Fantasy Football advice: Week 2

Thank goodness for Diego Costa! Without the new Chelsea frontman, our list of three players to include within your fantasy football team last week would not have gained many points.

This time around, though, we are hoping for improved fortunes, both when it comes to who to select and which players are worth giving a wide berth.

See who has made both of Sports Mole's lists below.

Who to pick

1. Cesc Fabregas: He may cost a fortune where fantasy football is concerned, but the Spaniard showed on his Chelsea debut against Burnley on Monday why he is worth making allowances for. He set up two goals and featured heavily in the other as the Blues recorded a routine victory at Turf Moor. This weekend Fabregas will be up against another newly-promoted side in Leicester City, who will not have dealt with midfielders of the former Arsenal man's class in the Championship. It would be a major surprise if he doesn't either score himself, or lay on an assist for one of his teammates.

© Getty Images

2. Allan McGregor: Hull owe a debt of gratitude to their goalkeeper McGregor for the role that he played in helping them to win 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers last weekend. The Tigers come under some intense pressure at times, but the Scot was equal to everything that was aimed at his target. This weekend Hull return to the KC Stadium, where they conceded just 21 goals last term. What's more, they are up against a Stoke City side that failed to find the net against Aston Villa last weekend and a team that found the net just 18 times on the road last season.

3. Wilfried Bony: If Bony has been mentally hampered by speculation surrounding his future at Swansea, he didn't show it against Manchester United. The Ivorian may not have scored at Old Trafford, but his physical presence and movement as the lone striker caused numerous problems for the United rearguard. This weekend he and Swansea will be up against Burnley, who to be fair to them, did look a well-organised unit against Chelsea despite the loss. Even so, Bony will fancy his chances of opening his goalscoring account for the season at the Liberty Stadium.

Who to avoid:

1. Kasper Schmeichel: The Danish goalkeeper is highly regarded in the world of football, but Saturday afternoon could be a long one for Schmeichel junior. Chelsea produced the standout performance of the opening weekend, particularly during the first 45 minutes at Burnley. This weekend they will play in front of an expectant Stamford Bridge crowd for the first time this season and with the likes of Fabregas, Costa and Eden Hazard all bound to be eager to impress, Schmeichel may find himself picking the ball out of his net on a few occasions.

© Getty Images

2. Martin Skrtel: Defensively, Liverpool weren't good enough to win the title last season and despite the summer additions of Dejan Lovren, Javier Manquillo and Alberto Moreno, question marks still remain, especially after their performance against Southampton at the weekend. The visiting Saints found the net once and but for some wayward finishing would have scored more. On Monday night, it's unlikely that Manchester City, with Sergio Aguero potentially fit and firing, will pass up those gifts. Skrtel gets the nod because he is liable to pick up a yellow card, which costs extra points, but it would perhaps be best to avoid all Liverpool defenders for one week.

3. Saido Berahino: The England Under-21 international scored twice on the opening day and in truth, he did put in a mature performance as his West Bromwich Albion side were held by Sunderland. There should be some caution, though, because after some positive displays over the festive period last season, Berahino scored just one goal in his last 18 outings. Add to that the fact that Southampton showed enough at Anfield to suggest that at home they will continue to dominate possession despite the large number of exits from the club, picking Berahino to lead your attack could be a tad on the knee-jerk side.