RADIO
Welcome to the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season, RotoBallers! The team has given you the team previews ahead of the new season, and now it's time for the position previews. Today, we continue this by looking at players along the backline: defenders.
Ahh, defenders. It is 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 the 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 priority every year.
The first deadline of the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season is August 16 at 1:30 p.m. EDT, when Manchester United welcomes Fulham to open the campaign. Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League slate and UEFA Champions League game with our EPL DFS lineup picks and betting picks.
FPL Position Previews: Defenders
Arsenal dominated the 2023/24 FPL season on the defensive side of the ball. Ben White, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhães went 1-2-3 among defenders, while David Raya led all goalkeepers with 16 clean sheets. The Gunners have reinforced their backline with Riccardo Calafiori from Italy and Jurrien Timber's return from injury. It feels like the London side will, once again, be defensively stout, but football isn't played on paper. Man City and Liverpool will have their work cut out for them in the title chase this season as Arsenal grows stronger.
Last Season's Defenders Stats
Most FPL points: Ben White, Arsenal - 182 points
Most attacking returns: Kieran Trippier, Newcastle & Pedro Porro, Spurs - 11 attacking returns
Most clean sheets: William Saliba & Ben White, Arsenal - 18 clean sheets
Most bonus points: Kieran Trippier, Newcastle & Pedro Porro, Spurs - 20 bonus points
Over the seasons, what is your general strategy regarding defenders in FPL?
- Euan Leith: I used to be a huge proponent of grabbing a couple of expensive defenders and riding with some £4.0 or £4.5M options at the back. However, given the changes to the BPS (Bonus Points System), I'm considering going cheap at the back this season and letting the chips fall where they may. With defenders being penalized more and attackers being rewarded more, spending big at the position doesn't make much sense to me for the 2024/25 campaign.
- Jamie Steed: I used to be someone who spent as little as possible on defenders. Given how the game is developing, paying up for the more attack-minded defenders is certainly something I’ve warmed to. I still ensure I pair my goalkeepers with a defender. Depending who I choose between the sticks will determine which defender I go with. That leaves three spots, so I’d try to have one in the more premium range, given I generally only play with three defenders in my starting lineup.
- The FPL Manual (Wale): I have at least one Premium defender (£6m - £7m) and mix it a little with a few cheap defenders (£4m - £4.5m) who are regular starters. Additionally, I target more attacking wing-backs than center-backs, but that could change entering the new season.
What's your favorite FPL price reveal for defenders?
- Euan: With that being said about avoiding premium defenders, Trent Alexander-Arnold's (£7.0M) price seems absurd. Injuries held him back last year, but the talent and class remain in TAA's right foot. As of this writing, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to all Liverpool players not named Mohamed Salah (£12.5M), but I reckon Alexander-Arnold will be in my team sooner rather than later.
- Jamie: The Liverpool full-backs dropping in price was a pleasant surprise. In Alexander-Arnold's case, he’s £1.0M cheaper than at the start of last season. He only started 25 games last season, yet still finished as a top-10 defender. Andy Robertson (£6.0M) only started 18 games but managed 76 points, so that pair over an entire season should still provide value even at their premium prices.
- Wale: I don’t have a favorite price reveal for the defenders. However, I like Willam Saliba’s (£6.0M) pricing this season. Saliba was the only Arsenal player to play every minute for Mikel Arteta’s team last season and scored 164 FPL points. I believe he was priced reasonably and is one to have.
Trent Alexander-Arnold among defenders in #FPL last season
Points: 122 (9th)
Minutes: 2153 (55th)£7.0m is going to be such a value!
— Euan Leith (@F1EuanFPL) July 13, 2024
What's your least favorite FPL price reveal for defenders?
- Euan: I understand why FPL priced Ben White (£6.5M) the way they did, but I still don't love it. While the Englishman led all defenders in FPL points (183) last year, he's not worth more than William Saliba (£6.0M) or Gabriel (£6.0M). I would much rather go with one of the center backs (leaning Saliba) than White. With Riccardo Callafiori (£6.0M) and Jurrien Timber (£5.5M) lurking, I can't see White being the minutes and clean-sheet monster we saw last season.
- Jamie: I’m all on board with Crystal Palace this season, so Tyrick Mitchell (£5.0M) being that expensive sucks. There are a few £5.0M defenders I’d have loved to see at £4.5M. In Mitchell’s case, he’s gone up from £4.5M last season, yet teammate Joachim Andersen (£4.5M) has stayed at last year's price despite outscoring Mitchell.
- Wale: Arsenal’s new signing, Riccardo Calafiori, was announced at £6m disappointed me. The UEFA Euro 2024 star, who featured heavily for Italy, was imposing in June. Nonetheless, coming in at a high premium price for his debut season seems far-fetched; I hope he will prove me wrong.
Among the £6.0M and above-priced defenders, who are you most likely to have in your Gameweek 1 squad?
- Euan: It's between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Josko Gvardiol, with less than a week until the deadline. I'm leaning towards the Croatian over the Englishman because of the £1M budget savings and the manager change at Anfield. TAA looked solid in his preseason debut on Sunday, but I doubt we'll see him play 90 minutes until Gameweek 3 or 4. Gvardiol has had a full preseason and can hit the ground running with City in his sophomore campaign.
- Jamie: Robertson stands out, but I keep settling on David Raya (£5.5M) as my main goalkeeper. That will ultimately mean I go with an Arsenal defender with Ben White as the standout. His linkup play with Saka last season was outstanding, and he should continue to pose an attacking threat down the Arsenal right while tallying plenty of clean sheets.
- Wale: Josko Gvardiol is the first name that comes to mind. However, I have swapped between Ben White, William Saliba, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. I think Manchester City has some pretty decent fixtures, and Gvardiol is likely a nailed-on defender I want to own
Who is your favorite £5-£5.5M defender for the 2024/25 FPL campaign?
- Euan: I'm not a massive fan of this price bracket, but Ian Maatsen (£5.0M) and Daniel Munoz (£5.0M) catch my eye. Maatsen was excellent in UCL Fantasy last year with Dortmund and has the talent to become the best-attacking wingback at Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Munoz flourished over the last eight weeks under new manager Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace. I can't afford both in my team, but I want one when that Friday deadline hits.
- Jamie: Pedro Porro (£5.5M) will be the most eye-catching. He still looks like a bit of a liability defensively, but as long as he plays, he’ll attack. And that’s what we’re looking for in FPL. If he can tally double-digit goal involvements again, he’ll provide value on his price tag.
- Wale: One name stuck in my head is Pedro Porro. The Spanish defender scored two goals for Tottenham in a recent friendly, but this Spurs side loves conceding a few goals. With Porro’s attacking ability and delivery of set-pieces, he is my favorite defender in that price range.
STRIKE 🚀 pic.twitter.com/mEzJpr1gxu
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 3, 2024
Whose the best pick along the backline priced at £4.5M or under?
- Euan: This is the year where Antonee Robinson (£4.5M) makes the leap to FPL stardom. The American started at least 35 games in back-to-back seasons and increased his xGI (expected Goal Involvement) in both campaigns. Fulham is always a tough team to gauge because of their inconsistency. However, if you want a piece of the Cottager's defense, I much prefer Robinson at his price compared to his goalkeeper, Bernd Leno (£5.0M).
- Jamie: There are so many to choose from. Inspired by “my guy” last season (Alfie Doughty), I’m going with another newly promoted defender. Ipswich’s Leif Davis (£4.5M) is their only defender priced over £4.0M, and for good reason. Last season in the Championship, Davis’ 209 shot-creating actions were fourth most in the league. Not just among defenders….. The Premier League is obviously a step up, but it’s clear Davis will be an integral part of how Ipswich plays this season.
- Wale: With transfer news of Newcastle trying to seal the deal and bring in Marc Guehi (£4.5M) from Crystal Palace. I like the prospect of the Englishman under the leadership of Eddie Howe, as he has been brilliant for both club and country in recent months. Marc Guehi might become the best value defender in a Newcastle backline.
Are you on the lookout for the best budget defenders available in #FPL? Of course you are.
The Scout has examined the first sets of fixtures, previous season performances, and pre-season learnings to find the best options 🕵️♂️
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) August 7, 2024
Which defender will have the best start to the Fantasy Premier League season over the first six fixtures?
- Euan: Aston Villa sits third in the Fixture Ticker for the defensive schedule over the first six weeks. This should enable Ian Maatsen or any of his £4.5M-priced teammates (Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres) to rack up FPL points in the first month and a half of the season. Villa must start strong in the Premier League this season before their Champions League schedule begins. We all saw what happened to Newcastle (4th to out of Europe) when the squad depth was stretched.
- Jamie: I mentioned Palace as a team to watch this season, and Daniel Muñoz could undoubtedly shine in the early weeks. He assisted four goals in 16 starts last season after joining from Genk in January. Three assists came in the season's last three games as he acclimatized to life in the EPL. Looking at Palace’s first six fixtures, I can see Muñoz getting three clean sheets and a couple of goal involvements.
- Wale: With Liverpool's first six games looking promising on paper, all signs point to Trent Alexander-Arnold as a vital defender expected to make a strong start. It remains to be seen how Alexander-Arnold fits with Arne Slot's tactics. However, many fantasy managers believe his inverted wingback tactics will help the defender get more involved in Liverpool's forward transition.
"The record speaks for itself" 🎤
Will Trent Alexander-Arnold have a place in your #FPL side this season? 🔴 pic.twitter.com/oMVYSpGWev
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) August 11, 2024
Which defender will struggle over the first six fixtures of the FPL season?
- Euan: Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.5M) came in at a low price, but his fixtures for the first nine gameweeks are rough. Games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Man City appear in that stretch, so there's no point jumping on any Wolves defensive asset before Gameweek 10. If anything, you can wait it out and possibly grab the Algerian wing-back at a discounted price further down the schedule if his price drops.
- Jamie: Kieran Trippier is currently the ninth-highest rostered defender. He’s struggled with injuries for the last year, had a tumultuous Euros, is going through personal issues, and has strongly been linked with a move all Summer. It’s difficult to see how he can provide value at £6.0M even before looking at his fixtures. Newcastle’s schedule to start the season isn’t too bad but still consists of three tricky-looking away games and home ties against Manchester City and Tottenham. I’m avoiding all Newcastle defenders to start the season, none more so than Trippier.
- Wale: I anticipate a few defenses from the promoted sides to struggle in their introduction to the Premier League. For instance, Southampton conceded 63 goals in the Championship last season, and maybe a defender like Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£4.0M) might struggle to keep clean sheets for the Saints.
As of today, who's your favorite FPL defender to target?
- Euan: I'm googly-eyed for Daniel Munoz this season. He was fantastic under Oliver Glasner despite it not showing up on the stat sheet toward the end of last season. The Colombian defender was incredibly advanced under his new manager. This is a pure eyes test, watch-the-games pick, but I trust Munoz to deliver the goods. Of course, this is all contingent on Ebrechi Eze (£7.0M) staying at Crystal Palace.
- Jamie: Rayan Aït-Nouri had a strong end to the season, especially when pushed into a more advanced role. Wolves have arguably the most challenging start to the season, and there’s no way I’d be starting him in the first few weeks. But there are a couple of charming fixtures to start him in to begin the season, and from Week 9 to 18, he could end up being the most added defender in the game.
- Wale: Simple answer, Man City's Josko Gvardiol. The Croatian international has done well in pre-season and is nailed for minutes.
Finally, what's your bold prediction for defenders during the 2023/24 FPL season?
- Euan: Trent Alexander-Arnold returns to the 200-point FPL club and leads the position in points for the first time since the 2021/22 season.
- Jamie: Despite having three of the 20-highest rostered defenders, Newcastle won’t have a single defender ranked in the top 20 by the end of the season. Meanwhile, Fulham ends up with a pair of top-20 defenders.
- Wale: With the new Bonus Point system adjustments, this might be the season where center-backs will be more important than the attacking wingbacks. This is primarily due to added bonus points for blocks, clearances, and interceptions. My bold prediction for defenders is we see our top FPL-scoring defender be a center-back by the end of the season.
Join the Rotoballer FPL League
Fancy pitting your wits against fellow RotoBallers? Then, join our free league to compete against the team and our dedicated FPL fans. Head to the official FPL site, click the Leagues and Cups tab and enter the RotoBaller league code: b278pa.
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Pick your squad and compete for #FPL glory now! ⬇️
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) July 18, 2024
Stick around for more 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League content coming soon. Hit us up on X @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
