FPL GW17: Teams With the Best Defensive Fixtures (Next 5 Gameweeks)
Identifying clean sheets is one of the most difficult yet valuable parts of succeeding in Fantasy Premier League. Defensive returns are often fixture-driven, making upcoming schedules a critical factor when planning transfers, Free Hit drafts or long-term squad structure.
RotoWire's Fixture Difficulty Ranker
Below are the five teams with the best defensive fixtures in FPL GW17, ranked using RotoWire's Fixture Difficulty Ranker (FDR). The analysis focuses on clean sheet potential over the next five Gameweeks, helping managers target defences best positioned to deliver consistent returns.
Check out RotoWire's updated GW17 FPL rankings and FPL tips to improve your squad.
Our FPL GW17 cheat sheets include predicted lineups, team odds, goalscorer odds, set-piece stats, player stats and more.
How the Defensive Fixture Scores Are Calculated
The scores below are generated using RotoWire's FDR, which evaluates defensive fixture difficulty based on:
- Goals scored by each opponent this season
- A 1–5 rating per opponent (1 = highest scoring, 5 = lowest scoring)
- A cumulative score across the next five matches
Higher totals indicate a more favourable defensive fixture run and greater clean sheet potential.
Everton: Best Defensive Fixtures in FPL GW17 (17 Points)
vs. Arsenal, at Burnley, at Nottingham Forest, vs. Brentford, vs. Wolves
Despite the opening fixture against Arsenal, Everton rank among the teams with the best defensive fixtures in FPL over the next five Gameweeks, particularly from GW18 onwards.
Everton have kept six clean sheets this season, four of which have come in the last six games. They start this run of fixtures with a tough game against Arsenal, but from Gameweek 18 to Gameweek 21, they face four of the bottom six teams. In this run, their opponents have averaged 16.5 goals this season (1.03 per game).
Last season, Everton managed a clean sheet at the Emirates against Arsenal. When Burnley were last in the Premier League, Everton kept a clean sheet against them in both games. In the six games against Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Wolves last season, Everton kept three clean sheets.
Best Everton defensive options:
Jordan Pickford is the second-highest scoring keeper in FPL this season with 68 points. He's also picked up six bonus points, with only Robin Roefs surpassing that total among goalkeepers. On a good day in FPL, Pickford can accrue a combination of points and has managed a double-digit haul twice this season.
James Tarkowski is in the top 10 highest-scoring defenders this season. He's also the only player in the top 10 to have fewer than two goal involvements. The centre-back has picked up defensive contributions (DEFCON) points on 10 occasions, second most in the league.
Manchester City: Elite Clean Sheet Potential (15 Points)
vs. West Ham, at Nottingham Forest, at Sunderland, vs. Chelsea, vs. Brighton
Manchester City's upcoming schedule places them firmly among the best defences to target in FPL GW17, combining clean sheet probability with attacking full-backs.
Man City have kept seven clean sheets in 16 league games, with only Arsenal and Chelsea keeping more at eight.
City start this run of five fixtures against West Ham, who are one of only six teams to score fewer than 20 goals this season. Their fixtures in GW18 against Nottingham Forest and GW19 against Sunderland are against two of the other teams that have scored fewer than 20.
Man City have also kept four clean sheets in their last five games against Nottingham Forest. They picked up a 3-0 win against Sunderland earlier this season and have kept five clean sheets in their last six home games against Chelsea.
Best Man City defensive options:
Nico O'Reilly is the top defender against West Ham in the GW17 FPL Rankings. In the Premier League this season, he's assisted three goals and scored one. He also scored in the recent Champions League game against Real Madrid.
Matheus Nunes has the same attacking record as O'Reilly, with one goal and three assists. His most recent assist came in the last game against Crystal Palace.
Brentford: Strong Defensive Run Starting GW17 (15 Points)
at Wolves, vs. Bournemouth, vs. Spurs, at Everton, vs. Sunderland
Facing Wolves in Gameweek 17 is the best fixture in the league for defences due to their nine goals scored in 16 games. Everton and Sunderland are two of the other teams to have scored fewer than 20 goals this season.
Spurs and Bournemouth have both scored 25 goals this season, but they've been inconsistent in recent weeks. Bournemouth have failed to score in two of their last three games. In Gameweek 16, Spurs were smashed 3-0 by Nottingham Forest and finished with 0.33 xG from six shots.
Best Brentford defensive options
Nathan Collins and Sepp van den Berg are very similar entities in FPL, with the same point totals in 16 games. Collins has picked up DEFCON on nine occasions, while Van Den Berg has picked up DEFCON points on seven occasions.
Caoimhin Kelleher has only kept two clean sheets and picked up 43 points, but this fixture run could provide a good opportunity for him to secure more clean sheets.
Manchester United: Fixture Swing From GW18 (14 Points)
at Aston Villa, vs. Newcastle, vs. Wolves, at Leeds, at Burnley
Manchester United have three away fixtures in the next five games, and a tricky one to start with a match against in-form Villa in Gameweek 17. Newcastle failed to score last week against Sunderland, and the final three games in this run come against the worst team in the league and two newly promoted sides.
United have already played Wolves and Burnley, but they failed to keep a clean sheet against either side.
Best Man United defensive options
Diogo Dalot is the top-scoring defensive option for Manchester United this season, though with only 47 points, it's not the most respectable total. He will, however, benefit from Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui being unavailable during AFCON. Diallo had been playing as the main right wing-back, and this may offer more opportunities for Dalot as an attacking wing-back.
Senne Lammens has impressed as a young goalkeeper with Manchester United, though he's only kept one clean sheet in 10 games, which was in his debut against Sunderland.
Brighton: Rotational Defensive Option (14 Points)
vs. Sunderland, at Arsenal, at West Ham, vs. Burnley, at Man City
Brighton have tough fixtures combined with nice fixtures across their next five matches. Away trips to Arsenal and Manchester City make this a less viable path, but with matches against Sunderland, West Ham and Burnley, that may be enough to deserve attention. All three teams have scored fewer than 20 goals in 16 games.
Brighton have kept three clean sheets so far this season, two of which have come in away games.
Best Brighton defensive options:
Jan Paul van Hecke has been Brighton's best defensive option in FPL by more than 20 points. He's scored three goals and provided one assist, while also picking up 12 DEFCON points. Maxim De Cuyper offers some attacking threat, having scored two goals and created four big chances without an assist.
Final Thoughts: Best Defensive Fixtures in FPL GW17
Defensive planning becomes increasingly important during busy fixture periods, and targeting teams with favourable fixtures is one of the most reliable ways to gain an edge in Fantasy Premier League. Everton, Manchester City and Brentford stand out for clean sheet potential, while Manchester United and Brighton offer viable options with smart rotation.
These defensive fixture runs are best used alongside predicted lineups, injury news and transfer strategy to maximise returns over the next five Gameweeks.
