In this post we’ll be discussing the Best Premium FPL Defenders for the 2026/27 FPL Season. FPL is back – Hooray! The game launched on 23rd July to little fanfare, catching many managers by surprise and scrambling for a low FPL ID (as is tradition). With the season now only a month away, it’s time to start thinking, drafting and tinkering in an endless cycle culminating in a mad rush of last minute changes moments before the FPL GW1 deadline.
Gabriel has dominated much of the early conversations around defenders thanks, in large part, to his eye-watering price tag of 8.0m – but is he worth it? And what of the other premium defenders? In this post we’ll be diving into all of that and more in the first in a series of articles on Defenders to Target in FPL 2026/2027.
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Best Premium FPL Defenders for the 2026/27 FPL Season
Gabriel (£8.0m)
Gabriel comes in as the most expensive defender on this list at a huge 8.0m – is he worth the hefty price tag? The Brazilian centre back scored 209 points in FPL last season, just 4 shy of the record held by Robertson from the 18/19 season, so you can see why the FPL powers that be have decided to price him so highly going into the new season. But the question for prospective managers is this – how did he score so many points last season? And is it repeatable?
FACT: Gabriel ranks top for expected FPL points from last season (FFH), but that total of 169xP is far lower than his actual total.
Let’s start with the obvious stuff. Arsenal kept 19 clean sheets and conceded just 26 goals last season – a solid return, but some way off the all time record of 24 clean sheets and 15 goals conceded (both records held by Chelsea). Arsenal’s defense was significantly better than the previous year (13CS/34GA) and marginally better than their defense from the 23/24 season (16CS/24GC). It is evident that Arteta prides himself on defensive solidity above all else, and it is this focus on the defensive aspects of the game which took them so close to Premier League titles in previous years and subsequently to the trophy in 25/26. I think we can rely on this trend continuing for as long as Arteta is at the helm, though it must be noted that Gabriel’s defensive partner Saliba is out injured for the first part of the season which may have an impact on clean sheet returns.
When it comes to attacking output Gabriel shines once again. 3 goals and 5 assists across his 32 appearances averages out at a rate of 0.25 goal involvements per game (or one every 4 matches). He did significantly out perform his expected assist numbers, but did return at about the rate of his xG. Gabriel has scored 3+ goals in all of his last 5 premier league seasons, but last year was the first occasion he has delivered over 2 assists – so one might expect a similar return on goals but a lower return on assists going into this campaign.
NOTE: Timber and Saliba are currently both red flagged on FPL and are doubts for FPL GW1 so neither will be discussed in this post.
While Gabriel never reached the heights of some of the other DEFCON monsters that we will come on to discuss in this article, he did score 22 points thanks to his defensive contributions across the season (0.69/90) which doesn’t even put him in the top 20 defenders for DEFCON last season. Gabriel’s real asset is being part of a defense which consistently delivers clean sheets, something which we can surely rely on going into the new season. Saliba’s injury is concerning and does lower Gabriel’s appeal somewhat, but the system (which is doubtless the bedrock of Arsenal’s CS potential) will surely remain as steadfast as ever. Despite his price tag, surely Gabriel is one of the best premium FPL defenders.
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Virgil Van Dijk (£6.5m)
Considering Liverpool’s underwhelming season, it may come as a surprise to many to hear that VVD’s initial price has increased compared to last year – making him one of the most expensive defenders in the game behind only Gabriel going into GW1. The dutch defender did in fact score the third most points of any defender in FPL last year, returning 175 points (just 4 behind Guehi in second) across the campaign. Like Gabriel, VVD offers a diversity of point scoring avenues, but unlike Gabriel lacks the CS potential to back it all up…
Having changed managers over the summer, it’s not completely clear how Liverpool will line/set-up for the new season, but what is clear is that Van Dijk will continue to be the main man in defense. Iraola has a track record of implementing defensively solid systems – he did so at Bournemouth and he will surely build upon the solid-ish base left by Slot at Liverpool. Bournemouth kept 11 clean sheets and conceded 54 goals last season having kept 9 and conceded 46 the season prior. What is perhaps more impressive is the turnover in defenders and goalkeeper between those two seasons, and the fact that Bournemouth’s defense remained as solid as it did in spite of this.
VVD CBIT/90 from last season:
- Clearances/90 – 7.21
- Blocks/90 – 0.68
- Interceptions/90 – 0.78
- Tackles/90 – 0.34
- CBIT/90 – 9.01
Van Dijk offers consistent goal involvements and DEFCON (8th overall amongst defenders last season for DC points) but Liverpool’s defensive solidity is up for debate. It should be noted that Senesi and Hill were a DEFCON monsters for Bournemouth last season, so one would expect both VVD and his CB partner’s CBIT to increase under Iraola. Konate’s departure means that new signing Jacquet (£5.0m) will likely start alongside VVD, adding more uncertainty to an already unstable backline. That being said, Liverpool’s first 5 fixtures are fairly kind, so Virgil is certainly one to consider.
Further Read: FPL Fixture Analysis for The 2026/27 FPL Season | PL Fixtures
Tarkowski (£6.0m)
Despite the price rise, Tarkowski remains a great FPL asset going into the 2026/2027 FPL Season and he is certainly one of the better premium fpl defenders to target. Tarkowski had the highest CBIT/90 in the 24/25 season and was scouted as a must have for those looking to benefit from the introduction of DEFCON last season and he definitely delivered on that promise! Tarkowski picked up 44 DC points over the 25/26 season, a total bettered only by Senesi, averaging 1.19DC points per 90.
Everton have a mixed start to the PL season, facing Palace and Bournemouth followed by Man U and Spurs in their first 4 before facing Ipswich in GW5. Tarkowski scored the 5th most points of any defender in FPL last year thanks largely to his DC points – he, unlike Guehi and Van Dijk, is playing under the same manager and what will probably be the same system for the 26/27 campaign, making his defcon returns more predictable and more reliable going into the season.
The english CB scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists last season, making it his joint best season for goal involvements of his career. The underlying numbers suggest that 5GI was about right – no major under/over performance.
Everton are likely to finish mid-table again and are unlikely to be troubled by relegation. Having settled into their new stadium they could, with some additions to the team, make a push for Europe, though the top half is becoming increasingly competitive. Since joining Everton Tarkowski’s CS total has dropped below 10 just once (9 in his first season), with the Toffees picking up 11 clean sheets across the 25/26 campaign. With the right fixtures Tarkowski could be an awesome asset, but is unlikely to come in as a set and forget or rotation option in our teams considering his hefty price tag.
Further Read: 2026/27 FPL Season – New Rules & Changes | What’s New in FPL?
Senesi (£6.0m)
Senesi joined Spurs from Bournemouth over the summer, adding much needed depth and quality to their backline. With Romero, Van De Ven, Van Hecke and now Senesi all vying for a starting spot, it’s not necessarily nailed that Senesi will start FPL GW1 as a starting CB for De Zerbi. If he does (and that is an IF at this point), Senesi could be an excellent Premium fpl Defenders option for one big reason…
Like Tarkowski, Senesi was a DEFCON monster last season, putting up some of the highest CBIT/90 numbers in the league and ending the season with 50DC points to his name – the most of any player in the division. Now, it’s important to note that scoring high CBIT numbers is often down to the ‘system’ in which a player is deployed rather than the player themselves – though of course some players are more passive or more active defenders.
All Stats above are from FFHUB. For more Stats, Player Comparison, Points Prediction, Rate My Team AI Tool, AI Recommended Transfers, FPL Planners and much more to improve your FPL Game – Subscribe now for the 2026/27 season with an exclusive 50% off discount and with a win your mini-league or money-back guarantee!
This can be seen by the fact that Hill, who came into the Bournemouth team later on in the season, also put up high CBIT. Bournemouth like to create chaos and turn the ball over in order to disorientate opposition teams – therefore their defenders often put up high CBIT numbers. Surely this makes Senesi a less attractive option now that he’s gone to Spurs?
Well, not exactly. Spurs under De Zerbi also had very high turnover rates, and many similarities can be drawn between his and Iraola’s styles of play. Romero averaged just under 1DC per 90, ending the season with 18 DC points in just 23 matches for Spurs. Clearly this is lower than the centre backs in an Iraola system, but it is not so low that we should be put off Senesi completely. Furthermore, DZ tweaked his system somewhat last season to account for Spurs’ difficult position in the league and their injury issues – one would expect Spurs to play a more front-footed style next season which will no doubt involve a higher line and more turnovers.
Spurs have a fairly kind run of games to start the new season, but I would hesitate to suggest Senesi as a must-have at this stage considering we do not know his position in the team (in terms of nailed-ness) nor how all of Spurs’ new additions will gel. He is certainly one to keep an eye on, and could be worth a punt for Spurs’ good run of games to start the campaign if we get more clarity on the above issues.
Further Read: FPL Fixture Analysis for The 2026/27 FPL Season | PL Fixtures
Guehi (£6.0m) / Nunes (£6.0) / O’Reilly (£6.5)
There are a number of City options who fall into the category of premier defenders, but Guehi is perhaps the standout. While O’Reilly and Nunes both represent exciting FPL options, they are not as dependeble or nailed as Guehi is likely to be under new boss Maresca.
FACT: Maresca’s Chelsea kept 11 clean sheets in his first season and 8 in during his 19 games at the helm last season.
O’Reilly is surely the most exciting option due to his attacking output and form in all competitions, and his unconventional attacking role for both club and country was such an interesting development from last season – but is he worth the risk? With Gvardiol and RAN now both back to full fitness, O’Reilly’s minutes could well come under threat from multiple directions – is it worth spending 6.5m on a player who could quickly become a minutes risk? Furthermore, under Maresca it is unlikely that he would continue in that unconventional attacking role, and while he may well thrive as a more traditional, or even as an inverted fullback, it is unlikely to bear as many attacking fruits or FPL returns.
The same goes for Nunes, who faces competition in the form of Khusanov and Lewis – though his spot may be somewhat more nailed than O’Reilly purely through an absence of alternatives. I could see City recruiting someone in this area, but if they do not then Nunes could be a great option. Nunes had the best season of his City career so far last year and will be looking to build on the momentum that he created. With little competition at RB (at the time of writing), Nunes could be the go-to depending on how Maresca chooses to deploy him. The new manager likes to have one fullback inverting and the other overlapping – Nunes could do both in theory, and it all depends on who he chooses at LB – watch this space…
For now Guehi is the safest option due to his nailed-ness and his reliability. What one is really looking for from premium fpl defenders is a set-and-forget asset that can tick over and deliver points at a steady rate for our teams over the course of the season and/or a good fixture run. Guehi scored the second most points of any defender in FPL last season (179) thanks to a combination of goals, assists and defcon. Guehi’s 3 goals, 5 assists and 22 DEFCON is identical to that of Gabriel, falling short only when it came to clean sheets.
City will likely be in and around the top 4 again this year and could seriously mount a title charge considering the players available to Maresca and the similarities between his style of play and Pep’s, so settling on a defensive asset from City may not be a bad idea. Manchester City play Bournemouth and Palace, two other sides with new managers, in their first two before welcoming Coventry in GW3 – according to Fantasy Football Hub’s fixture analyser Maresca’s side have the fifth easiest first 3 matches (though they do face United away in GW4!).
Lacroix (£6.0m)
The final player on this list is Chelsea’s new signing Lacroix. As with Senesi, it is at the moment fairly unclear how Lacroix will fit into this Chelsea side, though we would expect him to start considering how much money the Blues have spent on him… We are currently unsure how Alonso will set up this Chelsea side, with details still murky on whether he will be looking to play a back 3 or a back 4 system. One would expect Chelsea to put up good defensive numbers considering the players available for selection. Chelsea kept 11 clean sheets in a turbulent season last time around, we can expect them to build on that and improve on that total for the 2026/2027 season considering the stability that Alonso represents.
Lacroix scored 154 points in FPL last season, the 8th most of any defender, but lower than the likes of Truffert who is priced lower than him going into FPL GW1. Lacroix’s transfer to Chelsea only really lowers the appeal of Chalobah and the other possible Chelsea defensive assets rather than heightening his own, as, while he does put up high CBIT/90 numbers, one would expect that output to be lower in an Alonso side that is expected to dominate games in a more controlled fashion.
Lacroix CBIT/90 last season:
- Clearances/90 – 7.38
- Blocks/90 – 0.53
- Interceptions/90 – 1.31
- Tackles/90 – 1.08
- CBIT/90 – 10.3
With the uncertainty surrounding the style of play and the tactical set up, I think it’s best to avoid Lacroix for now. Pre-season may offer more insights into Alonso’s Chelsea, but for now this one feels even riskier than the likes of Senesi or O’Reilly. Furthermore, Chelsea face City in GW2, so it might be best to wait for GW3 before targeting their defenders…
Verdict: Best Premium FPL Defenders
It’s interesting that the majority of the premium FPL defenders for the 26/27 season are centre backs with either high CS potential, high CBIT/90 or both. Of course O’Reilly, Timber and Nunes are more traditional attacking fullbacks, but otherwise it’s all central defenders. This highlights the change that DEFCON has had on FPL, particularly for defensive assets.
I have issues with lots of the defenders on this list and, as I wrote in last season’s edition ‘there is better value to be found in the lower price brackets.’ Califiori and Mosquera are great alternatives to Gabriel, Kerkez and Jacquet are decent alternatives to VVD etc. but, as is always the case with premium defenders, it is highly unlikely that these alternatives will completely cover the returns of the Premium FPL Defenders – that’s why they are premium after all. There’s likely only budget for one of the defenders in this list in most of our teams due to the competitive pricing of Bruno and Haaland, and that will probably be Gabriel for most managers, but if you’re keen on bringing back big at the back then all of these options offer good value, if not excellent value.
Best Premium FPL Defenders For GW1 Ranked:
- Gabriel – Highest scoring last year for a reason. Nailed. Goal threat. Same system. Decent DC. Set and Forget.
- VVD – Same as Gabriel but with higher DC and lower clean sheet potential. Good first 5 fixtures.
- Senesi – IF confirmed to start then could be great. Spurs have a good first 5 fixtures. High DC. Rotation possible.
- Tarkowski – High CBIT/90 numbers in recent years and still with the same system/manager. Solid defensive stats. Likely mid-table finish. Tougher first 5 than other teams.
- Guehi – More nailed than other City options though there is still competition for places. Average DC and little goal threat.
- Nunes – May be deployed as inverted or overlapping by new manager. Little competition for places in the team. Had a very good season last year. City may make moves in the market to strengthen at RB.
- Lacroix – Unclear what system Alonso will play and how Lacroix will fit. High DC in a different system/team, may not translate. Too much uncertainty.
- Timber – Injured at time of writing but could be fit for GW1. Great attacking potential. Little competition. Decent DC. High clean sheet potential. Cheaper than Gabriel.
- O’Reilly – New manager and system, unlikely to be as attacking. High risk of rotation with lots of competition for places in the team. Could be moved to midfield? Unclear what his role will be.
- Saliba – Injured
Premium FPL Defenders Key Stats:
Premium FPL Defenders Stats for CBIT/90 from last season:
- Senesi – 10.66 (50DC)
- Lacroix – 10.3 (42DC)
- Tarkowski – 9.6 (44DC)
- Van Dijk – 9.01 (30DC)
- Gabriel – 8.43 (22DC)
- Guehi – 7.64 (22DC)
- Saliba – 6.1 (8DC)
- Nunes – 5.6 (8DC)
- O’Reilly – 4.77 (2DC)
- Timber – 4.41 (6DC)
Premium FPL Defenders Stats for Goal Involvements from last season:
- O’Reilly – 5G/4A (6.03xG/2.69xA)
- Timber – 3G/6A (4.77xG/1.61xA)
- Nunes – 1G/8A (0.35xG/2.24xA)
- Guehi – 3G/5A (4.12xG/2.32xA)
- Gabriel – 3G/5A (2.93xG/1.83xA)
- Van Dijk – 6G/1A (3.77xG/1.35xA)
- Tarkowski – 2G/3A (2.75xG/2.07xA)
- Senesi – 0G/6A (1.52xG/4.67xA)
- Lacroix – 1G/2A (2.38xG/0.89xA)
- Saliba – 1G/0A (0.86xG/1.42xA)
Are Premium(Big at the Back) and DEFCON Defenders worth the money?
Check out this detailed analysis and key notes if you are in doubt if “Big at the Back” is really worth it.
Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW1 of the 2026/27 FPL Season
FPL Basics:
2026/27 FPL Season – New Rules & Changes | What’s New in FPL?
What is Team ID in FPL? | How to Get a Low FPL Team ID for the 2026/27 Season
Best & Funny FPL Team Names for 2026/27 PL Season
Must Read Articles:
Best FPL GW1 Drafts for the 26/27 FPL Season with Pros & Cons
FPL Chip Strategy Guide- Best Windows to Play Free Hit, Wildcard, Triple Captain and Bench Boost
Ultimate DEFCON Analysis: Top Players & Best Opponents to Target
FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2026/27 FPL Season
Eight Simple FPL Tips to Secure a High Rank | 26/27 Season
FPL Fixture Analysis for 2026/27 Season- Teams with Best and Worst fixtures
Five Must Own Players in GW1 for FPL 2026/27 season
AK’s FPL First Draft & Team Reveal | 3x Top 5K Finishes
Position Analysis:
GKs and Defenders Series:
Best FPL Goalkeepers to Target based on Stats and Fixtures
Best £4.0 Million FPL Defenders for 2026/27 FPL Season
Best Premium Defenders for 2026/27 season based on Stats and Fixtures
Best £5.0-5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2026/27 FPL Season
FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2026/27 FPL Season
Midfielders Series:
Best FPL Premium Midfielders(8.0-12.0) for 2026/27 FPL season
Best Mid-Price FPL Midfielders for the 26/27 Season | £6.5 to 7.5M
Best Value for Money Midfielders for 2026/27 season
Forwards Series:
Best FPL Budget Forwards (£4.5 – £6.0 Million) | 26/27 FPL Season
Best £6m Forwards Comparison for the 2026/27 FPL Season
If you’re new to FPL, here is a link to all our FPL Beginners Guide including FPL Beginner’s Guide- How to play?, Bench boost, Team value, Triple captain, Effective ownership, Price Changes, Free Hit, Bonus Points, and more.
Link to all our 2026/27 Pre-Season articles including all position-wise analysis, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, and more. Completely free to access as well!
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