Having assessed our favoured goalkeepers in the newly-updated Watchlist rankings, we now turn our attention to the defenders who look best-placed to benefit from the remaining schedule.
For those unfamiliar, the Watchlist offers mid-term player recommendations for the next four-to-six Gameweeks and beyond. They can be found in your sidebar on desktop, or via your slide-in menu on mobile or tablet.
They give an indication of our thinking on player selection for each position, listing the factors that are contributing to the given rank.
Similar to the keepers, our focus is understandably aimed towards those with a pair of expected Double Gameweeks to come.
With that in mind, Marcos Alonso returns to the summit in light of his unrivalled potential for attacking points among defenders.
Without a goal since Gameweek 22, the wing-back has been subject to an exodus in recent weeks, yet he remains peerless when it comes to offering a goal threat from the back.
Boasting a share of set-piece duties, Alonso has scored more goals (six) than any defender, while his tally of 55 attempts is at least double all bar nearest rival Nicolas Otamendi’s 28.
Chelsea’s home encounter with Spurs means that some Wildcarders may wait until Gameweek 33, which hands him a home clash with West Ham prior to a pair of Gameweek 34 trips to Southampton and Burnley.
After the Gameweek 35 blank has passed, Alonso offers trips to Swansea and Newcastle of either side of a home match with Liverpool, though a visit from Huddersfield is expected to drop in along with the Reds’ encounter for Double Gameweek 37.
At 5.3 to Alonso’s 7.2, though, Andreas Christensen may yet come into consideration for some if he recovers from the knock that forced him out of the Denmark squad on Thursday. Christensen’s ongoing fragility is a concern, though, while Cesar Azpilicueta – at just 0.3 less than Alonso – struggles to compete.
Harry Maguire (5.6) is another who threatens those much-wanted 15-point returns. He also has a pair of Double Gameweeks to come, promoting his case for a berth in our five-man defences.
Although he’s failed to produced attacking returns since Gameweek 19, Maguire – who has two goals and four assists – is the leading defender for both shots (12) and efforts in the box (ten) over the last six rounds of fixtures.
Claude Puel’s side have admittedly struggled for resilience of late and are without a clean sheet in six, yet the next three Gameweeks (bha NEW bur & SOT) before their blank in 35, look encouraging for those keen to invest.
Furthermore, they then play Crystal Palace in Gameweek 36 and should have back-to-back home encounters with West Ham and Arsenal in Double Gameweek 37.
After sustaining a minor hamstring complaint against Holland on Friday night, reports have now suggested that Maguire is back in full training ahead of England’s clash with Italy.
That fine run-in could also promote Ben Chilwell (4.3) and Wes Morgan (4.4) as cheaper routes into the Foxes’ rearguard. Chilwell has started seven of the last eight Gameweeks, while captain Morgan has played the previous three since returning from injury. Both require consideration, though Maguire’s big-score potential may just warrant the extra outlay given the fixtures to come.
Chris Smalling and Jan Vertonghen offer secure routes into the Man United and Spurs defences respectively for their anticipated pair of Double Gameweeks.
United’s remaining schedule (SWA mci WBA & bou blank ARS bha WAT) pits them against just two of the current top nine, with a trip to West Ham expected to slot in alongside the visit to Brighton in Double Gameweek 37.
Smalling has started eight successive league matches and seems to have nailed a role on the teamsheet, scoring his second goal of the season as recently as Gameweek 29.
In all likelihood, though, David De Gea’s save-point potential will be a key factor for those eyeing up United’s defence. Smalling appears to offer the optimum route for those seeking to double on Mourinho’s rearguard, with Antonio Valencia (6.9) surely a stretch too far, even for Wildcard budgets.
Vertonghen, meanwhile, is arguably the one secure pick in the Spurs defence as a result of Mauricio Pochettino’s tendency to rotate his full-backs.
On the downside, the north London side face Chelsea and Man City in the next three Gameweeks, though the latter fixture is part of a Double Gameweek 34 that also involves a trip to Brighton.
With Stoke, Watford and Leicester still to face, as well as an expected Double Gameweek 37 against West Brom and Newcastle, we’ll be monitoring Ben Davies’ situation. An average of 5.2 points per match is more than any defender but faith in the Welshman took a dive after was rested for his side’s previous league match at Bournemouth.
Burnley’s Matt Lowton should earn plenty of interest from those with the Wildcard active either now, or in Gameweek 33.
Last Thursday’s fixture announcement means that the Clarets are the only team set to play five times (wba wat LEI CHE stk) in the next four Gameweeks.
This also coincides with another appearance for the club’s reserves by Tom Heaton, who will put pressure on Nick Pope for the keeper’s jersey.
Costing just 4.4, Lowton has supplied two assists in five appearances since returning from injury and has reclaimed the right-back berth from Phil Bardsley.
Sean Dyche’s side also have two strong home matches (BHA BOU) on either side of a Gameweek 37 trip to Arsenal.
After serving up a 12-point haul in a 3-0 home win over Watford in Arsenal’s previous league match, Shkodran Mustafi now has three goals in 20 league starts this season.
On the downside, that clean sheet against the Hornets was their first since Gameweek 18. However, in terms of the upcoming fixtures, there are plenty of positives for Arsene Wenger’s defence, who play just one of their top six rivals (STK SOT new WHU mun BUR hud) between now and the end of the season.
A trip to Leicester is also likely to drop into Double Gameweek 37 along with their home encounter against Burnley, meaning that Arsenal will be one of only five teams – along with Man City, Swansea, West Ham and Newcastle – who play in Gameweek 35 and also feature twice in the penultimate round of fixtures.
Further down our ladder, Adrian Mariappa, Mike van der Hoorn and Paul Dummett could be worth considering as sub-4.5 picks for our Wildcards with Gameweek 37 in mind.
Mariappa is devoid of a double but, at just 4.2, has four kind home matches remaining (BOU BUR CRY NEW) along with a trip to Huddersfield. The Hornets have conceded one goal in three under Javi Gracia at Vicarage Road.
Like Mustafi, Van der Hoorn (4.4) and Dummett (4.2) play in Gameweek 35 and are also anticipated to feature twice in Gameweek 37. Their upcoming schedules are somewhat mixed, though, so they will need rotation partners around the double-headers.
