A new Premier League season often brings a false sense of hope to Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, especially with the influx of high-profile new signings.
But as tempting as these fresh faces can be, history has taught us that they are often the most common traps in the game.
The smart money isn’t on the new kid on the block, but on the proven player.
Here's a look at some of the most prominent new arrivals you should be cautious about, and perhaps even avoid, for the opening gameweeks of the 2025/26 season.
Benjamin Sesko (£7.5m)
The new Manchester United striker arrives with a huge reputation after a prolific season in the Bundesliga.
However, as the official FPL Scout has pointed out, he is not a guaranteed penalty taker (Bruno Fernandes remains first choice) and faces a nightmare initial fixture run that includes matches against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea in the first five weeks alone.
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At a hefty £7.5m, there are plenty of cheaper, safer options who have more favourable fixtures.
Liam Delap (£6.5m)
Delap joins Chelsea from Ipswich after a £30m deal was agreed in June.
While he scored a respectable 12 goals for a relegated Ipswich side last season, he now faces immense competition for minutes from a host of Chelsea attackers.
Priced at a hefty £6.5m, the FPL risk here is that he will not be a consistent starter for a team with high-profile attackers like Joao Pedro and Nicolas Jackson.
It is a big gamble to assume he will deliver consistent FPL returns in his debut top-flight season with a big club.
Jack Grealish (£8.0m)
The loan move to Everton is an interesting one, but his FPL form over the last two years has been dismal.
Priced at a hefty £8.0m, he has not scored more than 50 points in two seasons.
While he has the flair to succeed, FPL managers should not be tempted to pick him until he proves he has returned to the form he showed at Aston Villa years ago.
Everton also finished the 2024/25 season with just one win in seven pre-season matches, adding to the uncertainty surrounding their attack.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.5m)
Though not a new signing, Calvert-Lewin is a classic FPL trap.
After years of injury struggles, his transfer from Everton to Leeds is now in doubt, with fan forums worried about his "biscuit-like" injury tendency.
His injury history is extensive and makes him a huge risk, having missed 14 games with a hamstring injury last season alone.
His FPL points per game average has consistently been low, and until he can prove he is fit for an entire season, he is a player to be avoided.
The first few weeks of a new season are a marathon, not a sprint.
While new signings are exciting, their roles, minutes, and tactical fit are often uncertain.
The safest and most rewarding strategy is to "wait and see" before investing large amounts of your budget into players who are unproven in their new environments.