After highlighting the Top 5 £4.5m defenders and the Top 5 Mid-Priced Midfielders, it’s time to focus on an often-overlooked FPL sweet spot – the £5.0m–£5.5m defenders.
Each season, this price bracket offers big potential for points at a fraction of the cost of premium assets.
With the new Defensive Contributions (DEFCON) rule (rewarding clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles), there's even more incentive to dig into the data.
Here are the top 5 mid-priced defenders to consider for your FPL squad in 2025/26!
Fancy playing Pep Roulette? Then Rúben Dias remains one of the safest routes into Man City’s defence.
Despite what was considered a poor season by their standards, City still finished joint fourth-best for goals conceded (44) and kept the joint second-most clean sheets (13), according to the Opta Stats Sandbox. If they return to their usual defensive form, the clean sheet potential is huge.
His Defensive Contributions average 7.97 per 90 minutes – a stat we’ve just added to the Opta Stats Sandbox for those wanting to dig deeper. This slightly lower figure compared to others is no surprise given City’s dominance of possession, which naturally limits defensive actions.
Even so, Dias offers great clean sheet potential in this price bracket, with minimal rotation risk. According to the Predicted Points & Stats tool, Man City are second for projected clean sheets over the first six Gameweeks.
He should also benefit from Rodri’s return, which will help restore City’s midfield control and overall defensive stability.
Their early fixtures — Wolves (A), Spurs (H), Burnley (H), Everton (H) — rank 8th for defensive difficulty in the first six Gameweeks in the Fixture Planner.
All things considered, Dias is a strong set-and-forget option to anchor your backline.
Tarkowski was a defensive contributions machine last season, averaging 13.17 DEFCON per 90 — one of the highest in the league.
He also offers aerial threat from set-pieces, having chipped in with goals across multiple campaigns.
Everton conceded just 44 goals in 2024/25 — the same as Man City — and start the season with a favourable run: Leeds (A), Brighton (H), Wolves (A), Villa (H), West Ham (H), Palace (H). There’s real clean sheet potential in that stretch.
With three kind opening fixtures, Tarkowski (11.5 projected points) ranks second among defenders in the Predicted Points & Stats tool for that period — behind only Saliba (11.6), who is priced at £6.0m and outside the scope of this article.
If he’s fit for Gameweek 1 (following minor hamstring surgery), Tarkowski looks like a high-floor, reliable pick. His all-round profile even earned him a place in our recent Differential XI article.
Murillo quietly emerged as a standout option at Nottingham Forest last season, starting 36 matches, scoring twice, and finishing top among all defenders for total Defensive Contributions (507).
He consistently racked up interceptions, clearances, and blocks, making him an ideal pick under the new DEFCON scoring system.
While he isn’t a major goal threat, Murillo offers value through bonus points, earning 18 last season – the most of any defender, according to the Opta Stats Sandbox tool.
Forest’s fixtures — Brentford (H), West Ham (H), Burnley (A), Sunderland (H), Man Utd (H) — give him an excellent platform for points.
He’s also been included in Paul Marshman’s latest draft on the Elite XI: Team Reveal tool. Marshman, who holds a record six top 1k finishes, has gone for a four-at-the-back setup, showing just how much trust he’s placing in Murillo.
Forest’s second entry on this list, Milenković, was one of the highest scoring defenders for goals last season (as featured in our FPL Differential XI blog). He has attacking upside that Murillo lacks, but slightly lower defensive numbers (9.73 DEFCON per 90).
Choosing between Milenković and Murillo isn’t easy — Milenković brings the goal threat, while Murillo excels in baseline bonus and DEFCON output.
With Nottingham Forest ranked fifth for projected clean sheets over the first six Gameweeks in the Predicted Points & Stats tool, some managers may even consider starting with both.
Forest’s opening fixtures provide a solid platform, and if you’re backing their defence, Milenković offers a high-upside route into their backline.
Muñoz became a firm FPL favourite last season, scoring four goals and providing six assists — and he looks just as threatening heading into the 2025/26 campaign.
While he doesn’t stand out in Defensive Contributions, that’s not his game. Muñoz is an attacking full-back who plays like a winger, frequently overlapping and delivering dangerous crosses.
According to the Opta Stats Sandbox, among Palace players he ranked:
Palace’s early run — Forest (H), Sunderland (H), West Ham (A), Everton (A), Bournemouth (H) — offers plenty of opportunity for attacking returns.
Muñoz is one of the few mid-priced defenders you’d feel confident starting regardless of fixture. With his forward runs and creativity, he has genuine double-digit haul potential.
Mid-priced defenders provide the perfect balance of clean sheet potential, bonus points, and — in some cases — attacking upside.
Pair these picks with your £4.5m defenders and mid-priced midfielders to create a well-balanced squad built for early-season success.
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