Profile
Daniel Muñoz Mejía has become one of the more aggressive defender picks in FPL. Listed as a Defender for Crystal Palace, he offers the kind of role that matters far more than the position label. Muñoz plays with license to attack, which is why his output looks closer to a wing-back with genuine end product than a standard full-back. At £5.9m, after opening the season at £5.5m, he now sits in that bracket where managers expect both clean-sheet potential and attacking threat.
The minutes are also important. Muñoz has logged 2094 minutes, which gives his returns real weight rather than coming from a small sample. His status is a, so there is no current flag attached, and that keeps him firmly in the playable pool for the run-in.
This-season output
Muñoz has delivered 126 total points, an excellent return for a defender at his price, and he is averaging 5.0 points per game. Even with a slightly quieter recent spell, shown by a 4.2 form over the last five matches, the overall season remains strong.
The underlying production is exactly what FPL managers want to see from a defender with upside. He has scored 4 goals and supplied 3 assists, while Crystal Palace have recorded 10 clean sheets with him in the squad. That blend of attacking and defensive routes is what separates him from lower-ceiling defenders in the same general price range.
His bonus profile is respectable too. Muñoz has picked up 8 bonus points, with a total BPS of 429. His ICT Index of 119.4 backs up the eye test that he is consistently involved. For a defender, those are healthy numbers and they support the idea that his points total is earned rather than fluky.
Ownership and price journey
Muñoz is no longer a niche pick. He is currently selected by 9.9% of managers, which puts him in that awkward zone where non-owners can be punished by steady returns, but owners still gain if he spikes with a goal or double-digit haul.
The market movement this gameweek shows clear momentum behind him. He has seen 129,217 transfers in against just 13,518 transfers out. That is a major net positive and suggests managers are still willing to buy despite the tougher headline fixtures ahead. The price rise of +£0.4m from £5.5m to £5.9m tells the same story. Early adopters have already banked value, while new buyers are paying close to peak cost.
Upcoming outlook
The immediate fixture list is not easy on paper:
- GW36: away vs MCI, xP 6.83
- GW37: away vs BRE, xP 3.50
- GW38: home vs ARS, xP 3.12
The standout detail is the projection for GW36 at 6.83 xP. That is unusually strong for a defender in an away match at Manchester City, and it suggests the model is giving serious credit to his all-round involvement rather than relying purely on clean-sheet odds. The following two weeks are more modest at 3.50 and 3.12, which frames him more as a good squad player than an automatic weekly starter for every manager.
Captaincy is a different conversation. Muñoz is not a serious captaincy option in standard FPL builds. Defenders need either dominant clean-sheet probability or explosive attacking odds to enter that bracket, and Crystal Palace do not quite offer enough of either in these fixtures. He is viable as a start, not as an armband play.
Verdict
Own if you want an attacking defender with proven output. Watch if you are fixture-driven. Fade only if your back line is already loaded.
The case for Muñoz is simple: 126 points, 4 goals, 3 assists, 10 clean sheets, and 2094 minutes at £5.9m is a strong season. The case against him is also simple: the remaining schedule is difficult, and his 4.2 recent form is solid rather than explosive. He looks like a good own for managers chasing steady defender returns with upside, but not a must-buy at any cost and not a captaincy candidate.