In today’s instalment of our series on how to thrive in the TODAY Fantasy League, Hiranand Sunny Naresh (hiranandsn [at] mediacorp.com.sg) alerts first-time managers to the EPL full-backs they should sign or avoid.

SINGAPORE — It is a common strategy for fantasy league managers to scrimp on defenders in order to splurge on midfielders and forwards.

The TODAY Fantasy League (TFL), however, differentiates between centre-backs and full-backs as two separate positions, which means any smart, well-prepared TFL manager could save on the former while investing a little in attacking full-backs.

MUST-HAVES

Everton’s Leighton Baines is one player you cannot do without and, at £4.7 million (S$9.3 million), is surprisingly not the most expensive full-back in the TFL. He was the TFL’s top-scoring full-back with 94 points last season and is expected to flourish under new manager Roberto Martinez’s preferred 3-4-3 formation and put that deadly left foot to great use.

Patrice Evra (£5 million) proved that he can defend as well as attack during Manchester United’s 2-0 win in last Sunday’s Community Shield, helping the backline keep a clean sheet and providing the cross for Robin van Persie to open the scoring against Wigan. He also has little competition for his left-back slot and should see plenty of game time.

However, David Moyes’ men have a tough opening round of fixtures and are unlikely to be spotless at the back.

Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic (£4.8 million) is also equally talented at scoring goals — particularly from set-pieces — while keeping them out.

However, as the Blues will challenge for all four trophies on offer, Chelsea players may be susceptible to the dreaded rotation.

MAYBES

Southampton duo Luke Shaw and Nathaniel Clyne (both £3.2 million) could be this season’s bargain buys. Their attacking bent, coupled with Southampton’s relatively easy start to the season, means they could clinch lots of valuable points. Picking two defenders from the same team isn’t recommended, however, so if I had to choose, I’d go for Shaw.

Another bargain is Everton’s Seamus Coleman. Last season, the Irishman, who costs only £3.8 million, provided five assists from just 24 appearances and is expected to do more of the same this season. West Ham’s Razvan Rat will make plenty of forward runs which could also get you a few goals and assists and his £3.4 million price tag will allow you to spend more on big-name attackers.

MAJOR MISTAKES

Tottenham’s Benoit Assou-Ekotto (£4.1m) managed a measly 25 points last season. That shows he is neither good at attacking nor defending. He also picks up yellow cards which will result in demerit points in the TFL.

Arsenal’s Bacary Sagna (£4.3 million) is also a terrible option at right-back. While he was part of the league’s second best defence, he did not score or provide an assist in his 25 games.

Manchester United’s Rafael (£4.9 million) would be an absolute success if guaranteed first-team football but his position is not assured, with centre-backs Phil Jones and Chris Smalling rotating into right-back at times last season.