Finding the right budget enablers is essential when building a Fantasy Premier League squad. The cheaper picks may not be players you want to start every week, but they can free up the funds needed for premium assets while still offering genuine routes to points.
This season, there are several low-priced defenders and midfielders with more upside than their price tags suggest. From attacking full-backs and out-of-position options to set-piece specialists and DEFCON magnets, these five picks could help balance your squad without simply becoming passengers on the bench.
Enzo Le Fée
Price: 6.0m
Ownership: 12.8%
Position: Midfielder
Fixtures: IPS (A), FUL (H), BRE (A)
Enzo Le Fée is back on my FPL radar as one of the standout budget midfielders. He was one of my personal heroes last season after producing five goals, six assists and 13 big chances created, demonstrating multiple routes to points. The Sunderland midfielder also has set-piece responsibilities and appears to be the main penalty taker, while three pre-season goals have provided further encouragement.
I like to think of him as a budget Dominik Szoboszlai: capable of contributing goals, assists and defensive returns. With Ipswich away and Fulham at home in Sunderland’s opening two fixtures, Le Fée looks like an excellent option to start with.
Milan van Ewijk
Price: 4.0m
Ownership: 15.5%
Position: Defender
Fixtures: ARS (A), HUL (H), MCI (A)
Yes, Milan van Ewijk plays for Coventry – but that does not mean he should be ignored as an FPL bargain. At the start of the season, it is impossible to fill your squad with premium players, and Van Ewijk offers an explosive right-back option at a low price.
He registered eight assists and created 46 chances last season, while his long throw provides another route to attacking returns. His DEFCON potential may be limited, so he is not a defender to rely on every week, but he is an excellent bench enabler. The Gameweek 2 home fixture against Hull could also provide an early opportunity to use him.
Trai Hume
Price: 4.5m
Ownership: 4.9%
Position: Defender
Fixtures: IPS (A), FUL (H), BRE (A)
Trai Hume could be one of the most intriguing out-of-position bargains in FPL. Listed as a defender, he has started on Sunderland’s right wing in pre-season and already produced two goals across three matches. That gives him the appeal of an attacking player while retaining the potential for clean-sheet points if Sunderland keep Ipswich out in Gameweek 1.
Hume may not remain in that advanced role all season, especially if Sunderland bring in another winger, but the early signs are extremely encouraging. Rather than chasing points after they arrive, this is a chance to get ahead of the curve.
Leif Davis
Price: 4.0m
Ownership: 4.9%
Position: Defender
Fixtures: SUN (H), MUN (A), LIV (H)
Leif Davis is another budget defender worth considering at just 4.0m. The Ipswich left-back has already underlined his attacking threat in pre-season, scoring twice in the 3-0 win over Rayo Vallecano with two well-timed runs into the box.
Sunderland are the opening opponents, and while Ipswich may not offer reliable clean-sheet potential every week, Davis has the licence to create and attack from wide areas. His delivery, set-piece involvement and previous creative output give him a higher ceiling than most defenders at this price. For managers looking to save money without settling for a purely defensive bench option, Davis is an excellent enabler.
Dan Ballard
Price: 5.0m
Ownership: 4.4%
Position: Defender
Fixtures: IPS (A), FUL (H), BRE (A)
Dan Ballard is a genuine DEFCON monster and one of the standout budget centre-backs in FPL. He returned DEFCON points in around 60% of his starts last season, averaging 11.8 DEFCON per 90 minutes, while his aerial ability also makes him a threat from set-pieces.
Sunderland may struggle to keep clean sheets consistently, which limits Ballard’s ceiling, but his defensive contribution gives him a reliable route to points regardless. Even if Sunderland concede, a DEFCON return can still turn his appearance into a useful four-point score. For a low-cost defender who does not rely solely on clean sheets, Ballard is a very solid option
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