In Gameweek 8 I conducted some research into the baseline BPS, which are used to calculate bonus points in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game. I did this by looking at how many BPS per minute (BPS/min) they received after removing those allocated for goals, assists and clean sheets. This shows which defenders are the most likely to get FPL bonus points in the event of their team keeping a clean sheet, providing no other defenders in their team get attacking returns. Three months on, I’ve updated this and worked out the baseline BPS/min scores for the main four to six defenders from each Premier League club at the Gameweek 21 mark.

Team by Team BPS/min scores

Arsenal:

Monreal: 0.188

Koscielny: 0.186

Mertesacker: 0.179

Chambers: 0.166

Gibbs: 0.160

Aston Villa:

Clark: 0.149

Hutton: 0.139

Vlaar: 0.137

Cissokho: 0.120

Burnley:

Shackell: 0.154

Trippier: 0.153

Keane*: 0.137

Duff: 0.132

Mee: 0.119

Chelsea:

Luis*: 0.188

Azpilicueta: 0.181

Terry: 0.178

Cahill: 0.155

Ivanovic: 0.149

Crystal Palace:

Ward: 0.127

Delaney: 0.116

Kelly: 0.110

Dann: 0.100

Everton:

Distin: 0.205

Stones*: 0.199

Jagielka: 0.196

Baines: 0.186

Coleman: 0.150

Hull:

Robertson: 0.169

Dawson: 0.152

C.Davies: 0.150

Chester: 0.146

Bruce*: 0.140

Leicester:

De Laet: 0.142

Konchesky: 0.132

Morgan: 0.124

Wasilewski: 0.120

Liverpool:

Sakho*: 0.202

Skrtel: 0.190

Lovren: 0.171

Moreno: 0.145

Manchester City:

Clichy: 0.193

Demichelis: 0.175

Kompany: 0.165

Kolarov*: 0.156

Zabaleta: 0.146

Mangala: 0.139

Manchester United:

Jones*: 0.196

Rojo*/Smalling*: 0.176

Evans*: 0.175

Shaw*: 0.170

Newcastle:

Coloccini: 0.152

Dummett: 0.130

Janmaat: 0.124

Williamson: 0.123

QPR:

Isla: 0.154

Caulker: 0.133

Dunne: 0.115

Yun*: 0.086

Southampton:

Fonte: 0.178

Alderweireld: 0.158

Bertrand: 0.148

Clyne: 0.141

Spurs:

Vertonghen/Rose: 0.164

Fazio: 0.150

Walker*: 0.118

Stoke:

Pieters: 0.150

Wilson: 0.145

Cameron: 0.138

Shawcross: 0.127

Bardsley: 0.107

Sunderland:

PVA: 0.169

O’Shea: 0.149

Reveillere*: 0.146

Brown: 0.141

Vergini: 0.117

Swansea:

Williams: 0.194

Fernandez: 0.176

Rangel: 0.172

N. Taylor: 0.164

West Brom:

C.Dawson: 0.152

Baird*: 0.143

Lescott: 0.142

McAuley*/Wisdom: 0.138

Pocognoli: 0.115

West Ham:

Tomkins: 0.153

Reid: 0.143

Cresswell: 0.139

Jenkinson: 0.122

* = has played less than 900 minutes over the season (10 games).

I have purposely left out players that played earlier in the season and now have a very little chance of regaining their spot e.g. Dier.

Top 10 baseline BPS/min magnets

(excluding <900 min players)

1) Distin (0.205)

2) Jagielka (0.196)

3) Williams (0.194)

4) Clichy (0.193)

5) Skrtel (0.190)

6) Monreal (0.188)

7=) Baines/Koscielny (0.186)

9) Azpilicueta (0.181)

10) Mertesacker (0.179)

Conclusions

Comparing this with the same analysis I did earlier in the season, only Phil Jagielka, Ashley Williams, Leighton Baines and Cesar Azpilicueta remain in the top 10. Williams is Mr. Consistent – his score of 0.194 is exactly the same as it was in Gameweek 8. Jagielka and Baines’ scores have risen slightly over the season, and Azpilicueta, the runaway leader earlier in the season, has dropped off.

A big shock is Distin leading the way. Despite playing in 11 Premier League games this season, Everton haven’t kept a clean sheet with him in the side, which means his baseline BPS/min score means little.

In Gameweek 8, four full-backs and six-centre backs made up the top 10. The same numbers make up the top 10 now.

Looking at the top Premier League clubs that usually finish seasons strongly in terms of defensive performances, Azpilicueta remains the top choice in terms of BPS and John Terry has a clear edge over Branislav Ivanovic. Among Manchester City’s ranks, Gael Clichy is the key magnet for BPS, although he continually faces competition for a place with Aleksandar Kolorov. For Arsenal, Nacho Monreal’s lack of security of starts propels Laurent Koscielny to the top of the north London club’s realistic BPS magnets.