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Fantasy EPL Sleepers 22/23: Chelsea

Updated: Jul 28, 2022

Our Fantasy EPL 22/23 Draft Kit promises to be the most comprehensive set of pre-season Draft Premier League articles ever produced! A key component of our Draft Kit will be the Team Preview articles which analyze key assets to sit alongside our all-important Draft Rankings. This article highlights Fantrax Fantasy EPL Sleepers from Chelsea, as we highlight three potential hidden gems for the new season! Click here for details on how you can access our 22/23 Draft Kit.

Check out our 22/23 Draft Kit for all the pre-season information you would ever need. Draft Rankings, Team Previews, Strategy, Draft 101. We've got it all!!!


Chelsea Sleepers

As noted above, these are potential Fantrax Sleepers from Chelsea. These Fantasy EPL players are likely to be drafted in the later rounds. Read below for three under the radar players who could provide excellent value in your pre-season draft.


Conor Gallagher

Position: Midfielder

21/22 Points: 347.5 (11th best midfielder)

21/22 Points Per Start: 10.4 (32 starts)

22/23 Projected Points Per Start: 7.8 (8 starts)

Recommended Draft Pick: 100 or later (12 Team League: Round 9 or later)

Overview: Gallagher had a breakout season on loan at Crystal Palace, storming off to a frankly insane 14.6 PPS in the first half of the season before tailing off to just 6.2 PPS in the second half. This is likely down to a combination of factors including; fatigue from a first full senior season, a shift in role and loss of set pieces to the growing emergence of Olise and later on Eze. Now returned to Chelsea, we are yet to fully understand what Gallagher's place will be this season. His role at Palace was more of an advanced disruptor, who would win the ball high up the pitch and arrive in the box to score goals. Gallagher barely passed the ball at Palace, he made a progressive pass just twice every 90mins which ranks him in the 3rd percentile. This pales in comparison to the players used in the midfield two at Chelsea with Jorginho, Kovacic and Kante all above the 90th percentile. So what role he has at Chelsea, if at all holds huge question marks. Where his sleeper value lies is in another loan move to a Premier League club, with the likes of Everton having been linked with him over the summer. He has a low-ish ADP of 84, but he has been going around 100+ in the majority of mocks that I have taken part in. This reflects the uncertainty of his role but also the potential upside he possesses in the right situation. Taking a punt on Gallagher from round 9 or 10 onwards is where I think the tipping point of risk/reward starts to make turn and I'd happily take a punt on him there.


Callum Hudson-Odoi

Position: Midfielder

21/22 Points: 178.5 (68th best midfielder)

21/22 Points Per Start: 11.0 (11 starts)

22/23 Projected Points Per Start: 9.6 (7 starts)

Recommended Draft Pick: 150 or later (12 Team League: Round 13 or later)

Overview: Hudson-Odoi managed just 11 starts in the Premier League last season but he put up some solid points when he managed to get on the pitch, averaging 11.0 PPS up to GW23. However, it has recently been reported that from March he was struggling with a neurological problem that left him unable to play for the rest of the season, possibly related to having contracted COVID. So while 11 starts over a season looks pretty low, actually he started roughly half of the games he was available for, which starts to make him a more interesting asset, rather than just a streamer. Now he's recovered and with a full pre-season under his belt, maybe we could see more outings from him, especially given how versatile he is. Hudson-Odoi can play across any of the forward and wing back positions which we know produce great points output in Tuchel's Chelsea. Of course projected playing time is the issue, but at his current ADP of 164 you're looking at a really low risk pick up, but one that could come off in a big way if he manages to work his way into the team.


Marcos Alonso

Position: Defender

21/22 Points: 238.5 (6th best defender)

21/22 Points Per Start: 12.4 (25 starts)

22/23 Projected Points Per Start: 12.8 (10 starts)

Recommended Draft Pick: 150 or later (12 Team League: Round 13 or later)

Overview: As I recommend Chilwell in my best players article, it would be remiss of me not to mention Alonso as a sleeper given Chilwell's recent return from a cruciate ligament injury. With reports that Chilwell looks a bit behind in pre-season training, we could potentially see history repeat itself with Alonso starting the first few games of the season. We know that Alonso has crazy upside when given the opportunity, with 30+ point games in his locker. If you draft Chilwell in the early rounds, it becomes a bit of a no brainer to back that up with a short-term handcuff for Alonso. Alonso was rumoured to leave for Barcelona but nothing has materialized so far and I would presume he stays unless reported otherwise.


Honorable Mention(s):

Cesar Azpilicueta has also been rumoured to be off all summer with Barcelona looking the likeliest destination. But with Barcelona's financial situation so uncertain and a plethora of big money signings already sealed, it's not the worst shout to punt on Azpi staying for at least another year. The versatile Spaniard can play on either flank as a wing back or as the left/right centre back in a back 3. Azpi put up a paltry 7.6 PPS (24 starts) last season but this doesn't tell the whole story, he put up 12.6 PPS in the first 8 gameweeks as Chelsea started off the season really well. But as Chelsea's form worsened so did Azpi's performances and minutes. Next season will hopefully see an upturn in Chelsea's form and if he stays, Azpi will surely see some decent minutes. Based on his ADP of 237 you'll likely be able to punt on him in the final two rounds of your draft.



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