Managers in Fantasy Premier League are flocking to Ben Chilwell (£5.5m) as they look to address the growing number of issues in their defences.
The Chelsea star delivered a seven-point return at home to Liverpool in Gameweek 1, combining an assist with two bonus points in the 1-1 draw.
Chilwell's assist v Liverpool
Off the mark on debut! 🙌#CheLiv pic.twitter.com/DOe6G96Sst
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 13, 2023
That has earned him 145,000+ new owners for the Blues’ visit to West Ham United on Sunay, more than any other defender in the Gameweek so far.
See: FPL experts: Who are the best defenders to target?
Chilwell’s impressive display in his side’s first match under Mauricio Pochettino comes at a point where many opening squads in Fantasy have been hit by injury or rotation in defence.
Most-sold players in GW2*
| Player | Transfers out |
|---|---|
| De Bruyne | 354,000 |
| Stones | 323,000 |
| Mings | 155,000 |
| Gabriel | 106,000 |
| Timber | 78,000 |
*Data correct as of 14 Aug 14:45 BST
Manchester City’s John Stones (£5.5m) is among four defenders in the top five most-sold players in Gameweek 2 as managers seek a solution at the back.
Stones had been owned by over 33 per cent of managers but missed the champions’ 3-0 win at Burnley through injury.
Arsenal centre-back Gabriel (£5.0m), meanwhile, had started 73 league successive league matches prior to being benched for their 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Furthermore, Tyrone Mings (£4.5m) is set to undergo surgery following the knee injury he suffered in Aston Villa’s 5-1 defeat to Newcastle United.
Most-bought defenders in GW2*
| Player | Transfers in |
|---|---|
| Chilwell | 145,000 |
| Saliba | 129,000 |
| Estupinan | 115,000 |
| Ake | 101,000 |
| James | 79,000 |
*Data correct as of 14 Aug 14:45 BST
Chilwell is followed by Gabriel’s team-mate William Saliba (£5.0m) for transfers in, while Stones’ fellow Man City defender Nathan Ake (£5.0m) has also proved popular.
The appeal of Chilwell is further boosted by Chelsea’s upcoming schedule, which gives him a chance to deliver points at both ends of the pitch in Fantasy.
Chelsea's GW2-8 fixtures
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
| 2 | WHU (A) | 3 | 6 | AVL (H) | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | LUT (H) | 2 | 7 | FUL (A) | 2 |
| 4 | NFO (H) | 2 | 8 | BUR (A) | 2 |
| 5 | BOU (A) | 2 | |||
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), five of the Blues’ next seven matches score just two.
Cheaper Brentford alternative
Brentford are another side with a very favourable run of opponents.
Each of their next three score only two in the FDR, lifting Rico Henry's (£4.5m) prospects as a budget option.
Similarly to Chilwell, Henry played as a wing-back for his club at the weekend.
He supplied an assist against Tottenham Hotspur and created two big chances in the Gameweek, joint-top with Pervis Estupinan (£5.0m) and Reece James (£5.5m) among defenders.
Henry's assist v Spurs
🅰️ @ricohenry14
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) August 13, 2023
⚽️ Wissa pic.twitter.com/rCcCT9hpQJ
Spurs and Villa also enjoy kind schedules which could bring players such as Pau Torres, Emerson Royal and Destiny Udogie (all £4.5m) into consideration as further cut-price options.
Also in this series
Part 1: FPL bonus points: Haaland secures maximum
Part 2: Gameweek 1 FPL stats: Haaland justifies record backing as captain
Part 3: FPL Saturday review: Budget forwards prove their worth
Part 4: FPL experts: Who are the best defenders to target?
