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The opening weekend of the Premier League season was pretty chaotic, particularly in the world of FPL. Injuries to John Stones and Tyrone Mings, and the surprise omission of Arsenal defender Gabriel left defensive lines in tatters, leaving many to ponder to do next.
Using Fantasy Football Hub’s powerful AI Points Predictions tool, here are the three top defensive picks for gameweek two.
Pervis Estupinan vs Wolves (A) - 4.0 Predicted Points
Pervis Estupinan excelled for Brighton on matchday one and now looks to be one of the best value defenders in the game. He made six key passes, creating two big chances for his teammates and was rewarded with an assist.
He also ranked top among defenders for shots on the opening weekend, with three, and had five touches in the box against Luton Town, the most of any defender. The Ecuadorian will continue to deliver frequent attacking returns this season and an away trip to Wolves looks favourable.
Ben Chilwell vs West Ham (A) - 3.6 Predicted Points
Chelsea's adoption of a 3-5-2 formation hugely benefitted wing-back Ben Chilwell, as he too was one of the most influential FPL defenders of matchday one.
Chilwell bagged an assist for the Blues, setting up Axel Disasi's equaliser, and had a goal of his own ruled out for a tight offside. There was plenty of evidence to support the idea of regular points returns for the former Leicester man, particularly as he plays a prominent role in taking set pieces.
West Ham away isn't an easy game but is one Chelsea will be confident of getting a result in.
Reece James vs West Ham (A) - 4.0 Predicted Points
Doubling up with Chelsea defenders could be the smart play when you take into account the fixtures they've got going. The club have also completed the British transfer record signing of Moises Caicedo (£115m) and his presence in central midfield will further solidify the Blues.
The concern many will have with James is his ability to stay fit - he has played the eqiuvalent of 34.5 games from a possible 76 over the past two years because of injury - and his afternoon was again ended early against Liverpool.
Nevertheless, James is an incredible attacking threat and Chelsea's formation will play into his attacking skillset nicely.
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This article was originally published on 90min as FPL Gameweek 2: The best AI defenders.