With three of the four top-scoring players in 2021/22 Fantasy Premier League being defenders, The Scout's panel of experts share their thoughts on whether they're considering captaining an in-form full-back.
See: GW12 Lessons: Consider full-backs for captaincy
What the experts say
Paul Gee (@FPLPaulGee)
Having played Fantasy for a long time now, the thought of captaining a defender doesn't sit right. Maybe Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.8m) is a good choice this week against Southampton, but you have got to be brave to overlook Mohamed Salah (£13.0m).
Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily)
I've always felt uneasy with the idea of captaining a defender because if the clean sheet goes, the armband is likely wasted. However, this season the wing-backs’ attacking threat means they are viable captains as they are just as likely to get attacking returns as defensive ones.
The likes of Joao Cancelo (£6.6m) and Alexander-Arnold are both great options for the armband, but they don't offer the same consistency as Salah and this is something we need to be conscious of.
Pranil Sheth (@Lateriser12)
The sheer volume of shots and chances Salah is creating makes him a lot more predictable than trying to anticipate returns from a premium defender. I get why people are tempted but I'm not there yet.
Utkarsh Dalmia (@zophar666)
My main problem with captaining defenders is the risk of rotation. Reece James (£6.1m) and Cancelo could be left out of the starting XI in any match.
Alexander-Arnold is the only defender I'd trust with the armband but I'd still prefer Salah when Liverpool have a good fixture.
Tom Cantle (@WGTA_FPL)
I've captained defenders before and the likes of Alexander-Arnold and Branislav Ivanovic have scored to reward me for taking the gamble. But it is definitely a risk. If Salah returns and you don't captain him, it damages your rank.
