In this article, we will look at the best defenders to pick for your Fantasy Premier League team for Gameweek22 in the 2024/25 season. Which FPL defenders to buy, hold/keep, or sell?
Let’s dive in. Here are the FPL defenders to pick from, with our comments and ratings of each.
Read more about GW22 in our guide: FPL Gameweek 22: Tips, Captain, Transfer Targets & Team Selection
Best defenders to consider in Gameweek 22 and beyond: Our watchlist
Note: We calculate fixture difficulty from the attacking strength of the opponents from Vaastav’s teams data that’s why it differs from official FDR.
1. Aina – 7.9/10
Aina tops our defenders rankings with 4.6 points per game and an impressive value of 18.3. While his expected goal involvements per 90 (0.09) reflect limited attacking contributions, his +0.25 xGI difference suggests he’s delivering as expected (from the attacking point of view. He has 2 goal involvements). With a favorable home fixture against Southampton (2.09 next fixture difficulty) and an easy average difficulty of 2.40 over the next three gameweeks, Aina is a reliable choice for clean sheets and defensive stability. If you’re prioritizing a solid defense, Aina should be high on your list. According to Understat, Nottingham is 4th best for xG conceded this season.
2. Hall – 7.9/10
Hall is an excellent all-round option, offering great value (17.0) and averaging 4.0 points per game. His expected goal involvements per 90 (0.19) is pretty solid for a defender. A home fixture against Bournemouth (2.28 next fixture difficulty) and a 2.40 average difficulty over the next three gameweeks make Hall a good fantasy pick. In our view, Hall is a set-and-forget defender for the weeks ahead mainly due to his amazing value.
3. Alexander-Arnold – 7.7/10
Alexander-Arnold blends attacking flair with defensive reliability, averaging 4.5 points per game and contributing to 5 goal involvements. His expected goal involvements per 90 (0.34) are among the highest among defenders. An away game against Brentford (2.47 next fixture difficulty) and an average difficulty of 2.61 over the next four matches make him a good options, and do not forget Liverpool have a double gameweek in GW24. If you’re after attacking returns, we think Alexander-Arnold remains one of the best choices.
4. Guéhi – 7.3/10
Guéhi is the perfect budget-friendly pick, offering 3.5 points per game and strong value at 15.6. His expected goal involvements per 90 (0.09) suggest minimal attacking threat, but his +2.13 xGI difference shows he’s delivered more than expected – from attacking point of view. With an away fixture against West Ham (2.19 next fixture difficulty) and an easy 2.40 average difficulty over the next three gameweeks, and good fixture run up to GW32, is the budget pick to consider, especially if you cannot fit Mitchell or Munoz in your team.
5. Robinson – 7.3/10
Robinson’s 3.5 points per game and 9 total involvements highlight his attacking contributions, though his +5.68 xGI difference raises concerns about sustainability. A favorable away match against Leicester (2.28 next fixture difficulty) offers good short-term potential, and solid fixture run up to GW28 ensures he remains relevant. If you’re looking for a defender with attacking upside, Robinson is worth the risk. We also need to mention that Fulham has 3rd lowest xG conceded this season.
6. Gabriel – 7.3/10
Gabriel is a dependable defender, averaging 4.4 points per game with a solid value of 13.1. His expected goal involvements per 90 (0.19) suggest solid attacking potential, while his +1.62 xGI difference shows some offensive overperformance. A home fixture against Aston Villa (2.28 next fixture difficulty) and Arsenal’s solid longer-term fixtures on the horizon make him a reliable pick for defensive returns. In our opinion, he’s a safe bet for managers needing consistency.
7. Muñoz – 7.2/10
Muñoz expected goal involvements per 90 (0.25) indicate great attacking potential, though his -0.59 xGI difference shows slight underperformance from the attacking standpoint.
8. Kerkez – 7.0/10
Kerkez provides a mix of attacking and defensive potential, averaging 3.6 points per game. His expected goal involvements per 90 (0.10) is modest and +1.97 xGI difference suggests he has been overperforming attackingwise. A tough away fixture against Newcastle (2.94 next fixture difficulty) and a challenging 3.50 average difficulty over the next three gameweeks slightly limit his short-term appeal. But Bournemouth is not bad defensively – they have 5th lowest xG conceded this season.
Top over & underperformers among defenders this season – based on attacking stats
Defenders – Top Overperformers (Delta = Goal involvements – Expected involvements)
Robinson: +5.68
Aït-Nouri: +5.09
Collins: +2.79
Defenders – Top Underperformers (Delta = Goal involvements – Expected involvements)
Robertson: -2.86
Dalot: -1.68
Gusto: -1.35
Tips for picking the best defenders for your FPL team
- With defenders, you always want a defender 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 center back who are good at headers after corners can offer high points output as you do not have to rely solely on clean sheet points
FPL Defenders with stable points output in the previous 3 seasons
Read more in our article: Best long-term FPL picks for 2024/25 season
How many points should you expect from your defender in Fantasy Premier League?
Do not have unrealistic expectations from your FPL defenders.
- At 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 a 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.
Further resources
