The launch of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game heralds the start of our series of player list analysis articles, which scrutinise each player position and look at the best options across the price brackets.

We begin our articles by assessing the last line of defence and run the rule over goalkeeper options.

We focus not only on their clean sheet prospects, but their potential to earn points from saves and from bonus via the FPL’s Bonus Point System (BPS).

As with all these pre-season articles, we’ll focus on each price bracket – offering our view on targets for those who want to spend big on one reliable stopper, as well as those looking to rotate a pair of budget keepers.

Budget Keepers

The prospect of a starting goalkeeper in the 4.0 bracket was looking slim. However, there is now just a chance that Hull City’s Eldin Jakupovic could earn starts if boss Steve Bruce fails to recruit a replacement for number one keeper Allan McGregor (4.5), who is sidelined for the next six months with a back injury.

Jakupovic will hope to start as number one in McGregor’s absence, although Bruce is rumoured to be lining up a move for Crystal Palace’s second string stopper, Alex McCarthy who sets you back 4.5.

When you shift your sights into that price bracket, it’s another of the promoted sides that catches the eye.

Burnley’s Tom Heaton ticks a number of boxes. Not only is he guaranteed starts but his 130 saves when the Clarets were last in the top flight, in 2014/15, give considerable cause for optimism. This was the third best tally of any keeper that season.

Heaton also has a strong early set of fixtures, including home ties against Swansea, Hull and Watford in the first six Gameweeks, that rotate well with other budget friendly keepers.

West Brom’s Ben Foster (4.5) looks to be an ideal rotation match for Heaton early on, particularly in Gameweeks two and three, when the Baggies host Everton and Middlesbrough and Burnley face a pair of tricky ties, at home to Liverpool and away to Chelsea.

An injury hit 2015/16 has ensured that Foster has retained a budget price tag, in spite of his strong tally of 46 saves across just 15 appearances.

For those looking for an alternative rotation partner with Foster, Sunderland’s Vito Mannone (4.5) offers a very viable option.

This pairing provide a strong first eight Gameweek run that includes two home clashes with Middlesbrough and visits from Crystal Palace and West Brom.

Rotation early on with Costel Pantilimon saw Mannone earn just 19 starts last season and that has contributed to preserving his low price tag. With a highly impressive 76 saves over that period, Mannone looks to offer exceptional value, particularly if Sam Allardyce remains in situ at the Stadium of Light, thus giving Sunderland some stability heading into the new campaign.

Middlesbrough’s early fixtures also brings their goalkeepers into the equation, with former Manchester United stopper Victor Valdes (4.5) expected to oust last season’s regular number one Dimi Konstantopoulos (4.5).

With Stoke and Palace the first two visitors to the Riverside, around away trips to Sunderland and West Brom, the allure of Aitor Karanka’s rearguard is hard to ignore. However, with George Friend available in the same price bracket and offering stronger attacking and bonus point potential, it’s likely that many will look beyond Boro’s stoppers, particularly with the fixtures stiffening from Gameweek 5 onwards.

Crystal Palace may have only kept eight clean sheets last season but the signings of Steve Mandanda (4.5) and James Tomkins (5.0) could potentially see Alan Pardew’s men make strides.

Mandanda is expected to see off Wayne Hennessey (4.5) for the number one jersey at Selhurst Park and with West Brom, Bournemouth and Stoke the first three visitors, he has the opportunity to claim early returns.

Mid-Price Keepers

With a 2015/16 season topping 127 saves, Watford’s Heurelho Gomes (5.0) is arguably the strongest mid-priced option for the coming season.

In a stellar campaign which saw him save three spot kicks, Gomes also helped Watford rack up 11 clean sheets.

Swansea’s Lucasz Fabianski is another worthy candidate available for 5.0. With 117 saves he was second only to Gomes, although he will have to improve on his 2015/16 clean sheet tally of nine if he is to prove stronger value than this season’s budget keepers.

Jack Butland’s 2015/16 campaign was cut short after 31 games due to injury, but the Stoke keeper did more than enough during that time to earn a price hike to 5.0.

Butland’s save tally of 103 was the third best last season and only Gomes made more saves in the box than the Potters’ number one. However, with Man City and Tottenham visiting the Britannia Stadium in the first four Gameweeks, investors are advised to have a strong deputy in place, with Mannone providing one of the best rotation partners. Sunderland face home matches against Middlesbrough and Everton during those tough match-ups for Butland.

Stoke certainly have a run of obliging fixtures to follow their opening four Gameweeks so, if you can navigate that opening with rotation or are happy to rely on save points potential, Butland’s could once again emerge as a one-stop shop option.

West Ham’s Adrian also fits the bill in that respect, thanks to a raft of obliging early fixtures.

Over the first 11 Gameweeks the Hammers host Bournemouth, Watford, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Stoke and also have kind away ties against West Brom and Crystal Palace. Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace also offer reasonable rotation partners with the 5.0 priced Hammers man.

Kasper Schmeichel is another 5.0 option to consider. After Leicester’s title-winning campaign, which included 15 clean sheets for the Dane, he has earned a price hike but still offers one of the cheapest and reliable routes into the Foxes defence. In addition, his 101 saves last season put him joint fifth with Adrian.

However, with N’Golo Kante now departed for Chelsea, there are concerns that Leicester’s back four will be more exposed, reducing their clean sheet potential whilst perhaps boosting Schmeichel’s save count.

Ronald Koeman’s appointment as Everton manager has prompted a re-appraisal of their defensive resolve and will have us monitoring the goalkeeper situation.

Koeman moved quickly to seal the capture of Maarten Stekelenburg from Fulham, which has us questioning Joel Robles‘ credentials as the Toffee’s number one.

Both are priced at 5.0 and could offer value given Everton’s early fixtures which find them hosting Stoke, Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace once the opening clash with Spurs has passed. Away trips to West Brom, Sunderland and Bournemouth also offer potential if Koeman can instill some much-needed resolve into the Everton back-line.

Premium Keepers

With the FPL deciding against nominating any 6.0 goalkeepers, we’re looking at just 5.5 in order to acquire a top-of-the-range stopper.

Among this elite group, Petr Cech offers not only strong clean sheet potential but also save points aplenty.

His 159 FPL points last season was the highest amongst goalkeepers, and was achieved thanks to his 102 saves, the fourth best last season, and 16 clean sheets – the top overall tally.

With price hikes for Gunners defenders such as Hector Bellerin (6.5), Cech’s price tag makes him the cheapest route into Arsenal’s strong clean sheet potential. It is worth noting that among regular keepers last season, Cech had the highest points per game of 4.7.

Arsenal’s fixtures are also kind enough to promote Cech as an option, with a strong run of opponents once the Liverpool and Leicester opening match-ups pass by.

Despite notching 15 clean sheets 2015/16 was a relatively poor season for Manchester United’s David De Gea as an FPL asset. A lack of save points was his key weakness, with the Spain international achieving just 83 across his 34 outings.

It’s difficult to say how United’s rearguard will fare under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho. There’s no doubt that Louis van Gaal’s methods boosted clean sheet returns at Old Trafford and, while we can perhaps anticipate this being maintained under the new regime, it’s tough to speculate whether De Gea will be called into action more readily, boosting his shot-stopping points. We do know that, with the fit-again Luke Shaw also available for 5.5, there is perhaps a more attractive route to covering Mourinho’s defence.

Elsewhere, both Hugo Lloris and Thibaut Courtois will be considerations but, as with United, the members of Tottenham’s and Chelsea’s back four appear more attractive. Their cast of defenders offer a degree of attacking threat that outweighs any promise from save points and bonus from their goalkeeper.

A final mention goes to Joe Hart, who was another to impress last season with 15 clean sheets. However, with a string of questionable performances for England in Euro 2016 and a poor save tally in 2015/16 of just 72, he seems unlikely to tempt investment.

We’re expecting great strides under Pep Guardiola but he has a lot to do before us FPL managers are convinced on Manchester City’s pricey rearguard.