In a game where there are so many players to pick from, it could be hard to find the best players for your 2022 World Cup fantasy team.
Amongst the huge pool of players, there are defenders and when it comes to selecting defenders for your FIFA fantasy team, there are so many things to keep in mind.
In this article, we’d be looking at what we should consider before picking defenders for our World Cup fantasy team and then we’d share our opinions on who the best defender picks are in the 2022 World Cup fantasy game.
What should you keep in mind as you select defenders for your World Cup fantasy team
The first thing you want to have in mind is the scoring system for defenders in the 2022 World Cup fantasy game. If you know how many points defenders would get for certain actions, then it’d help you know which ones to select.
From the defender scoring system image above, it is pretty obvious that as FIFA fantasy managers, we want to target defenders that play for teams that would keep clean sheets, concede few goals and defenders that are likely to score goals.
If you want to see more of the rules of the 2022 World Cup fantasy game, then check out this article: How to play FIFA World cup 2022 fantasy | tips, strategy & thoughts.
This means that we should have our eyes on defenders from top Countries that have pretty decent group games or fixtures with good FDR(fixture difficulty ratings.)
Here’s a nice fixture ticker done by @UCL_Beercules, this fixture ticker would help us identify Countries that have pretty decent fixtures in the group stages as well as their clean sheet odds:
It’s pretty helpful, because with this we’re able to know what teams we should target. In the fixture ticker, we can see that the teams that have a lot of greens in their fixture list, have a higher chance of keeping clean sheets.
Which means you should be looking to buy defenders from:
- France
- Argentina
- England
- Portugal
- Brazil
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Germany
- Uruguay
- Croatia
The best defender player picks 2022 World Cup fantasy
Here are some of the best defenders that you can select and add to your World Cup fantasy teams:
1. Dumfries (6.0m)
Dumfries is one of the most popular defender picks in the game and that’s because of his impressive display at the Euros, he was a very good pick for those who played Euro fantasy.
The Netherland’s man got himself two goals at the Euros and I’m sure so many World Cup fantasy managers would be hoping he can do that once again.
Not only can he give you points for scoring goals, he can also fetch you assist points, as well as clean sheet points. He gets forward a lot and that increases his chance of getting some kind of attacking return, which is what you want from your defender.
He’s one that is worth considering and would be a really good pick. He has good fixtures, has an eye for goal and would also concede few goals. There’s not many better than him in the game.
2. Trippier (5.0m)
Trippier is another really solid pick and he could easily have been at the top of this list. With England having a bit of an injury problem at right back, Trippier looks like he’s the one that would be starting in that position.
He carries a lot of threat. He is on set pieces, England have nice fixtures which means they could keep a couple of clean sheets and he is on form.
If you played FPL this season, then you’d know he has been a really good fantasy asset. He gets a decent amount of assists and he could also get you goals from free-kicks as well.
He’s priced at 5 million and honestly Trippier is the best player you can get in that price range. However, if you don’t want to go for Trippier, then Luke Shaw is another pretty decent pick.
3. Cancelo (6.0m)
Cancelo is another expensive defender, that would be a good pick or addition to your World Cup fantasy team. We all know how good Cancelo is and the threat he carries as a full-back.
He has the potential to score, assist and even keep a clean sheet. In his last five starts for Portugal, he scored two goals and got himself one assist.
The potential for Portugal to also get clean sheets is also really high. They are ranked fourth in the fixture ticker, for teams most likely to keep clean sheets in all three group stage games.
If you’re looking to capitalize on clean sheets and also get a couple more points from goals and assists, then Cancelo is a really good pick.
4. Pavard (5.0m)
Well, France have pretty good fixtures and are ranked top of our list of teams expected to keep clean sheets in all three group games.
With fixtures that good, it is really hard to ignore the France team. So we’re going to need to get someone from their team and Pavard is a solid option.
He looks like he’d be starting at right-back and he offers a cheap route into a great defense. He could also get us a couple of attacking returns, but it’s very unlikely and we’re just going for him to get those clean sheet points.
Attacking returns would be a bonus.
5. Marquinhos (5.5m)
Marquinhos is another really solid pick and he’s a good way to get into that Brazillian defense. Brazil have been really solid at the back in recent games and in the World Cup Qualification round, they conceded only 5 goals in 17 matches.
We’d be hoping that they carry on in that vein in the World Cup. Their group is pretty decent and you’d expect them to keep a couple of clean sheets as well.
We’re going for Marquinhos, because we think he’s pretty nailed on and he’s guaranteed to start. In a competition this short, you don’t want to take risks and buy players that aren’t guaranteed a place in the starting 11.
So we’ve decided to play it safe and that’s why we’ve got Marquinhos.
6. Cristian Romero (5.5m)
Romero is another solid pick and is a great way to get into Argentina’s defense. Argentina have one of the easiest groups in the World Cup and are expected to do well as well.
In our fixture ticker, they are expected to keep a clean sheet in all three of their group stage games.
In order for us not to miss out on that, we need to find a way to pick a good defender that can guarantee us clean sheet points and that’s Romero, as he is a nailed on starter.
7. Laporte(5.5m)
Laporte of Spain is another solid defender pick for your World Cup fantasy team.
He is one of three center backs that we’ve got on the list and we’ve gone for him, for the same reason we’ve gone for Pavard Romero and Marquinhos, which is because of clean sheet points.
Spain have pretty decent games in the group stages and the potential for them to get at least two clean sheets, is very high and we don’t want to miss out on that.
We could recommend their full-backs, but their full-backs are just too expensive and so it’d be better to go for Laporte as our Spanish defensive cover.
Cheap defender picks for 2022 World Cup fantasy
8. Maehle (4.5m)
Maehle is clearly the best defender in this price range. If you’re looking for a cheap defender for your World Cup fantasy team, then he’s the way to go.
He plays for Denmark and if you look at the fixture ticker, Denmark are ranked ninth for teams expected to keep clean sheets in all three games, which is pretty solid.
To have a cheap option like Maehle, a player who has scored seven goals and picked up five assists in his last twenty games for Denmark, is really good and it’s something we need as FIFA fantasy managers.
This means going for him, would allow you to spend a little bit more on other players in your team. Honestly he’s a must-buy.
9. Sosa (3.5m)
Another really cheap defender that you could go for is, Sosa. He is a cheap option with eight assists for his club this season. He also plays for a team(Croatia) that has a high chance of keeping clean sheets as well.
Going for a backline of Dumfries, Cancelo, Trippier, Maehle and Sosa is not a bad option, as you’d not be spending so much on defenders and you’d also be selecting good starting defenders with a high chance of keeping clean sheets and scoring goals.
To see our matchday two team and our various matchday two drafts, you can check out our: World Cup fantasy MD2 wildcard team: the best matchday two FIFA fantasy team article.
In that article we create three different matchday one teams using different strategies. In one of our strategies we go big at the back, in another we spend a lot on midfielders and in the final one, we go all in on forwards.
For some more cheap defender picks for your World Cup fantasy team, we’ve got:
- Estupinan (4.5m) of Ecuador
- Cash (4.0m) of Poland
- Rodriguez (4.5m) of Switzerland
- Telles (4.5m) of Brazil
We’ve now gone on to create a complete matchday one guide, in the article we put together all the helpful world cup content we’ve created so far this week.
It would help you identify the best player picks, teams, captains and many other things. Do check it out: World cup fantasy MD1 guide: tips, player picks, rules, teams, boosters and captain picks.
If you want to see a similar article, but on midfielders, then check out our: best players for 2022 FIFA World cup fantasy -midfielder picks.
If you want to see a similar article, but on forwards, then check out our: The best FIFA World cup fantasy forward player picks – Mbappe, Benzema, Kane, Messi
You can also check out our matchday one captain picks article, in this article we share out thoughts on what players we think are great captain picks for each day: The best World Cup fantasy MD1 captain picks: Mbappe, Messi, Neymar or Kane.
You can also check out ALLABOUTFPL’S article: Best Defenders to Target in World Cup Fantasy | Price Point Wise
Redeyedrae, is an FPL content writer with years of experience in playing and writing about FPL. He has written for major FPL blogs like ALLABOUTFPL, Fantasytipsters, FF Titans, and nevermanagealone. With his deep knowledge of the game, he has become a trusted source for FPL fans worldwide. His content is well-researched and always up-to-date. He’s passionate about helping FPL managers gain an edge in their leagues by sharing insights and analysis about everything fantasy football on raensports.
5 thoughts on “The best defender player picks for your 2022 World Cup fantasy team”