Defenders are often overlooked in FPL but can be valuable assets. They can earn points for clean sheets, tackles, goals, and assists. While their attacking contributions may not be as significant as forwards or midfielders, their defensive prowess can provide a steady stream of points. Choosing the right defenders involves assessing their team’s defensive strength, fixture difficulty, and individual performances.
With GW3 coming up this weekend, FPL is finally back and in full swing. Selecting the correct defenders are an important part of the FPL teams. Cristian Romero and Max Kilman are the defenders who ended up with the most points in GW2. Here are the five best defenders picks in FPL ahead of Fantasy Premier League gameweek 3.
1. Rico Lewis
One of the most promising young players in the Premier League, Rico Lewis looks like he has finally become an established starter for Manchester City, benching none other than Kyle Walker. For FPL managers, this is really good news as Lewis’s playing style makes him much more likely to get points than Walker. He is available for £4.5m which is very cheap for the points he can get. So far he has 8 points from 2 games with the potential for more. West Ham would provide a unique challenge but City are well suited to counter that.
2. Ezri Konsa
It would be probably fair to say that Ezri Konsa hasn’t quite performed to the best of his potential this season. But truthfully, Aston Villa have had a couple of difficult games in West Ham and Arsenal. While it is true that the English centre-back has only managed 3 points, he is still a safe bet on the whole. Available for a paltry £4.5m, Konsa is a nailed-on starter for a Villa side that are usually very solid defensively. He plays against a newly promoted Leicester City this weekend and a clean sheet will be expected of him.
3. Antonee Robinson
Antonee Robinson is one of the most underrated options in FPL. He is one defender that everyone who has good knowledge of the game has. He has a high ownership of 12.9% for this reason. The American is a two-way threat – he is a fantastic defender and he showcased last week, he gets assists too. He has a total of 9 points in 2 games so far. Robinson has seen a price upgrade from £4.6m to £4.5m. This weekend they face Ipswich Town and Fulham will be expected to get a clean sheet.
4. Pedro Porro
Pedro Porro is among the best-attacking defenders in the Premier League, and it has already been reflected in the attacking returns produced by the Spurs right back this season. In addition to offering creativity in abundance from fullback, Porro also takes some of the set-pieces and is frequent in taking shots. He is owned by 36% of the managers in the game. Spurs place Newcastle this weekend. Originally they wouldn’t be on this list but this season the Magpies haven’t shown much so Porro could get great returns. He already has 14 points this season.
5. Josko Gvardiol
Josko Gvardiol’s ability to contribute both defensively and offensively is evident, as highlighted by his impressive return of 9 points already this season. With him being one of Pep Guardiola’s favourites and given Manchester City’s defensive solidity, Gvardiol is primed for consistent points. Priced at a reasonable £6.0 million, he offers exceptional value and that is why there are a staggering 32.9% of teams currently featuring the Croatian defender. He faces West Ham this weekend with expectations of good returns once again.
Also Read: Five midfielders to have in your FPL gameweek 3 squad