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            <p>Defensive contributions are one of the big talking points in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) this season - but how important have they been for the best defenders in the game?</p>
<p>Under the new scoring system, defenders who complete 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles in a single game earn two points.</p>
<p>Several players have successfully earned these new points more often than not.</p>
<p>But should we be filling our squads solely with these 'DefCon' magnets or do attacking full-backs still have a major role to play?</p>
<p>We take a deep dive into the top 10 defenders' stats, look at where their points have come from and what might happen over the season as a whole based on the data.</p>
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<ul>
<li data-start="189" data-end="348">📈Defensive contributions account for around 12% of the top 10 defenders' points this season - and the share could rise as time goes on</li>
<li data-start="189" data-end="348">🤔Clean sheets and attacking returns remain an important consideration</li>
<li data-start="189" data-end="348">👀A rise in set-piece goals and long throw-ins could further boost centre-backs' potential, so a balance of defenders could be wise strategy</li>
</ul>
<p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-75187-3" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DefCon-magnets-v-attacking-full-backs.mp3?_=3" /><a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DefCon-magnets-v-attacking-full-backs.mp3">https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DefCon-magnets-v-attacking-full-backs.mp3</a></audio></p>
<h2>Who are the top-scoring FPL defenders so far?</h2>
<p>Arsenal have long been credited with having an elite defence.</p>
<p>With three of their players in the top 10, that status continues.</p>
<p>The top two places are taken by members of the Gunners' backline, with <strong>Jurrien Timber </strong>one point ahead of <strong>Gabriel</strong>.</p>
<p>There's also room in the top 10 for three Crystal Palace picks, while Newcastle have two and Bournemouth and Sunderland one.</p>
<p>Six centre-backs and four full-backs make the list - a flip on last season's top 10, which featured only four out-and-out centre-backs.</p>
<p>The new <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fpl-defcon-points-watch">defensive contributions</a> may be helping here - something we'll cover in detail below.</p>
<p>Here are the current top 10 defenders:</p>
<div id="attachment_75190" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75190" class="size-full wp-image-75190" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Top-10-defenders-GW1-7.jpeg" alt="Top 10 defenders up to Gameweek 7" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-75190" class="wp-caption-text">Top 10 defenders up to Gameweek 7</p>
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<h2><strong>How are the top FPL defenders scoring their points?</strong></h2>
<p>Regular starts are a necessity for all the best FPL picks and when it comes to the top 10 defenders, appearance points account for 32% of their total score.</p>
<p>But there are of course many more routes to points that FPL managers need to focus on.</p>
<div id="attachment_75209" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75209" class="size-full wp-image-75209" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Top-10-Defenders-Points-Breakdown.jpg" alt="Top 10 defenders points breakdown" width="800" height="650" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-75209" class="wp-caption-text">Top 10 defenders points breakdown</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Goals, assists and clean sheets</h3>
<p>Clean sheets remain a crucial part of a defender's appeal, with a third of the top 10's points coming from shutouts.</p>
<p>Arsenal, Palace and Newcastle players are dominant and they are among the best defences so far.</p>
<p>Newcastle have kept five clean sheets, while Arsenal are one behind and Palace are in a group with three.</p>
<div id="attachment_75193" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75193" class="size-full wp-image-75193" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Clean-sheets-GW1-7.jpeg" alt="Clean sheet leaders" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-75193" class="wp-caption-text">Clean sheet leaders</p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>With a small number of games played and players' scores closely bunched, attacking returns have also been important for breaking into the top 10.</p>
<p>Nearly a fifth of their points have come from goals or assists.</p>
<p>Half of leader Timber's 48 points came against Leeds in Gameweek 2, when he scored twice and assisted one for a 24 point haul.</p>
<p>Gabriel was in the team for all of the Gunners' clean sheets and was also on target against Newcastle in Gameweek 6.</p>
<p>Guehi has a goal and two assists, as does Calafiori.</p>
<div id="attachment_75195" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75195" class="size-full wp-image-75195" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Timber-v-Guehi.jpeg" alt="Leading defender points scorer Jurrien Timber's stats alongside another top 10 defender Marc Guehi" width="840" height="690" /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-75195" class="wp-caption-text">Leading defender points scorer Jurrien Timber's stats alongside another top 10 defender Marc Guehi</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Defensive contributions</h3>
<p>The new defensive contributions account for 11.88% of the top 10's points - a higher proportion than goals (9.98%) and assists (9.26%) individually.</p>
<p>They have rocketed Senesi up the leaderboard in particular, with the Bournemouth centre-back reaching the required threshold in all but one of his matches.</p>
<p>Clean sheets have been as valuable for him though, with the Cherries keeping three.</p>
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