This article is part of our Setting the Table series.
The growth of fantasy soccer over the past few years has led us to a format revolution of sorts, where we now have access to a multitude of games that allow more players than ever to have fantasy value.
Defensive midfielders and centerbacks have long been ignored in fantasy circles because they don't score enough goals or grab enough assists to make major impacts. These players bust their butts game-in and game-out to help their teams win, while at the same time hurting fantasy rosters because their defensive capabilities don't provide the offensive numbers that we long to have.
However, these new games are now giving those players the credit they deserve. Players like Nemanja Matic, Ashley Williams and Mile Jedinak are starting to make differences in fantasy games because of new formats that give points for clearances, successful passes, tackles won and interceptions.
So, for fantasy owners that are participating in games that include more than just goals, assists and clean sheets, here are some stat leaders from the past week, two weeks, four weeks and full season to give you an idea of which defensive-minded players can still contribute in numerous fantasy formats:
And if you'd like to see any others, feel free to leave a comment below or you can hit me up on twitter @rotowireandrew.
