Things are looking up for Everton. David Moyes’ options on the pitch are increasing week on week with new signings and players returning from injury and this is coinciding with a run of strong fixtures.

Judging by comments made today by the Everton boss however, there’s bad news brewing for midfielders Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini, as Moyes toys with the idea of rotating the pair…

In fantasy terms, the only things that split Cahill and Fellaini last season was a couple of assists, a handful of bonus points and a lot of yellow cards. Both have started slowly this season, with no goals, no assists and no bonus points from their three games (Fellaini hasn’t even been booked!). In fact, the only difference between the pair thus far has been minutes on the pitch.

If the latest quotes from David Moyes are anything to go by, it’s minutes on the pitch that’s likely to be the crucial factor for us fantasy managers to consider when it comes to considering the pair.

If we are to assume Fellaini’s injury before the start of the season is no longer a factor, having played 90 minutes in the 6-1 drubbing to Arsenal, then his start from the bench in Everton’s last Premier League game was a little surprising. Everton won the game against Wigan thanks to an injury-time penalty from Leighton Baines, after the Belgian had come on for the last 20 minutes and, for me, changed the game.

Moyes himself “thought Felli had his best game (of the season) against Olomouc”, which was the fixture prior to the Wigan game, so that surely leads to the conclusion that Moyes is simply struggling to fit the two similar players into his side.

“There will be times when I use Tim in some games and Fellaini in others and not both together,” said Moyes. “But, as well as that, I know I can play them together if I have to.”

Most have stayed away from Everton so far this season (what with GW2 and all) but, after they visit Craven Cottage, a fantastic run of juicy fixtures emerge (BLA por STK WLV bol AVL). Fellaini, priced at 6.9 in the Fantasy Premier League game, will have been on many a watchlist I am sure, but if he’s struggling to get starts now, what it’s going to be like when Yakubu, Arteta and Bilyaletdinov are pushing for places?

It’s difficult to know what Moyes is going to do with when he has a full squad. Although in the past he’s stuck with 4-5-1 and the same eleven fairly consistently, he has never really had the option to rotate. While we’ve had long enough to consider the risks involved with the Saha/Jo rotation situation, the arrival of Bilyaletdinov and the return to fitness of Yakubu and Arteta, could even see a shift to 4-4-2. That will surely limit the starts for both Cahill and Fellaini and reduce their apparent fantasy value.