They say defence wins titles — and as we enter the final stretch of the season, choosing the right defenders could be crucial in Fantasy Premier League, especially for managers planning their FPL Wildcard.
In this positional review, we analyse the top-performing defenders so far and identify the best options for the run-in — making this essential research for anyone looking to optimise their FPL Wildcard and maximise points.
Expect expert insights, key stats, and strategic tips to help you gain an edge and finish the season strongly.
As shown in our Opta Stats Sandbox image below, Timber (153.99) is top for xFPL amongst defenders this season. The Dutch international is ranked second for 'big chances' (eight), third for 'Expected Goals' (xG) (4.11) and sixth for attempted assists (27).
Gabriel is a close second (147.85), despite playing fewer minutes than Timber (2166 vs 2457). The Brazilian international has registered four Fantasy Premier League assists — an impressive return for a centre-back — and has been afforded six 'big chances'.
Top 5 Defenders for total Defensive Contributions (DEFCON) this season 💪
— Fantasy Football Fix (@FantasyFootyFix) March 24, 2026
1️⃣ Senesi – 354
2️⃣ Tarkowski – 311
3️⃣ Lacroix – 300
4️⃣ Van Dijk – 290
5️⃣ Andersen – 287
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Senesi has enjoyed an outstanding campaign. The centre-back has taken 16 shots, attempted 21 assists, and kept nine clean sheets. No defender has recorded more Defensive Contributions (DEFCON) (354) than the Argentinian international.
Virgil van Dijk is one of only two defenders to have played every minute of the season so far and has scored three goals. Only Thiaw (12) and Neco Williams (15) have registered more shots on target than the Dutchman (10). Meanwhile, only Lacroix (300), Tarkowski (311), and Senesi (354) have recorded more DEFCON than his 290.
xFPL is calculated primarily using expected goals (xG) and expected assists (xA), which combine to form expected FPL involvements (xG + xA = xI), along with expected clean sheets (xCS). These values are based on underlying statistics — for example, shot type and location determine the probability of scoring, which contributes to xG. xFPL then combines these metrics, factoring in appearance and bonus points to produce an overall expected FPL point score.
As shown in our Opta Stats Sandbox image below, Thiaw is top for 'big chances' (nine) and xG (5.25) amongst defenders. The German international has enjoyed a stellar debut campaign and is joint-top for goals scored (four).
N. Williams ranks top among defenders for both shots (35) and shots on target (12). However, only two of these efforts have been classified as ‘big chances’ by Opta, which leaves him as low as 17th for xG.
As shown in his shot map from the Opta Heatmaps tool, many of his attempts come from outside the box and from distance — resulting in a relatively low xG.
O’Reilly is one to watch for the run-in. The England international ranks second for shots (31), third for shots on target (10), fourth for 'big chances' (seven), and second for xG (4.72). These numbers are even more impressive considering he has played just 2134 of a possible 2790 minutes.
Ballard has also shown strong threat from set pieces. The Northern Ireland international ranks second for 'big chances' (eight) and fourth for xG (3.62).
Van Hecke could be an excellent budget option for the run-in. The 25-year-old has registered nine shots on target (fifth) and scored three goals. He also ranks 12th among defenders for DEFCON with 180.
As shown in our Opta Stats Sandbox image below, James is top for 'big chances' created (eight) and 'Expected Assists' (xA) (4.22) amongst defenders, while only Matheus N. has more FPL assists (seven) than his six.
No defender has attempted more assists than Pedro Porro (37), but the right-back has just three Fantasy Premier League assists to show for it and ranks sixth for xA (3.34).
Muñoz ranks second for xA (3.68) but has just three Fantasy Premier League assists to show for it. The Colombian international is 17th for attempted assists (20) and sixth for 'big chances' created.
He has averaged an impressive 5.2 Fantasy Premier League points per game, as shown in the Opta Heatmaps tool — second only to Gabriel, who leads the way with 6.9.
Mukiele’s numbers are impressive in his debut season. The right-back has registered five Fantasy Premier League assists and ranks second for 'big chances' created (seven).
Senesi’s creative output is particularly impressive for a centre-back. The Argentinian international ranks third for 'big chances' created (six) and fifth for xA (3.38). When combined with his DEFCON potential mentioned earlier, he looks an outstanding option.
N. Williams registered two of his three Fantasy Premier League assists against Spurs in the last Gameweek. As shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox image below, he ranks fourth for attempted assists (30) and xA (3.43). Coupled with his goal threat highlighted earlier, he looks a strong option — especially with Forest still having plenty to play for.
Dalot has racked up six FPL assists and is ranked sixth for chances created (27). He has also attempted 21 shots (12th) and been afforded four 'big chances' (10th) which bode well for his points potential.
As shown in the below image from our Fixture Difficulty Ratings, several teams with budget options have attractive fixtures over the remainder of the season.
Forest face a difficult final four fixtures, but their next three — against Villa, Burnley, and Sunderland — could prove fruitful for Neco Williams. Meanwhile, Dalot looks a strong option, with Leeds, Brentford, Sunderland, and Forest among his next six opponents.
Sunderland are currently ranked eighth for fixture difficulty and face Spurs, Forest, and Wolves in their next four — all of whom sit in the bottom five, offering potential for returns.
Pedro Porro could also be a solid pick for Spurs’ run-in, particularly for Fantasy Premier League managers willing to take a calculated gamble on attacking upside.
At the other end of the scale, Fulham (20th) and Crystal Palace (19th) rank poorly for fixtures. Managers holding Andersen or Lacroix should be planning an exit strategy.
Bournemouth (17th) and Manchester City (18th) also face a challenging schedule, leaving Fantasy Premier League managers with a tricky form versus fixtures dilemma when it comes to Senesi and O’Reilly.
Disclaimer: Fixture difficulty and scheduling remain subject to change following the FA Cup quarter-finals, which will result in Blank and Double Gameweeks. Managers should factor this uncertainty into their planning.
As the below image from our Predicted Points & Stats tool shows, Gabriel (38.7) is projected to be the top scoring defender for the remainder of the season.
Saliba (31.4) and J.Timber (30.1) also feature in the top six with Arsenal having plenty of incentive over the run in. Van Hecke (30.6), Lacroix (30.5), O'Reilly (30.2) and Senesi (29.7) are backed to do well despite their difficult fixtures.
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