Serie A has reached its first international break after five rounds, and the early fantasy picture is beginning to take shape. The sample remains small, but among defenders who have received ratings in at least three matches, Roma’s Evan Ndicka and new teammate Leonardo Balerdi have set the standard for consistency, while Inter’s Carlos Augusto has made the strongest overall fantasy return.
The early defensive ratings leaders
- Ndicka, valued at 32 credits, has played three rated matches and has not fallen below a positive performance. He earned two 7.5 ratings before receiving a 6 in his latest appearance, reduced to 5.5 by a yellow-card penalty.
- Those three outings give the Roma defender an average rating of 7.0, the highest figure among defenders after the opening five league rounds.
- Balerdi, priced at 24 credits and in his first season with Roma, matches Ndicka’s 7.0 average. The Argentine has recorded 6.5 against Atalanta, 7.5 versus Torino and 7 against Inter.
- He has yet to register a fantasy bonus, but his three positive ratings underline an immediate and reliable contribution in the Giallorossi shirt.
- Carlos Augusto follows with an average rating of 6.8. The Inter player has produced two 7s and a 6.5 across his three rated league appearances.
Carlos Augusto leads on total fantasy return
While Ndicka and Balerdi lead the pure ratings table, Carlos Augusto is the leading defender in the Fantacampionato standings when bonuses are included. His returns in the first weeks have pushed his fantasy average above the rest of the defensive field.
The first pause in the calendar therefore leaves three distinct early markers: Ndicka’s dependable performances, Balerdi’s fast adaptation to Roma, and Carlos Augusto’s capacity to turn solid displays into tangible fantasy points. With much of the season still to be played, the next round of Serie A will show whether these opening numbers represent a durable pattern or simply the first movement of a longer campaign.
