Who are the Best Budget FPL Defenders to Pick for Gameweek 1?

The Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season is set to kick off in a few days, and the managers are busy sorting out their respective teams. Defence is one of the most important parts of an FPL team, where five players must be selected in the 15-member squad, and at least three defenders are required in the playing XI for any gameweek.

FPL managers are once again starting the season with a £100m budget, and while the star players’ values have risen significantly, it is tough for the managers to build a solid team within the budget. While an FPL manager can hardly build a team including all the top three most expensive players, budget players have important saviour roles in every situation.

Importance of Budget Defenders in FPL

As most FPL managers give importance to the star midfielders and forwards, they majorly focus on the best budget defenders in FPL, even for all five defenders sometimes. The FPL 2025/26 season has started with the defenders’ valuations between £6.0m and £4.0m. So, talking about the best budget FPL defenders, we must look at the top consistent defenders with the maximum value of £5.0m.

Gameweek 1 of the FPL 2025/26 season will begin on Friday (August 15), and its FPL deadline is on Friday, August 15, at 18:30 BST. To pick up the best budget defenders for a gameweek, we have to watch out for the teams with the best fixtures, and avoid the players with tough opponents, like those with more than 3 FDR (Fixture Difficulty Rating). As it is the first game of the season, we have to check out the previous season’s performances and present fitness.

Talking about FPL defenders, apart from regular involvement in goal-scoring and the best chances of a clean sheet, we will now also look at the top performers with defensive contributions, as a defender can deliver two FPL points from a match by recording at least 10 CBIT (combinations of clearances, blocks, interceptions, and tackles).

Best Budget FPL Defenders for Gameweek 1 Based on Predicted Points

Given below are some of the top defender picks that you can include in your 15-man FPL squad. These suggestions are completely based on predicted points generated by our AI FPL points predictor.

The above-listed players are some of the best budget FPL defenders for gameweek 1 backed by Sportsdunia's FPL Points Predictor. However, the final draft of your team must consider all the other aspects, such as form and injury, before drafting your final team.

Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest): £5.0m

Nottingham Forest’s Nigerian full-back, Ola Aina, is one of the most popular budget defenders in FPL, especially for Gameweek 1 of the 2025/26 season, when they will host Brentford. While Forest stunned last season, Aina also played an important role. He produced 128 FPL points last season, including two goals, one assist, and 15 bonus points (the joint second among the defenders), and his new season FPL valuation is £5.0m. The full-back also recorded 206 defensive contributions last season.

Nottingham Forest have mostly comfortable fixtures for the first six Gameweeks of the new season, with only one over four FDR, and three matches with two FDRs. So, this budget choice can be retained strongly early in the new FPL season.

Key factor(s): Bonus points

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United): £4.5m

The DR Congo right-back is one of the most popular and best budget defenders in FPL, who will start the new FPL season with a valuation of £4.5m. West Ham United will start the new Premier League season with the away game against the promoted side, Sunderland, and Wan-Bissaka can be a strong choice.

When the right-back was a regular Premier League player, he recorded 120, 127, and 144 FPL points for three straight seasons between 2018/19 and 2020/21. Last season, serving for Hammers, he returned as a regular player and produced 118 FPL points, which can be improved with the team's performance. He registered two goals and six assists last season and also recorded 258 defensive contributions. Wan-Bissaka also recorded 15 bonus points last FPL season.

Key factor(s): Involvement in goals, Defensive contributions, Bonus points

Vitalii Mykolenko (Everton): £5.0m

The Everton left-back Vitalii Mykolenko is another example among the best budget defenders in FPL, whose present valuation is £5.0m. In the last two seasons, he recorded 101 and 121 FPL points. He scored one goal and three assists last season, and two goals and one assist in the previous season. Last season, he recorded 252 defensive contributions.

Everton will start the new Premier League season with the away game against the promoted club Leeds United. So, there is no doubt about his name in the list of the top budget defenders in FPL.

Key factor(s): Defensive contriibutions

Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa): £4.5m

Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has a new season FPL valuation of £4.5m, and he is popular as a centre-back. However, the Englishman can also play an important role as a right-back. He has some good FPL records, as his last five FPL seasons’ points were 119, 78, 110, 91, and 103, respectively. Last season, he recorded two goals, 10 bonus points, and 176 defensive contributions.

Konsa’s Villa will start the Premier League 2025/26 season with the home game against Newcastle United. The Englishman is an important name for his team and will have to play a crucial role from the beginning of the new season.

Key factor(s): Bonus points

Nathan Collins (Brentford): £5.0m

Brentford’s Irish centre-back Nathan Collins can be another good choice as one of the best budget defenders in FPL for the opening gameweek of the new season. Last season, he produced 127 FPL points with the help of two goals and seven assists, including 11 bonus points. Also, very impressively, he recorded 351 defensive contributions last season (the third most among the defenders), which he can cash in as significant FPL points in the 2025/26 season.

Brentford will face the hosts, Nottingham Forest, in the new season opener, which is expected to be very competitive. Once again, the Bees' defence will be dependent on this £5.0m valued defender, along with his colleagues.

Key factor(s): Defensive contributions, Involvement in goals, Bonus points