Defensive contributions are set to shake up the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) landscape in 2025/26.
- READ MORE: How to find the players with the most FPL defensive contributions
- READ MORE: FPL 2025/26: Huge rule change as defensive contributions come in
Had they come in last season, here’s who would have been the top-scoring defenders…
TOP-SCORING DEFENDERS IN 2024/25 WITH DEFENSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
| Player | Team | 24/25 points | Defensive contribution points | Total points | Rank without defensive contribution points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Milenkovic | Nottingham Forest | 145 | 26 | 171 | 3rd |
| Murillo | Nottingham Forest | 130 | 38 | 168 | 8th= |
| Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | 143 | 22 | 165 | 4th |
| Josko Gvardiol | Manchester City | 153 | 10 | 163 | 1st |
| Nathan Collins | Brentford | 127 | 32 | 159 | 11th |
| Daniel Munoz | Crystal Palace | 142 | 14 | 156 | 5th |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool | 148 | 6 | 154 | 2nd |
| James Tarkowski | Everton | 105 | 44 | 149 | 26th= |
| Maxence Lacroix | Crystal Palace | 114 | 34 | 148 | 20th= |
| Dean Huijsen | Bournemouth | 104 | 38 | 142 | 28th |
It’s no surprise to see centre-backs dominate the table above.
Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo from Nottingham Forest would have claimed the top two spots last season.
Their respective totals of 145 and 130 points would have been boosted by 26 and 38 points from defensive contributions, representing a significant hike.
A comparison between Crystal Palace defenders Daniel Munoz and Maxence Lacroix further emphasises the significance of defensive contributions for the upcoming campaign.
The attack-minded Munoz, who plays as a wing-back, finished 28 points ahead of centre-back Lacroix in 2024/25.
However, with defensive contribution points factored in, he finished just eight points behind. Points per match-wise, they were equal on 4.2.
Should there be a price disparity of £0.5m between Munoz and Lacroix next season, Fantasy managers may face a tricky decision. This enhances the potential for variety in our teams, which could be great for the game.
Slipping out of the top 10, incidentally, were Milos Kerkez, Marc Cucurella, William Saliba and Ola Aina.

