winger Eden Hazard would have been at the forefront of most player’s thinking come draft day.
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However, despite a joyous 2016/17 campaign, in which the Stamford Bridge outfit were crowned Premier League champions for the second time since Hazard’s arrival, the summer quickly turned sour for the 26-year-old talent, as he picked up an injury on international duty, ruling him out of the opening month of the upcoming campaign.
Not only is this a blow for Blues head coach, Antonio Conte, but it is also a set-back for Draft Fantasy Football managers, who will be keeping a close eye on Hazard’s recovery over the remaining weeks of the summer. The Belgian is likely to be a key contender in the race to be the draft’s top scoring midfielder, and hence he remains a high value pick ahead of the new season.
Just how good is Eden Hazard for Chelsea?
As Chelsea claimed the Premier League title at a canter, the Belgian international finished the 2016/17 campaign as the second highest Draft Fantasy Football points scoring midfielder, accumulating a total of 191, behind only Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez (232).
Capable of creating a chance from nothing, thanks to his remarkable ability to beat an opponent in the dribble, Hazard is a prominent threat for any side he faces. Under Antonio Conte last season, this attacking talent translated into 16 goals and nine assists in 36 Premier League appearances.
In 174 Premier League appearances since moving to Stamford Bridge, the Belgian international has scored 57 times, while providing a further 35 assists. These impressive statistics fail to compensate for the miserable final campaign experienced under Jose Mourinho, in which he failed to ever get going.
A blemish in his otherwise stellar career to date, it would be frightening to consider just how impressive the 24-year-old’s statistics would have looked, had he not endured such a disappointing season under the now-Manchester United head coach. When he returns from injury in the early weeks of the new campaign, expect him to add to his impressive aforementioned totals.
Is he worth picking up in the draft?
Despite the expectancy that he would be injured for the opening weeks of the campaign, indications suggest he is making significant progress when it comes to his recovery, and we could see him back in action far sooner than initially expected.
His injury status is likely to see him avoided in the very early rounds of the draft, meaning he could be an excellent pick up slightly later on. If the option presents itself, he should be snapped up without hesitation.
The 26-year-old is a player capable of scoring ten or more league goals per year, as he has shown in three of the last four campaigns. Meanwhile, his creative instincts mean he is never far from fashioning an opportunity for his teammates.
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A midfield stand-in will be required as Hazard works to regain full fitness throughout the opening weeks. Nonetheless, he is bound to make up for lost time when he finally gets firing.
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