In this article, we will look at the best defenders to pick for your Fantasy Premier League team in Gameweek 20.
Let’s dive in
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Best defenders for FPL GW20
We will look at defenders from every price point: budget enablers, midpriced picks and premium options.
Budget enablers for Gameweek 20
Bueno (3.9m, Wolves)
- cemented a role in starting XI for Wolves
- budget enabler to pick instead of Neco Williams or injured Patterson
Rico Lewis (3.9m, Manchester City)
- possible Cancelo replacement in our teams
- but he could be only short term pick until Cancelo get in Pep’s favor again
- Then you might be stuck with him, wasting 3rd City spot
- But Pep’s comments on him are encouraging, as he said, that Lewis helped them to play better against Chelsea in the second half (source)
Doherty (4.6m, Tottenham)
- a risky differential (selected by only 0.6% of managers)
- attacking threat, 1G in GW19, 3G in Tottenham friendlies during the World Cup break
- when he plays, he delivers points, but he might quickly fall out of favor
- definitely, one to consider as Spurs double gameweek will go ahead in GW20
White (4.7m, Arsenal)
- Arsenal is second for clean sheets (8) after Newcastle
- Arsenal with excellent defensive stats
- only 14 goals conceded, the least from all EPL (only Newcastle conceded less)
- the second least xG conceded of all teams after Manchester City (according to Understat)
- cheap route into Arsenal defence
- Might get unexpected benching, or early subbed of before 60 minutes
Mid-priced FPL defenders for GW20
Shaw (5.1m, Manchester United)
- nailed in Man United defense
- attacking threat
- good at BPS
- Manchester United second for clean sheets alongside Arsenal
- 3 clean sheets in last 3 matches
- Double Gameweek in GW20
Gabriel (5.2m, Arsenal)
- Arsenal second for clean sheets this season
- you want best players from best teams in your FPL squad
- goal threat – 5 goals last season, 2 goals this season
- possibility of a double gameweek in GW21, then a double in GW23
Premium FPL defenders for Gameweek 20
Stones (5.4m, Manchester City)
- very hard to pick some Manchester City defenders due to Pep’s rotation
- but it looks like Stones is the most preferred one
- we can never be sure with Pep
- injury prone
- might get rotated as all Manchester City defenders
Trippier (5.9m, Newcastle)
- the top-scoring defender in the game, the third top scoring player
- Newcastle solid defensively – only 11 goals conceded, the lowest of all teams + the most clean sheets
- However, they are defensively overperforming, 11 goals conceded from 19.25 xG against
- Trippier with great underlying stats: top for xA among defenders this season
- on free kicks and corners
- OK fixtures run until GW23
Trent Alexander Arnold (7.3m, Liverpool)
- disappointed this season so far, only 55 fantasy points and 1G + 3A this season – far behind expectations
- but will his points output return to the mean – the expected point output? If so, he has around 90-130 points in him during the last 19 gameweeks
- we saw similar pattern with Robertson last season = low points output in the first half of the season, great points output in the second half of the season
- but Liverpool 6th worst for xG conceded, what is concerning
- Liverpool is top for underperforming defences in our Expected Clean Sheets table
Tips for picking the best defenders for your FPL team
- With defenders, you always want a keeper that has a very high chance of a clean sheet. You can use our Premier League Clean Sheets Odds to find goalkeepers, who are most likely to keep a clean sheet in the next gameweek of FPL.
- Also, when considering defenders for your fantasy team, you always have to take a look at fixtures and asses whether a certain defender has the potential for a clean sheet. Does he have a tough or easy fixture? And as we mentioned, our clean sheet odds will help you with that.
- Check FDR to find defenders with the great fixture run that could be good for clean sheets and attacking returns as well
- Also, asses the attacking potential of defenders – attacking full-backs, attacking wing backs, and centre back who are good at headers after corners can offer high points output as you do not have rely solely for clean sheet points
FPL Defenders with stable points output in previous 4 seasons
Read more in our article: Best long-term FPL picks for 2022/23 season
How many points should you expect from your defender in Fantasy Premier League?
Do not have unrealistic expectations from your FPL defenders.
- At the best, the top teams can keep around 14-20 clean sheets per season. So, when you select a premium defender, expect you will get a clean sheet in every second match at the best.
- Mid-table teams tend to keep around 8-13 clean sheets per season. So, with mid-priced defenders, expect a clean sheet in every fourth match
- Bottom table teams usually keep around 0-7 clean sheets per season. So when picking budget enablers from bottom-table teams, do not really expect more than a clean sheet in every 6th match.
- attacking full-backs (like TAA, James, Cancelo, Chilwell) can get around 10 attacking returns in a season – so 1 attacking return every 4th match is an excellent return from your defenders
- few center backs (who are good at headers) might get around 3-5 goals per season, so a goal every 10th match from your centre back is an excellent rate of attacking returns
- So, usually, top-scoring FPL defenders can get around 170-210 points per season.
- But usually 140-160 points is the amount of points you should aim to get from you defenders during the whole FPL season – that is more realistic goal
How are defenders awarded points in FPL?
The majority of FPL points for defenders go through clean sheets – 4 points – that’s their main source of points.
Then attacking returns can earn them extra points as well – 6 points for a goal and 3 for an assist. And usually, when a defender keeps a clean sheet and gets an attacking return there is a potential that he will get awarded a few bonus points.
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