[THREAD]
Budget Defenders
* includes fixture rotation *

Having TAA, and rotating budget defenders in the other 2 slots (3-5-2 or 3-4-3) seems to be a very popular strategy this season. To help you decide which budget (£4.0m-£4.5m) defenders to go for, I have written a thread on the best options, and included which rotate best.

In order of FPL appeal:
Essentials: VINAGRE & FERGUSON
Pair 1: Walker-Peters & Lamptey
Pair 2: Taylor & Targett
Others: Dallas & Saliba

Leicester Full-Backs https://twitter.com/fplredman/status/1297096198587928576

Ruben Vinagre DEF WOL
Playing position: LWB
Appearances: 8
0 goals 0 assists
Per game: 0.5 shots 0.9 KPs
3 clean sheets
1 big chance created
* statistics from Europa League 19/20

SHU (A), MCI (H), WHU (A), FUL (H), LEE (A), NEW (H), CRY (H), LEI (A), SOU (H), ARS (A)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 2.9
Vinagre has great early fixtures, facing just 3 of last season’s top 8 teams in his first 10 games. Because of this, there is little need to rotate him.

Vinagre could be the best budget DEF, if Wolves don’t sign a new LWB. Their first-choice LWB, Jonny (£5.5m), is unlikely to feature for an extended period after an operation on his ACL. At just £4.5m, Vinagre could be the cheapest way into the Wolves defence that 13 CSs in 19/20.

Nathan Ferguson DEF CRY
Price: £4.0m
Playing position: RB
Appearances: 21
1 goal 1 assist
Per game: 0.3 shots 0.3 KPs
3 clean sheets
0 big chances created

SOU (H), MUN (A), EVE (H), CHE (A), BHA (H), FUL (A), WOL (A), LEE (H), BUR (A), NEW (H)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 2.7

Ferguson arrives at CRY from WBA and offers the Eagles options at full-back. With PVA, Cahill, Tomkins and Sakho injured, he could quickly establish himself as the go-to defender at £4.0m. Palace have appealing fixtures between GW 5-13, so there is potential for early returns.

Kyle Walker-Peters DEF SOU
Price: £4.5m
Playing position: RB
Appearances: 13
0 goals 0 assists
Per game: 0.1 shots 0.5 KPs
2 clean sheets
2 big chances created

CRY (A), TOT (H), BUR (A), WBA (H), CHE (A), EVE (H), AVL (A), NEW (H), WOL (A), MUN (H)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 3.0

Walker-Peters impressed during a loan spell with the Saints in 19/20, particularly after the restart. He started 6/7 of the final GWs and produced at least 6pts on three occasions. Walker-Peters’ total of 2 BCs created from GW32+ onwards was bettered only by Romeu for the Saints.

Southampton’s fixtures rotate very nicely with Brighton’s for the first 9 GWs, so Walker-Peters and Lamptey could be a good pair to rotate. Here’s the more favourable of their fixtures each GW:
CRY (A), NEW (A), BUR (A), WBA (H), CRY (A), WBA (H), AVL (A), BUR (H), AVL (A)

Tariq Lamptey DEF BHA
Price: £4.5m
Playing position: RB
Appearances: 9
0 goals 1 assist
Per game: 0.1 shots 0.9 KPs
1 clean sheet
3 big chances created

CHE (H), NEW (A), MUN (H), EVE (A), CRY (A), WBA (H), TOT (A), BUR (H), AVL (A), LIV (H)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 3.0

Lamptey got into the team and played the last 8 games of 19/20. In this time, he attempted 6 assists. At Brighton, only Maupay attempted more, with 8. It’s reported that the Seagulls could play with a back 5 in 20/21, where Lamptey would play a more advanced role as a RWB.

Many managers will own either Ryan or McCarthy as set-and-forget GKPs, and may not be interested in doubling up on BHA/SOU defence. If that’s the case, these are another two options that rotate nicely.

Charlie Taylor DEF BUR
Price: £4.5m
Playing position: LB
Appearances: 24
0 goals 1 assist
Per game: 0.0 shots 0.5 KPs
10 clean sheets
1 big chance created

BLANK, LEI (A), SOU (H), NEW (A), WBA (A), TOT (H), CHE (H), BHA (A), CRY (H), MCI (A)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 3.0

Taylor provides a budget-friendly route into one of the strongest PL defences. Only MCI kept more CSs than BUR in 19/20. Taylor started every match between GW 18-36 after recovering from injury. Despite playing only 24 games, his 20 successful crosses ranked 3rd for the Clarets.

BUR’s fixtures rotate nicely with AVL’s for GWs 2-10 (both blank in GW1), so Taylor and Targett could be a good pair to rotate. Rotating the two, here’s the more favourable of their fixtures each GW:
SHU (H), FUL (A), NEW (A), WBA (A), LEE (H), SOU (H), BHA (A), CRY (H), WHU (A)

Matt Targett DEF AVL
Price: £4.5m
Playing position: LB
Appearances: 28
1 goal 2 assists
Per game: 0.2 shots 1.0 KPs
4 clean sheets
8 big chances created

BLANK, SHU (H), FUL (A), LIV (H), LEI (A), LEE (H), SOU (H), ARS (A), BHA (H), WHU (A)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 2.9

Targett has more attacking threat than the other budget defenders. From GW 35-38, he was level with Grealish for big chances created, and no AVL player created more. Villa aren’t great defensively though, as only BOU & NOR recorded less shut-outs and only NOR conceded more goals.

Stuart Dallas DEF LEE
Price: £5.0m
Playing position: LB
Appearances: 45
5 goals 3 assists
Per game: 1.3 shots 1.0 KPs
19 clean sheets
11 big chances created

LIV (A), FUL (H), SHU (A), MCI (H), WOL (H), AVL (A), LEI (H), CRY (A), ARS (H), EVE (A)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 3.1

Dallas is part of the best defence of the newly promoted teams. His underlying stats make him more appealing than RB, Ayling. He created the 3rd most BCs at Leeds with 11, compared to Ayling’s 8. Dallas’ 58 shots were 30 more than Ayling, and placed 2nd.

Leed’s fixtures rotate relatively well with Brighton’s and Burnley’s, between GW 2-10. Rotating Dallas with Lamptey or Taylor could be good for managers that already own McCarthy (SOU) or Pope (BUR), as this would avoid a SOU/BUR defensive double-up.

William Saliba DEF ARS
Price: £4.5m
Playing position: CB
Appearances: 12
0 goals 0 assists
Per game: 0.2 shots 0.1 KPs
3 clean sheets
0 big chances created
* statistics from Lile in Ligue 1

FUL (A), WHU (H), LIV (A), SHU (H), MCI (A), LEI (H), MUN (A), AVL (H), LEE (A), WOL (H)
Average FDR for first 10 GWs: 3.1
Unfortunately, Saliba’s fixtures only rotate well with Vinagre’s, out of the budget defenders.

Saliba was signed from Saint-Etienne last summer but loaned back to the French side for 19/20. He could secure a regular role in the Gunners’ defence, with injuries to Mustafi, Chambers and Mari. Arsenal’s summer friendlies will provide insight into Saliba's potential for starts.

Thanks for taking the time to read my thread. Retweets and feedback are appreciated. As always, thanks to @AllAboutFPL, @FPLGOAT7, @FPL_Elite and @FPLFanatix for their continued support in growing my audience.

I will be posting a thread on the best budget (£4.5m) midfielders tomorrow.

CORRECTIONS:
• Saliba was at Saint-Etienne, not Lille
• Dallas is priced £4.5m, not £5.0m