Eden Hazard is among "the very best in the world," according to Chelsea captain John Terry.
Hazard toiled for 27 Premier League matches without a goal last season before breaking that drought with a brace at Bournemouth in April.
The 25-year-old struggled for form both before and after Jose Mourinho's December sacking, as Chelsea slumped to a 10th-place finish last term.
Hazard made a more impressive start to the current campaign, though, scoring a penalty in an encouraging overall display as Chelsea beat West Ham 2-1 on Monday.
Terry told Chelsea's official website: "He's up there with the very best in the world for me. We relied on him too much last season and he can't do it all on his own, even though he almost does.
"He's a world-class player and we're very lucky to have him."
Terry emphasised the significance of securing the victory on Monday.
"It was very important to get off to a good start," he said. "The way we started and ended last season wasn't good enough by our own standards.
"We said before the game that whether we won lost or drew that was the type of fight and commitment we want from everyone.
"We dug in, it was a big London derby and it means a lot to players and supporters. It was great for the management to get off to a good start as well."