FPL Budget Picks: The Best DEF Under £6.5

Budget defenders under £6.5m: who's actually worth your money

Eighty-two defenders qualify at £6.5m or under. Most of them will cost you points through blanks, benchings or both. Here's the shortlist that survives Cheapy's minutes test — and the ones that don't.

De Cuyper (BHA, £4.9m) tops our projections for the whole bracket — around 44 points over the next six, starting at Sunderland away, with a very kind run behind it. About 1 in 4 managers already have him. The one nag: Brighton haven't confirmed him as an automatic starter, so watch the first team sheet. At £4.9m, if he plays, that's the best value in the game.

Gvardiol (MCI, £5.7m) starts, no argument, and City's fixtures soften nicely after Liverpool away first up. Roughly 29 points projected. Owned by about 1 in 4.

Bogle (LEE, £4.6m) is the quiet one — a proper starter, £4.6m, projected near 35 points despite Arsenal away first. Hardly anyone has him (~1 in 2 out of 10... call it barely anyone). This is the enabler that funds your premiums.

Calafiori (ARS, £5.8m) is owned by about half of all managers — and that's the problem. Our model rates him below cheaper options and his starts aren't guaranteed. The template got here first and might regret it.

Guéhi (MCI, £6.0m) starts and projects a solid 32, but you can get most of that from Gvardiol for £0.3m less at the same club.

Hall (NEW, £5.2m) and Tarkowski (EVE, £6.1m) both have decent fixtures — Coventry and Hull away respectively — but neither is a confirmed starter. Pass until they are.

Muharemović (LEE, £5.0m) starts and projects 31, but he's unproven at this level and Bogle does the same job for £0.4m less. Vuskovic (BHA, £5.0m) — unproven, starts not nailed. Bobby Thomas (COV, £4.0m) and Davis (IPS, £4.0m) are your bench-fodder tier: lovely prices, but neither is guaranteed minutes, and a £4.0m defender who doesn't play is just a £4.0m hole. Van Hecke (TOT, £4.9m) — average fixtures, murky minutes.

The call: De Cuyper is the pick if Brighton confirm he starts — nothing at £4.9m comes close on points. The best alternative, and honestly the safer money, is Bogle at £4.6m: nailed, cheap, kind fixtures, and almost nobody owns him. Buy Bogle now, buy De Cuyper the moment his name's on the team sheet.