Onside.

FPL 2026/27

Who actually earns
defensive contribution points?

Defenders score 2 points at 10 defensive actions in a match. Midfielders and forwards need 12, and ball recoveries count for them but not for defenders. That single difference is why last season numbers mislead: 119 of these 276 players changed club, manager or position, so the rate they earned describes a system they have left.

Each projection carries a range. Where the system changed, the range is wide on purpose. We would rather show you the doubt than a confident number we cannot defend. Every one of these is graded in public once the season starts.

PROJECTED POINTS PER START

TOP 60 OF 276
  1. 1
    CookSYSTEM CHANGED
    BOU · MID · £5.0m · 14.8 actions/90 · needs 12
    • No manager confirmed — the system is unknown
    1.60
    1.28–1.92
    pts/start
  2. 2
    UgarteSYSTEM CHANGED
    MUN · MID · £5.0m · 14.6 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New manager (Michael Carrick) — a different defensive shape
    1.57
    1.26–1.89
    pts/start
  3. 3
    AndersonSYSTEM CHANGED
    MCI · MID · £6.5m · 13.9 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New club — last season's rate was earned at NFO
    • Manager reported but unconfirmed (Maresca (reported))
    1.47
    0.97–1.96
    pts/start
  4. 4
    Canvot
    CRY · DEF · £5.0m · 11.4 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.41
    1.27–1.55
    pts/start
  5. 5
    SenesiSYSTEM CHANGED
    TOT · DEF · £6.0m · 11.5 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New club — last season's rate was earned at BOU
    • New manager (Roberto De Zerbi) — a different defensive shape
    1.39
    0.92–1.86
    pts/start
  6. 6
    DansoSYSTEM CHANGED
    TOT · DEF · £5.0m · 11.6 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New manager (Roberto De Zerbi) — a different defensive shape
    1.38
    1.10–1.66
    pts/start
  7. 7
    HillSYSTEM CHANGED
    BOU · DEF · £5.5m · 11.1 actions/90 · needs 10
    • No manager confirmed — the system is unknown
    1.35
    1.08–1.62
    pts/start
  8. 8
    TosinSYSTEM CHANGED
    CHE · DEF · £4.5m · 11.1 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New manager (Xabi Alonso) — a different defensive shape
    1.34
    1.07–1.60
    pts/start
  9. 9
    Ballard
    SUN · DEF · £5.0m · 11.1 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.32
    1.19–1.45
    pts/start
  10. 10
    J.Cuenca
    FUL · DEF · £4.5m · 11.3 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.24
    1.11–1.36
    pts/start
  11. 11
    Lacroix
    CRY · DEF · £6.0m · 10.8 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.22
    1.10–1.34
    pts/start
  12. 12
    Bijol
    LEE · DEF · £5.0m · 10.4 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.19
    1.07–1.31
    pts/start
  13. 13
    Keane
    EVE · DEF · £5.0m · 10.5 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.19
    1.07–1.30
    pts/start
  14. 14
    FofanaSYSTEM CHANGED
    CHE · DEF · £5.0m · 10.8 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New manager (Xabi Alonso) — a different defensive shape
    1.16
    0.93–1.39
    pts/start
  15. 15
    Botman
    NEW · DEF · £5.0m · 10.6 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.16
    1.04–1.27
    pts/start
  16. 16James Tarkowski
    Tarkowski
    EVE · DEF · £6.0m · 10.2 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.12
    1.01–1.24
    pts/start
  17. 17
    RodrigoSYSTEM CHANGED
    MCI · MID · £6.5m · 12.3 actions/90 · needs 12
    • Manager reported but unconfirmed (Maresca (reported))
    1.10
    0.88–1.32
    pts/start
  18. 18
    GomesSYSTEM CHANGED
    AVL · MID · £5.5m · 12.3 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New club — last season's rate was earned at WOL
    1.10
    0.83–1.36
    pts/start
  19. 19
    BentancurSYSTEM CHANGED
    TOT · MID · £5.5m · 13.3 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New manager (Roberto De Zerbi) — a different defensive shape
    1.10
    0.88–1.32
    pts/start
  20. 20
    Garner
    EVE · MID · £6.0m · 12.1 actions/90 · needs 12
    1.09
    0.98–1.20
    pts/start
  21. 21
    Andersen
    FUL · DEF · £5.0m · 10.3 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.08
    0.97–1.18
    pts/start
  22. 22
    Richards
    CRY · DEF · £5.0m · 9.9 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.06
    0.95–1.17
    pts/start
  23. 23Ethan Ampadu
    Ampadu
    LEE · MID · £5.5m · 12.0 actions/90 · needs 12
    1.05
    0.95–1.16
    pts/start
  24. 24
    N.GonzalezSYSTEM CHANGED
    MCI · MID · £5.5m · 11.9 actions/90 · needs 12
    • Manager reported but unconfirmed (Maresca (reported))
    1.05
    0.84–1.26
    pts/start
  25. 25
    P.M.SarrSYSTEM CHANGED
    TOT · MID · £5.0m · 11.9 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New manager (Roberto De Zerbi) — a different defensive shape
    1.05
    0.84–1.26
    pts/start
  26. 26
    Alderete
    SUN · DEF · £5.0m · 10.0 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.02
    0.92–1.12
    pts/start
  27. 27
    Morato
    NFO · DEF · £5.0m · 9.7 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.00
    0.90–1.10
    pts/start
  28. 28Nathan Collins
    Collins
    BRE · DEF · £5.5m · 9.7 actions/90 · needs 10
    1.00
    0.90–1.10
    pts/start
  29. 29
    Ajer
    BRE · DEF · £4.5m · 9.6 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.97
    0.88–1.07
    pts/start
  30. 30
    Lerma
    CRY · MID · £5.0m · 11.5 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.96
    0.86–1.06
    pts/start
  31. 31
    Janelt
    BRE · MID · £5.0m · 11.5 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.96
    0.86–1.05
    pts/start
  32. 32
    Schär
    NEW · DEF · £5.0m · 9.5 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.96
    0.86–1.05
    pts/start
  33. 33
    CaicedoSYSTEM CHANGED
    CHE · MID · £5.5m · 11.8 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New manager (Xabi Alonso) — a different defensive shape
    0.95
    0.76–1.14
    pts/start
  34. 34
    ScottSYSTEM CHANGED
    BOU · MID · £6.0m · 12.2 actions/90 · needs 12
    • No manager confirmed — the system is unknown
    0.93
    0.74–1.11
    pts/start
  35. 35
    ChristieSYSTEM CHANGED
    BOU · MID · £5.0m · 11.3 actions/90 · needs 12
    • No manager confirmed — the system is unknown
    0.92
    0.73–1.10
    pts/start
  36. 36
    Yarmoliuk
    BRE · MID · £5.0m · 11.5 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.91
    0.81–1.00
    pts/start
  37. 37Granit Xhaka
    Xhaka
    SUN · MID · £5.5m · 11.2 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.90
    0.81–0.99
    pts/start
  38. 38Virgil van Dijk
    VirgilSYSTEM CHANGED
    LIV · DEF · £6.5m · 9.3 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New manager (Andoni Iraola) — a different defensive shape
    0.89
    0.72–1.07
    pts/start
  39. 39
    Iroegbunam
    EVE · MID · £5.0m · 11.5 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.87
    0.78–0.96
    pts/start
  40. 40
    C.JonesSYSTEM CHANGED
    LIV · MID · £5.5m · 11.1 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New manager (Andoni Iraola) — a different defensive shape
    0.86
    0.69–1.04
    pts/start
  41. 41
    AdamsSYSTEM CHANGED
    BOU · MID · £5.0m · 11.8 actions/90 · needs 12
    • No manager confirmed — the system is unknown
    0.85
    0.68–1.02
    pts/start
  42. 42
    Gabriel
    ARS · DEF · £8.0m · 9.1 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.84
    0.76–0.93
    pts/start
  43. 43
    DorguSYSTEM CHANGED
    MUN · MID · £6.0m · 10.9 actions/90 · needs 12
    • Reclassified DEF to MID — ball recoveries now count for him, but his threshold moves to 12
    • New manager (Michael Carrick) — a different defensive shape
    0.83
    0.56–1.09
    pts/start
  44. 44Pascal Struijk
    StruijkSYSTEM CHANGED
    BHA · DEF · £5.0m · 9.1 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New club — last season's rate was earned at LEE
    0.82
    0.63–1.02
    pts/start
  45. 45
    Burn
    NEW · DEF · £5.0m · 9.2 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.82
    0.74–0.91
    pts/start
  46. 46Cristian Romero
    RomeroSYSTEM CHANGED
    TOT · DEF · £5.0m · 9.5 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New manager (Roberto De Zerbi) — a different defensive shape
    0.81
    0.65–0.98
    pts/start
  47. 47
    Murillo
    NFO · DEF · £5.5m · 9.4 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.80
    0.72–0.88
    pts/start
  48. 48
    Branthwaite
    EVE · DEF · £5.5m · 8.9 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.80
    0.72–0.88
    pts/start
  49. 49
    Van den Berg
    BRE · DEF · £5.0m · 8.9 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.79
    0.71–0.87
    pts/start
  50. 50
    Thiaw
    NEW · DEF · £5.0m · 8.9 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.79
    0.71–0.86
    pts/start
  51. 51
    Rice
    ARS · MID · £7.5m · 10.9 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.78
    0.70–0.86
    pts/start
  52. 52
    Van HeckeSYSTEM CHANGED
    TOT · DEF · £5.0m · 8.9 actions/90 · needs 10
    • New club — last season's rate was earned at BHA
    • New manager (Roberto De Zerbi) — a different defensive shape
    0.77
    0.51–1.04
    pts/start
  53. 53
    Sangaré
    NFO · MID · £5.0m · 11.6 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.77
    0.69–0.84
    pts/start
  54. 54
    Justin
    LEE · DEF · £4.5m · 8.7 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.75
    0.67–0.82
    pts/start
  55. 55
    Mosquera
    ARS · DEF · £5.5m · 8.7 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.74
    0.67–0.81
    pts/start
  56. 56
    Boscagli
    BHA · DEF · £4.5m · 8.8 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.74
    0.66–0.81
    pts/start
  57. 57
    FernandesSYSTEM CHANGED
    TOT · MID · £6.0m · 11.0 actions/90 · needs 12
    • New club — last season's rate was earned at WHU
    • New manager (Roberto De Zerbi) — a different defensive shape
    0.73
    0.48–0.98
    pts/start
  58. 58
    Ayari
    BHA · MID · £5.5m · 10.5 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.73
    0.66–0.81
    pts/start
  59. 59
    Wharton
    CRY · MID · £5.5m · 10.7 actions/90 · needs 12
    0.71
    0.64–0.78
    pts/start
  60. 60
    Hincapie
    ARS · DEF · £5.5m · 8.6 actions/90 · needs 10
    0.71
    0.64–0.78
    pts/start

HOW THIS IS BUILT

DEF: clearances+blocks+interceptions+tackles, threshold 10. MID/FWD: the same plus ball recoveries, threshold 12. Goalkeepers are not eligible.

Pool: >=600 minutes and >=5 starts in 2025/26. Seeded from 2025/26 season totals and re-based onto each player 2026/27 position. Snapshot 2026-07-27.

THE PRICE TRAPSWHO CHANGED POSITIONTHE NEW BONUS RULES

QUESTIONS

What is a defensive contribution in FPL?

Defenders score 2 points in a match when they record 10 or more clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles combined. Midfielders and forwards score 2 points at 12 or more, and for them ball recoveries count towards the total as well. Goalkeepers are not eligible. The 2 points are capped, so there is no extra reward for going well past the threshold.

Why do defenders and midfielders have different thresholds?

Because they are counted differently. A defender total excludes ball recoveries; a midfielder total includes them. The higher threshold for midfielders compensates for the extra category. This is why a player who changes position between defender and midfielder cannot be judged on last season number without re-basing it.

Did defensive contributions change for 2026/27?

The defensive contribution rules themselves are unchanged. What changed is the Bonus Points System around them: clearances, blocks and interceptions now earn 1 BPS per 3 actions instead of 1 per 2, players are no longer penalised for being tackled, and goalkeepers earn 2 BPS for every save plus 1 more for saving a big chance. The stated intention was to reduce the overlap between bonus points and defensive contribution points.

How accurate are these projections?

They are seeded from 2025/26 season totals, re-based onto each player 2026/27 position. Where a player has changed club, manager or position, last season rate describes a system he has left, and we widen the range rather than applying a correction we cannot defend. Once the season starts these projections are graded in public against what actually happens.