Best FPL Defenders — 2025/26
Complete defenders rankings by points, form, value & fixtures. Updated daily.
Top 20 FPL Defenders by Points
| # | Player | Team | Price | Pts | Form | PPG | xGI | Own% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gabriel | ARS | £7.2m | 173 | 10.0 | 6.9 | 3.55 | 43.1% |
| 2 | J.Timber | ARS | £6.3m | 149 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 6.24 | 26.8% |
| 3 | Tarkowski | EVE | £5.7m | 142 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 3.40 | 11.5% |
| 4 | Senesi | BOU | £5.1m | 137 | 7.3 | 4.6 | 5.49 | 19.9% |
| 5 | Virgil | LIV | £6.3m | 135 | 2.0 | 4.4 | 3.84 | 35.0% |
| 6 | Guéhi | MCI | £5.1m | 135 | 1.5 | 4.8 | 5.58 | 33.7% |
| 7 | Chalobah | CHE | £5.4m | 131 | 1.3 | 4.5 | 2.31 | 13.7% |
| 8 | Lacroix | CRY | £5.1m | 128 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 2.88 | 4.6% |
| 9 | Matheus N. | MCI | £5.3m | 128 | 1.5 | 4.7 | 2.17 | 3.0% |
| 10 | O'Reilly | MCI | £5.0m | 125 | 1.0 | 4.5 | 5.70 | 9.1% |
| 11 | Truffert | BOU | £4.7m | 122 | 7.7 | 3.9 | 2.87 | 3.3% |
| 12 | Van Hecke | BHA | £4.5m | 120 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 3.33 | 5.1% |
| 13 | Keane | EVE | £4.6m | 118 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 2.17 | 3.2% |
| 14 | Ballard | SUN | £4.7m | 118 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.00 | 3.7% |
| 15 | Mukiele | SUN | £4.5m | 115 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 3.03 | 7.1% |
| 16 | Mitchell | CRY | £5.0m | 114 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 2.69 | 2.1% |
| 17 | Richards | CRY | £4.4m | 114 | 7.0 | 4.4 | 2.57 | 2.5% |
| 18 | Thiaw | NEW | £5.1m | 114 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.62 | 8.2% |
| 19 | James | CHE | £5.6m | 113 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 4.17 | 7.3% |
| 20 | Rúben | MCI | £5.5m | 112 | 0.5 | 4.5 | 1.20 | 3.4% |
Best Value Defenders (Points per £m)
Ranked by total points divided by current price — the efficiency metric
| # | Player | Team | Price | Pts | Pts/£m | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Senesi | BOU | £5.1m | 137 | 26.9 | 7.3 |
| 2 | Van Hecke | BHA | £4.5m | 120 | 26.7 | 5.0 |
| 3 | Guéhi | MCI | £5.1m | 135 | 26.5 | 1.5 |
| 4 | Truffert | BOU | £4.7m | 122 | 26.0 | 7.7 |
| 5 | Richards | CRY | £4.4m | 114 | 25.9 | 7.0 |
| 6 | Keane | EVE | £4.6m | 118 | 25.7 | 4.0 |
| 7 | Mukiele | SUN | £4.5m | 115 | 25.6 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Rodon | LEE | £3.9m | 99 | 25.4 | 5.3 |
| 9 | Lacroix | CRY | £5.1m | 128 | 25.1 | 4.5 |
| 10 | Ballard | SUN | £4.7m | 118 | 25.1 | 4.3 |
Budget Defenders (Under £5.5m)
Affordable options that free up funds for premium picks elsewhere
| Player | Team | Price | Pts | Form | PPG | Own% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senesi | BOU | £5.1m | 137 | 7.3 | 4.6 | 19.9% |
| Van Hecke | BHA | £4.5m | 120 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 5.1% |
| Guéhi | MCI | £5.1m | 135 | 1.5 | 4.8 | 33.7% |
| Truffert | BOU | £4.7m | 122 | 7.7 | 3.9 | 3.3% |
| Richards | CRY | £4.4m | 114 | 7.0 | 4.4 | 2.5% |
| Keane | EVE | £4.6m | 118 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 3.2% |
| Mukiele | SUN | £4.5m | 115 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 7.1% |
| Rodon | LEE | £3.9m | 99 | 5.3 | 3.4 | 4.2% |
| Alderete | SUN | £4.1m | 103 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 6.6% |
| Ballard | SUN | £4.7m | 118 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.7% |
Premium Defenders (£6.0m+)
High-ceiling options for captaincy and season-long returns
In-Form Defenders
Highest current form rating — momentum matters in FPL
| Player | Team | Price | Form | Pts | PPG | GW Transfers In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabriel | ARS | £7.2m | 10.0 | 173 | 6.9 | +63,734 |
| Truffert | BOU | £4.7m | 7.7 | 122 | 3.9 | +25,235 |
| Senesi | BOU | £5.1m | 7.3 | 137 | 4.6 | +55,750 |
| J.Timber | ARS | £6.3m | 7.0 | 149 | 5.0 | +47,285 |
| Tarkowski | EVE | £5.7m | 7.0 | 142 | 4.7 | +87,402 |
| Richards | CRY | £4.4m | 7.0 | 114 | 4.4 | +11,182 |
| N.Williams | NFO | £4.7m | 7.0 | 104 | 3.5 | +17,843 |
| Kayode | BRE | £4.5m | 6.7 | 92 | 3.1 | +5,621 |
| Hincapie | ARS | £5.1m | 6.5 | 74 | 3.5 | +5,387 |
| Canvot | CRY | £4.5m | 6.5 | 48 | 3.7 | +1,996 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best FPL defenders in 2025/26?
The top FPL defenders by total points are: 1. Gabriel (173pts, £7.2m), 2. J.Timber (149pts, £6.3m), 3. Tarkowski (142pts, £5.7m), 4. Senesi (137pts, £5.1m), 5. Virgil (135pts, £6.3m).
Who are the best budget FPL defenders?
Best budget defenders (under £5.5m): Senesi (137pts, £5.1m), Van Hecke (120pts, £4.5m), Guéhi (135pts, £5.1m). These offer strong points per million.
How many defenders should I have in my FPL team?
FPL squads need 5 defenders (3-5 starting). Most managers use a formation that maximises their best players.
Are premium FPL defenders worth it?
Premium defenders like Gabriel (£7.2m, 173pts) and J.Timber (£6.3m, 149pts) can justify their price through high ceiling returns and captaincy potential.