<p>Fantasy Premier League (FPL) introduced a major rules change for 2025/26, awarding extra points for <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fpl-2025-26-changes-defensive-contributions">defensive contributions</a>.</p>
<p>Centre-backs and defensive midfielders are expected to benefit most from this new addition, widening the selection of players for FPL managers to choose from.</p>
<p><strong>James Tarkowski</strong>, <strong>Moises Caicedo </strong>and <strong>Elliot Anderson</strong> would have been among the biggest beneficiaries last season &#8211; but who is leading the way so far this time?</p>
<p>Here, we list the highest scoring assets for defensive contributions so far and take note of significant players and trends. This article will be updated weekly throughout this season.</p>
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<p><em><strong>Last updated: 06/10/25</strong></em></p>
<h2>What are the rules on points for defensive contributions?</h2>
<p>Defenders must register at least 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles in a single game to earn their two extra points.</p>
<p>All other outfield players must reach 12 &#8211; but ball recoveries are counted on top.</p>
<div id="attachment_74700" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-74700" class="size-full wp-image-74700" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2228756103.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2228756103.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2228756103-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2228756103-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-74700" class="wp-caption-text">Liverpool manager Arne Slot. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
<h2>Who got defensive contribution points in Gameweek 7?</h2>
<p>Thirty seven players earned defensive contribution points in Gameweek 7 &#8211;  and 24 defenders and 13 midfielders.</p>
<p>Wing-back <strong>Daniel Munoz </strong>was among them, managing 16, while West Ham&#8217;s <strong>Konstantinos Mavropanos </strong>led the way among defenders with 20.</p>
<p><strong>Granit Xhaka </strong>and <strong>Morgan Gibbs-White </strong>were among the midfielders to hit the mark, however <strong>Bruno Fernandes </strong>fell just one short of earning two extra points.</p>
<p>Everton v Crystal Palace was a particularly strong fixture for defensive contributions. Ten players managed it, including regular recipient <strong>James Tarkowski</strong>.</p>
<p>In contrast, only one player reached the mark in the Chelsea v Liverpool and Brentford v Manchester City matches &#8211; with <strong>Ruben Dias </strong>hitting target in the latter rather than a member of the Bees&#8217; squad.</p>
<div id="attachment_73883" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73883" class="wp-image-73883 size-full" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2228208044.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="721" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2228208044.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2228208044-300x211.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2228208044-768x541.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-73883" class="wp-caption-text">Granit Xhaka. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
<h2>Which FPL players have earned the most defensive contribution points?</h2>
<p>With seven gameweeks played, the maximum points tally from defensive contributions is 14.</p>
<p>No player has managed a full set, with <strong>Marcos Senesi </strong>missing out for the first time in Gameweek 7.</p>
<p>Here are the leading players for total defensive contribution points so far:</p>
<h3>12 points</h3>
<ul>
<li>Marcos Senesi (DEF)</li>
<li>James Tarkowski (DEF)</li>
<li>Joachim Andersen (DEF)</li>
</ul>
<h3>10 points</h3>
<ul>
<li>Josh Cullen (MID)</li>
</ul>
<h3>8 points</h3>
<ul>
<li>Moises Caicedo (MID)</li>
<li>Granit Xhaka (MID)</li>
<li>Chris Richards (DEF)</li>
<li>Michael Keane (DEF)</li>
<li>Nordi Mukiele (DEF)</li>
<li>Maxence Lacroix (DEF)</li>
<li>Omar Alderete (MID)</li>
</ul>
<h2>FPL defensive contribution trends: The numbers</h2>
<h3>Defenders</h3>
<p>Senesi retains his lead at the top for total clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles.</p>
<p>The popular Tarkowski isn&#8217;t far behind, regaining his place in second.</p>
<p><strong>Joachim Andersen</strong> hit the mark again, with DefCon points in six of seven starts for the Fulham man.</p>
<p>A full set of centre-backs make up the top 10.</p>
<p>One notable player who didn&#8217;t make this list is Sunderland&#8217;s <strong>Nordi Mukiele</strong>, who has managed at least 10 defensive contributions in four of his five starts.</p>
<div id="attachment_75144" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75144" class="size-full wp-image-75144" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBIT-defenders.jpeg" alt="Leaders for total clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles among defenders" width="840" height="690" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBIT-defenders.jpeg 840w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBIT-defenders-300x246.jpeg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBIT-defenders-768x631.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px" /><p id="caption-attachment-75144" class="wp-caption-text">Leaders for total clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles among defenders</p></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Midfielders</h3>
<p>Caicedo remains the standout name among the midfielders, averaging the most per start (13.71).</p>
<p>Xhaka, who has three assists, is an example of a player who offers some attacking threat as well as the potential for defensive contributions.</p>
<p>Burnley&#8217;s <strong>Florentino Luis </strong>is second for his per-start <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a>, averaging 13.33 over his three starts. He comes in at £5.0m.</p>
<div id="attachment_75145" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75145" class="size-full wp-image-75145" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBRIT-GW1-7.jpeg" alt="Midfield leaders for clearances, blocks, interceptions, tackles and recoveries" width="840" height="690" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBRIT-GW1-7.jpeg 840w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBRIT-GW1-7-300x246.jpeg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CBRIT-GW1-7-768x631.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px" /><p id="caption-attachment-75145" class="wp-caption-text">Midfield leaders for clearances, blocks, interceptions, tackles and recoveries</p></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Total defensive contributions: Raw numbers</h3>
<p>To conclude, here is a combined list of the top defenders and midfielders for total defensive contributions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Moises Caicedo &#8211; 96</li>
<li>Elliot Anderson &#8211; 89</li>
<li>Granit Xhaka &#8211; 89</li>
<li>Marcos Senesi &#8211; 88</li>
<li>Josh Cullen &#8211; 86</li>
<li>Tyler Adams &#8211; 82</li>
<li>James Garner &#8211; 82</li>
<li>Joachim Andersen &#8211; 81</li>
<li>James Tarkowski &#8211; 79</li>
<li>Virgil van Dijk &#8211; 79</li>
<li>Dominik Szoboszlai &#8211; 79</li>
<li>Joao Gomes &#8211; 78</li>
<li>Bruno Fernandes &#8211; 74</li>
<li>Chris Richards &#8211; 73</li>
<li>Maxence Lacroix &#8211; 72</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_74577" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-74577" class="size-full wp-image-74577" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2232926004-1.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2232926004-1.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2232926004-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2232926004-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-74577" class="wp-caption-text">Bruno Fernandes. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
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