As managers try to squeeze three premium attackers into their Fantasy Premier League (FPL) squads, alongside balance and depth, budget defenders are now increasingly important.
The money from a Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) downgrade may be needed, with other managers either giving up on Pedro Porro (£5.5m) or losing faith in the backlines of Arsenal and Manchester City.
With this in mind, we’ve used a combination of fixtures, form and statistics to determine the best lower-priced defensive enablers.
Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.7m)
Over one million have bought the attacking left-back since Gameweek 8’s deadline, despite Wolverhampton Wanderers remaining the worst for goals conceded (27). But are managers really picking Ait-Nouri for shut-outs?
No defender has netted more often than his three occasions and only two have recorded more big chances (three). Often used as a winger, he ended last season as the FPL defender with the most take-ons (115) + remains the best this time (35).
In fact, there was a three-match spell between Gameweeks 28 and 31 where he registered two goals, four big chances and five shots on target.
Wolves have just collected their first win and clean sheet of 2024/25 and soon face Bournemouth and four of the five sides directly above themselves: Everton, West Ham United, Ipswich Town and Leicester City. Maybe Ait-Nouri will end up being about more than goals.
Just be careful: he’s on four yellow cards, nearing a one-match suspension.
Lewis Hall (£4.4m)
It’s been a good week for Hall, with the Newcastle United left-back making his England debut on Thursday night. And after a difficult 2023/24 of restricted minutes, the 20-year-old is starting to find his groove on Tyneside.
A starter in their latest six league games, he assisted Alexander Isak’s (£8.5m) goal at Chelsea and picked up two clean sheets as the Magpies overcame tricky opponents Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
Joint-fifth amongst defenders for chances created (13), Hall is linking up well with Joelinton (£6.0m) and Joe Willock (£4.8m) down the left flank, although it should be noted that he’s on zero shots.
Still, a large number of set pieces are coming from him and the next five opponents include West Ham, Crystal Palace and Leicester. The main drawback is that Lloyd Kelly (£4.3m) could step in for some minutes during a chaotic December that includes an EFL Cup quarter-final.
Leif Davis (£4.5m)
While Ipswich are located high on our Season Ticker, no team has accumulated fewer attempts (108) or expected goals (xG, 10.24), whilst they’re also the worst defence for xGC (24.64) and allowed big chances (47).
Therefore, you’re relying on Davis’ attacking threat – the left foot that brought 18 assists in last season’s Championship. He’s trying his best though, leading the way amongst defenders for key passes (27) and big chances (eight), also racking up the most corner kicks (39).
As well as that, he cheekily got on the scoresheet in Gameweek 10 with a stunning volley versus Leicester.
Of course, the Tractor Boys lost their clean sheet in stoppage time. But when defensive returns seem harder to secure than ever before, owning a bunch of forward-thinking full-backs could prove very fruitful in FPL.
Levi Colwill (£4.5m)
Moving from a former Chelsea defender to a current one, the Blues have even better upcoming fixtures that put them top of our Season Ticker between now and Gameweek 22. Newly promoted duo Leicester and Southampton are within the next three.
Being the Chelsea outfielder with most Premier League minutes so far, choosing Colwill is solely about owning a nailed-on part of an attractive fixture run, as his downside is delivering no attacking returns in a team that’s conceded the seventh-most shots on target (54). Two clean sheets from these opening months feel a bit under par.
It’s also worth mentioning that he was withdrawn from England duty. Then again, so were many, meaning his yellow flag shouldn’t be particularly concerning.
Lewis Dunk (£4.4m)/Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.5m)
Whereas Dunk is more of a legitimate doubt, after missing Brighton and Hove Albion’s last three encounters. This may tempt some managers toward Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.5m) for the Seagulls’ great-looking fixtures – which rank third on our ticker over the next half-dozen Gameweeks – but you’d expect club captain Dunk to go straight back into their line-up.
Fabian Hurzeler’s lot is doing better than last season, where it took until Gameweek 20 for their first clean sheet. Yet this time they’re already on three, conceding a low 135 shots.
Furthermore, Dunk brings a goal threat. Three of them came in 2023/24, finishing as the joint-third best defender for shots in the box (27) and joint-fourth for putting attempts on target (12).
Should Hurzeler provide a positive update on the calf problem, Dunk could prove a bargain.
As for van Hecke, he’s registered three shots and three key passes over the season. He’s also among the top three Brighton players for aerial duels won (15), clearances (22) and blocks (five).
Noussair Mazraoui (£4.6m)
There’s an element of uncertainty about Ruben Amorim’s favoured personnel but what we do know is that the new Manchester United manager likes attacking wing-backs in a 3-4-3 formation.
Although it’s been an underwhelming start in terms of results and goals – the Red Devils sit 13th in the league table – they’ve actually gathered an impressive five clean sheets, bettered only by Liverpool.
Good short-term fixtures against Ipswich and Everton give the 27-year-old a chance of replicating his first five Gameweeks, where three shut-outs and an assist had him rank amongst the highest-scoring defenders.
However, the danger is that Amorim could decide to relocate a winger to wing-back and place Diogo Dalot (£5.2m) on the other side. But with the latter costing over £5.0m and Lisandro Martinez (£4.4m) reportedly suffering a back injury, Mazraoui is currently the best cheap route into Man United’s rearguard.
