Fantasy Soccer Advice

2021 MLS Fantasy preseason rankings: Top 25 defenders

MLS Fantasy is back and itā€™s time to start building your squad!

Weā€™ll be previewing the top options at each position to give you all the tools you need to field a competitive side ahead of opening weekend April 16-18. Start playing today!

Keeping it clean

At five points a pop, clean sheet points go a long way in seeing your team shoot up the standings. So a viable strategy is to seek out defenders from teams with the best shutout odds, but thatā€™s not the only way defenders can pile up fantasy points.

MLS Fantasy also rewards defensive bonus points for clearances, blocks, interceptions, tackles and recoveries. Get familiar with all of the possible ways to earn points by studying the 2021 point scoring system here.

Attack from the back

While defensive actions are a consistent way to collect points, mixing in defenders with attacking upside can really separate your squad from the pack. Attacking fullbacks like Ryan Hollingshead and Anton Tinnerholm arenā€™t shy about getting involved going forward, and center backs like Walker Zimmerman are goalscoring threats on set pieces.Ā 

If the stars align, youā€™ll be reaping the rewards of a combination of defensive and attacking points to make some big moves up the standings.

MLS Fantasy: Top 25 defenders
MLS Fantasy: Top 25 defenders
Ranking
Player
Team
Cost
1
Walker Zimmerman
Nashville SC
$7.0
2
Ryan Hollingshead
FC Dallas
$6.0
3
Anton Tinnerholm
New York City FC
$6.0
4
Yeimar Gomez Andrade
Seattle Sounders
$6.0
5
Jakob Glesnes
Philadelphia Union
$5.5
6
Jonathan Mensah
Columbus Crew SC
$5.5
7
Eddie Segura
LAFC
$6.0
8
Aaron Long
New York Red Bulls
$5.5
9
Matt Hedges
FC Dallas
$6.0
10
Lalas Abubakar
Colorado Rapids
$6.0
11
Alexander Callens
New York City FC
$6.0
12
Oswaldo Alanis
San Jose Earthquakes
$5.5
13
Roberto Puncec
Sporting Kansas City
$6.0
14
Ali Adnan
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
$6.0
15
Ronald Matarrita
FC Cincinnati
$5.5
16
Mauricio Pineda
Chicago Fire FC
$6.0
17
Romain Metanire
Minnesota United FC
$6.0
18
Chris Mavinga
Toronto FC
$5.5
19
Josecarlos Van Rankin
Portland Timbers
$5.5
20
Leandro Gonzalez Pirez
Inter Miami CF
$6.0
21
Aaron Herrera
Real Salt Lake
$6.0
22
Joao Moutinho
Orlando City SC
$5.5
23
Donovan Pines
D.C. United
$4.5
24
George Bello
Atlanta United
$5.5
25
Henry Kessler
New England Revolution
$5.5