Defenders FPL Position Preview - Fantasy Premier League Predictions, Tips, and Picks for 2023/24

Welcome to the 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League season, RotoBallers! We began our FPL coverage two years ago and are going big for the upcoming campaign. We will have position previews, team previews, and reactions to the most significant transfers in the preseason. Then, during the year, we will bring you our usual Staff Roundtable, weekly rankings, and a new monthly article: the Watchlist.

The game launched on July 5 and all the prices are revealed. Today, we begin our position previews with goalkeepers as we analyze the men who can break our hearts with a single slip or save our weekends with a spectacular stop.

The first game of the 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League season is August 11 at 3:00 PM ET. Also, look out for the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS and betting perspective.

FPL Position Previews: Defenders

Ahh, defenders. Possibly the position that gives Fantasy Premier League managers the biggest highs and lows during a gameweek. One second they are bombing down the wing, waiting for the final pass to deftly cross the ball into the box for an assist. Then, in a blink of an eye, they are out of position, the other team is attacking, and you are looking at a clean sheet wipeout in the dying moments of a match. Choosing the right mix of high-priced wingbacks and steady Eddie center-backs is a huge priority every year.

Last Year's Defender Stats

• Most FPL points: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), 198 points
• Most attacking returns: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), 13 attacking returns
• Most clean sheets: Kieran Trippier, 16 clean sheets
• Most bonus points: Kieran Trippier, 39 bonus points

Over the seasons, what is your general strategy regarding defenders in FPL?

• Euan Leith: I'm always drawn to the wingbacks who offer different ways to score those precious FPL points. Clean sheets, assists, and even the odd goal can come from those attacking-minded defenders. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, and Reece James have been in and out of my team over the last few years. Despite some dry spells, they always come good in the end. There are fewer options this year, and it will shake up my strategy.
• Jamie Steed: I like to have three top defenders and then two cheap options, as I rarely play four defenders in a Gameweek. The top defenders score nearly as many as some top midfielders nowadays, so having a couple is essential. I also like to ensure I have a defender paired with my goalkeepers to double up any clean sheets.

What was the most pleasant FPL price reveal at the position?

• Euan Leith: I mentioned it in the Manchester United Team Preview, but Luke Shaw sliding in at £5.5 million feels like a gift. The Red Devils defense was fantastic last year, and Shaw is a bonus point magnet whether he plays on the left or as a center-back. And with Andre Onana imminently moving to Old Trafford, the Red Devil's defense should only get better.
• Jamie Steed: The fact Trent Alexander-Arnold’s £8.0m price tag didn’t drag up even more defender’s prices. I was worried we’d see a spike across the board at the position, but thankfully, only the Liverpool man tops £6.5m

What was the biggest disappointment?

• Euan Leith: Ben White was the second highest-scoring defender in the game last season, but his £5.5 million price tag eliminates him from lineup selection contention. His Arsenal teammates Gabriel and Oleksandr Zinchenko are only £5.0 million and feel like far better options if you want to have some exposure to the Gunner's defense. Plus, with Jurrien Timber joining from PSV, White will eventually be under pressure to keep his spot in the starting eleven.
• Jamie Steed: Trent Alexander-Arnold costing £8.0m! Considering he only ranked third at the position last year, I hoped his price would be subdued. It looks like his late-season production was enough to see him priced more like a midfielder. At least they didn’t get too cute and list him as one.

Any of these @LFC assets catch your eye, #FPL managers? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/T0rxDjaIVS

— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) July 3, 2023

Among the premium-priced defenders, who are you most likely to have on your Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 1 squad?

• Euan Leith: Short-hair Trent Alexander-Arnold is back, and the social media world is falling in love with him. Seriously though, it looks like he put in a lot of effort during the offseason to be in the best shape of his life. He's proven to us time and time again that it's a mistake to bet against TAA. With Liverpool 2.0 on the horizon, the England international will become essential to our Fantasy Premier League lineups.
• Jamie Steed: I don’t want to mention Alexander-Arnold again, but him. Trippier’s disappointing second half of the season has reduced how prominently he’ll feature in FPL manager’s thoughts, but I do like going with him at £6.5 if you aren’t paying up for the Liverpool man. He’ll still be a set-piece threat this season.

Is there anyone in the middle tier of defenders that catches your eye?

• Euan Leith: Pervis Estupinan at Brighton is only £5 million and is one of the most exciting and attacking players. His 17-point game against Arsenal last year will go down in FPL lore, and Brighton was a top-10 club in Europe for expected goals scored once Roberto De Zerbi took over last season. For a better Brighton breakdown, check out our team preview.

A Pervis Estupinan appreciation post 🙌

How many points will he add in his second match of Gameweek 36? 🔢#FPL pic.twitter.com/JBtLKYsCy7

— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 16, 2023

• Jamie Steed: Ben Chilwell at £5.5m is my favorite option. I’ll most likely be going with Arrizabalaga in goal, so doubling up with a Chelsea defender is my preferred play. As long as he stays healthy this year, I expect Chilwell’s attacking play and set-piece threat to elevate him into the top-5 position this season.

If we are bargain hunting, who is the top FPL defender?

• Euan Leith: Sven Botman at Newcastle United is getting a ton of love as a £4.5 million option, but his opening fixtures are rough. Therefore, I'm looking at Aston Villa and one of their £4.5 million defenders. Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash, and new signing Pau Torres fit the bill. Mings scored a career-high 130 FPL points last season, and he's hit at least 118 points in three consecutive campaigns.
• Jamie Steed: They’re both mentioned in the Brentford preview, but the full-back duo of Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey is of interest, both at £4.5m. They impressed last season, and with Brentford needing to manufacture goals without Ivan Toney for most of this season, their full-backs could be integral to their attacking play.

Which defender will have the best start to the Fantasy Premier League season over the first six fixtures?

• Euan Leith: After Gameweek 2, Chelsea has a nice run of defensive fixtures with three of the following four at Stamford Bridge, and they face three of the promoted sides from the last two seasons. I'll need to see Reece James and Ben Chilwell make it through the preseason and the first two weeks without an injury scare, but they could be part of a mini-Gameweek 3 Wild Card if I can stay disciplined.
• Jamie Steed: Manchester United had the best home defensive record last season, conceding just ten goals at Old Trafford and keeping 11 clean sheets. They have five home games in their first eight games and don’t host any of last season’s top-8 teams in those fixtures. Luke Shaw is very appealing to open the campaign for that reason and his ability to create chances in the final third.

Who will have the most challenging time living up to their price tag?

• • Euan Leith: Andy Robertson at £6.5 million is a tough price to justify. Despite Kieran Trippier's tough fixtures, I would rather have him to start the season for the same price, and there are defenders more integral to their team's attacks for £1 million less in the player pool. With Kostas Tsimikas constantly battling for playing time behind him and Trent Alexander-Arnold becoming a focal point of the attack, the Scotsman may be the odd man out for attacking returns at Anfield.
  • Jamie Steed: Andy Robertson, priced at £6.5m, will need a bounce-back season to justify his price tag. Last season’s 121 points were his lowest since the 2017/18 season. If Liverpool continues to use Alexander-Arnold as a hybrid full-back/midfielder, Robertson might not have such a license to get forward as often. That would suppress his ability to provide goals and assists.

As of today, who's your favorite FPL defender to target? 

• • • Euan Leith: Gabriel from Arsenal has been in every one of my Gameweek 1 Fantasy Premier League drafts this offseason. Arsenal's opening run of fixtures is sublime, and Gabriel is primed to grab some clean sheets and possibly an attacking return in the opening weeks. Last year, the Gunner's defenseman led the position with 5.04 expected goals, yet only scored three. So let's hope for some regression to the expected numbers for the 2023/24 season.
    • Jamie Steed: At his price and with the upside, Ben Chilwell is my favorite pound-for-pound defender. I’m intrigued to see how he features under Mauricio Pochettino. Still, his set-piece ability and open-play delivery should be enough to get him into the top-5 for points scored by the end of the season.

Finally, what's your bold prediction for defenders during the 2023/24 FPL season?

• • • Euan Leith: Trent Alexander-Arnold breaks the all-time FPL record for most points in a season by a defender. It currently sits at 213 points from his teammate, Andy Robertson, during the 2018/19 FPL season, but it's falling this year. Alexander-Arnold's attacking role will unlock a new level in his box of tricks, and Liverpool's defense will improve to offer him more of a clean-sheet floor.
    • Jamie Steed: Alex Moreno ends the season with ten goal involvements and as a top-5 defender. He’s currently nursing a hamstring injury, so he may not feature in the early goings. However, he displayed his attacking threat with three assists in 14 starts and was one of La Liga’s top creative defenders before his January move to Aston Villa last season.