Wednesday 3 August 2016 15:57, UK
In part two of our hunt for value for money Sky Sports Fantasy Football players, our scout looks at defenders who could defy their modest price tags.
Hector Bellerin was last season's top scorer with 157 points and the Gunners man is priced at £10.3m for the new season - only just behind the game's most expensive defender, Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld (£10.5m).
But plenty of defenders who went on to rack up the points were available for smaller Fantasy Football fees last term, Leicester left-back Christian Fuchs accruing as many as Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny - the most expensive option in 2015/16 - at £2.5m less.
After looking at value goalkeepers, we turn our attention to some defensive prospects who could defy their modest valuations and do the business for your Sky Sports Fantasy Football team this coming campaign...
Experience has taught us the perils of signing players at inflated prices on the back of performances at summer tournaments but here's the chance to land a Euro 2016 winner who has been linked with a move to Barcelona for a modest price.
Soares helped Portugal keep four clean sheets en route to Euro 2016 glory after establishing himself as part of the Premier League's joint fifth-best backline last season. He also operated in a more advanced role down the right at time, notching a couple assists. At 24, and with a season of Premier League action under his belt, expect him to continue to flourish at a lower price than Virgil van Dijk (£8.1m), Jose Fonte (£7.8m) and Ryan Bertrand (£7.7m).
The Everton left-back was last season's second most expensive defender in Sky Sports Fantasy Football but is now a whole £3.2m cheaper than the most expensive pick.
That valuation drop comes as a consequence of him recording a meagre 46 points last season due to a combination of injury, reduced set-piece duties and the Toffees' troubled backline.
New boss Ronald Koeman will surely make tightening up that defence a priority and showed he's capable with Southampton last campaign, despite a series of injuries and personnel changes. As a free-kick specialist himself, Koeman will surely appreciate Baines' dead-ball threat and those considering selecting the 31-year-old will hope he returns to first-choice penalty taker.
As a general rule of Sky Sports Fantasy Football, when searching for a cheaper defensive option, you'll do far worse than looking towards a Tony Pulis backline.
His West Brom side may struggle to challenge the upper echelons again this season but you can guarantee they will be organised, with his system seeing them end last season with the best defensive record outside the top six.
While Dawson is marginally their most expensive defender, he's worth the nominal extra cost of £0.2m than Gareth McAuley and Jonny Evans, having found the net four times last season. The Baggies man picked up 99 points - more than Branislav Ivanovic (£10m) or Danny Rose (£9.3m).
The long-term lay-off of Per Mertesacker (£9.2m) has seen Sky Sports Fantasy Football bosses scrambling to secure the services of Chambers, who is currently Arsenal's only available centre-back. With Gabriel (£8.9m) left at home with tonsillitis and Koscielny (£10.3m) given additional leave to recover from Euro 2016, Chambers has the chance to prove he is ready to step up during the Gunners' pre-season tour of America.
If the 21-year-old can secure a regular place in 2016/17 then his Sky Sports Fantasy Football prospects look bright, with Arsenal recording the most clean sheets in the Premier League last season. However, Gabriel looks the most likely replacement for Mertesacker so it could take another injury for the opportunity to come the versatile defender's way.
Attacking full-backs are prime fodder for Sky Sports Fantasy Football bosses and no defender proved more offensively effective last season than Sunderland's Dutchman. Two of his efforts may have been retrospectively credited as own goals but the left-back still retained the points, meaning he was credited with six goals and three assists.
David Moyes will be keen to exploit the threat held by the left-back - who also provided five assists in 2014/15 - as he did successfully with Baines and Seamus Coleman at Everton, while attempting to tighten up the Black Cats' with a more settled backline.
