The Scout explains why dominant centre-backs will benefit from the new defensive contribution points system in Fantasy Premier League.
The addition of defensive contribution points in Fantasy will help reward specific types of players for their involvement in a match.
Any defender who reaches a combined total of 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBIT) in a match will score two FPL points.
A quick glance at the table below show why centre-backs will be hugely boosted by this introduction.
ALL of the top 10 defenders for this statistic in 2024/25 were centre-backs, with James Tarkowski leading the way on 44 points – that’s the equivalent of 11 extra clean sheets or just over seven goals for a defender.
The Everton star earned defensive contribution points in 22 of his 33 starts for the Toffees, a success rate of 66.7 per cent.
Tarkowski has been far and away the most reliable backline asset for defensive contribution points (DC) in recent campaigns.
Indeed, he would have been the No 1 defender for this metric in each of the last FOUR seasons.
Notably, Everton are the only club to supply more than one of the top 10 defenders in the assessment, with Jarrad Branthwaite collecting 32 defensive contribution points across 28 starts.
Top 10 defenders for defensive contribution points 24/25
Player | Starts | % starts with DC | Pts |
---|---|---|---|
Tarkowski | 33 | 66.7% | 44 |
Bednarek | 30 | 66.7% | 40 |
Huijsen | 26 | 73.1% | 38 |
Murillo | 36 | 52.8% | 38 |
Faes | 30 | 56.7% | 34 |
Lacroix | 35 | 48.6% | 34 |
O'Shea | 35 | 48.6% | 34 |
Branthwaite | 28 | 57.1% | 32 |
Collins | 38 | 42.1% | 32 |
Kilman | 38 | 39.5% | 30 |
Boost for promoted defenders
The inclusion of Southampton’s Jan Bednarek, Leicester City’s Wout Faes and Ipswich Town’s Dara O’Shea in the table above also shows why centre-backs for promoted clubs will be among the main beneficiaries due to their many defensive contributions.
Bednarek managed a mere 60 points in 2024/25 as Saints suffered relegation back to the Championship. But his extra 40 defensive contribution points would have taken him to 100 for the season, essentially equating for 40 per cent of his new points total.
Similarly to Tarkowski, Bednarek earned defensive contribution points in 66.7 per cent of his matches last season – second only to the 73.1 per cent of Dean Huijsen, prior to his move from AFC Bournemouth to Real Madrid this summer.
Who would have been the top-scoring defenders overall last season?
First of all, here’s a reminder of the 10 top-scoring defenders in Fantasy last season.
Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol led the way on 153 points, with Liverpool pair Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk also among the top five, along with Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic and Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz.
In terms of positions in defence, if you classify Gvardiol as a centre-back due to his move into that role for Man City during the latter part of the season, there’s a 50-50 split between centre-backs and full-backs.
Top-scoring defenders in 24/25
Player | Pts |
---|---|
Gvardiol | 153 |
Alexander-Arnold | 148 |
Milenkovic | 145 |
Van Dijk | 143 |
Munoz | 142 |
Kerkez | 134 |
Cucurella | 133 |
Saliba | 130 |
Murillo | 130 |
Aina | 128 |
But when the defensive contribution points are added, as many as EIGHT centre-backs occupy the top 10 places.
Forest’s Milenkovic and Murillo would have finished in the top two places last season, with their respective tallies boosted by 26 and 38 defensive contribution points.
Brentford’s Nathan Collins was another main beneficiary, earning 32 defensive contribution points. Added to his tally of 127 points from last season, this would have lifted Collins to fifth place among defenders on 159 points – just four behind Man City’s Gvardiol.
Notably, Tarkowski also makes the top 10. His total of 105 points last season placed him joint-26th in his position. But those extra 44 defensive contribution points would have earned him a huge jump to EIGHTH place among defenders on 149 points.
Top-scoring defenders with defensive contribution points added
Player | 24/25 pts | DC pts | Total pts |
---|---|---|---|
Milenkovic | 145 | 26 | 171 |
Murillo | 130 | 38 | 168 |
Van Dijk | 143 | 22 | 165 |
Gvardiol | 153 | 10 | 163 |
Collins | 127 | 32 | 159 |
Munoz | 142 | 14 | 156 |
Alexander-Arnold | 148 | 6 | 154 |
Tarkowski | 105 | 44 | 149 |
Lacroix | 114 | 34 | 148 |
Huijsen | 104 | 38 | 142 |
A comparison of Palace pair Munoz and Maxence Lacroix also helps to highlight the importance of defensive contribution points in the upcoming campaign.
Wing-back Munoz was the fifth top-scoring defender last season on 142 points, while his team-mate Lacroix was joint-20th on 114 points.
But with defensive contribution points added, BOTH would have made the list of top 10 defenders.
Lacroix bettered his team-mate for defensive contribution points by 34 to 14. That takes the former to 148 points, just eight behind the 156 of Munoz.