Field Insider
Player Finder

Most Improved defenders in League One 26/27

The most improved defenders in League One in 26/27, ranked on Field Insider.

Most improved goalkeepers in League OneMost improved midfielders in League OneMost improved attackers in League OneBest defenders in League OneMost in-form defenders in League OneTop-scoring defenders in League One

At a glance

B. Nelson of Leicester is the standout for raw talent across defenders in League One, with a Field Insider Rating of 60.5, and I. Niskanen has been the form player this season, grading 35.2, and L. Sørensen leads the scoring with 4 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: W. Fish has improved his Season rating most, up +20.1 on last season, while T. Nixon's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +10.6 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, B. Hills of Stockport County is the most valuable name in this group at 14.6.

Best talent
B. Nelson60.5RTG
Leicester
In form
I. Niskanen35.2SsN
Blackpool
Rising potential
T. Nixon+10.6RTG
Doncaster · 24/25→25/26
Most improved
W. Fish+20.1SsN
Cardiff · 24/25→25/26
Top scorer
L. Sørensen4goals
Huddersfield
Most valuable
B. Hills14.6val
Stockport County
37 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
PlayerTeam
1W. FishCentre-backCardiff23+20.1
24/25→25/26
31179.5%4918.2%
2J. EdwardsFull-backPlymouth35+15.9
24/25→25/26
27142%153.8%
3J. JohnsonFull-backLuton20+12.8
24/25→25/26
16365.7%4620.5%
4K. KnoyleCentre-backMansfield Town29+8.4
24/25→25/26
2358.3%3015.1%
5I. NiskanenFull-backBlackpool28+8.1
24/25→25/26
3529.9%395.8%
6M. IhiekweCentre-backBlackpool33+7.6
24/25→25/26
2155.9%1548.6%
7T. NixonFull-backDoncaster23+6.1
24/25→25/26
9203.3%4035.6%
8B. HillsCentre-backStockport County22+5.7
24/25→25/26
2431.5%482.8%
9R. McDonaldCentre-backNotts County34+5.4
24/25→25/26
1745%924.6%
10A. YiadomFull-backReading34+4.2
24/25→25/26
1071.2%1029.7%
11L. SørensenFull-backHuddersfield26+3.1
24/25→25/26
2117.2%443.9%
12F. KentCentre-backOxford United30+2.8
24/25→25/26
2016%2328.6%
13C. O'KeeffeFull-backBarnsley28+2.6
24/25→25/26
1717.8%3520.7%
14B. NelsonCentre-backLeicester22+1.2
24/25→25/26
177.5%612.3%
15L. MacariFull-backNotts County24+1
24/25→25/26
264%34±0%
16A. HagelskjærCentre-backWycombe29+1
24/25→25/26
224.9%2911.2%
17T. MengiCentre-backLuton24-1.2
24/25→25/26
176.6%4426.3%
18W. ForresterCentre-backLeyton Orient25-1.4
24/25→25/26
1210.9%3911.8%
19B. CargillFull-backMansfield Town31-2.5
24/25→25/26
2011.2%2033.6%
20K. AbrefaFull-backReading22-3.2
24/25→25/26
926%442.4%
21M. PearsonCentre-backDoncaster33-4
24/25→25/26
1817.9%1641.4%
22D. CaseyCentre-backWycombe28-4.1
24/25→25/26
2216%3322.3%
23J. WrightCentre-backBradford31-4.7
24/25→25/26
1820.5%2224.7%
24F. HorsfallCentre-backBlackpool29-5.4
24/25→25/26
2021.3%2828%
25J. BoweryCentre-backMansfield Town35-7.9
24/25→25/26
1140.9%947.7%
26T. AllenCentre-backWycombe26-8.2
24/25→25/26
2227.2%414.1%
27J. ClarkeCentre-backCardiff36-10.8
24/25→25/26
283.1%631.4%
28J. HusbandFull-backDoncaster32-10.9
24/25→25/26
1542.6%2412.6%
29C. ChambersCentre-backCardiff31-12.2
24/25→25/26
2236.1%2151.8%
30M. de GevigneyCentre-backBarnsley26-13.5
24/25→25/26
1547.5%3820.6%
31S. RoughanFull-backHuddersfield22-14.1
24/25→25/26
2338.5%508%
32D. ButlerFull-backStevenage32-15.3
24/25→25/26
1158.4%1839.3%
33G. LeighCentre-backOxford United31-16.5
24/25→25/26
868.5%2443.9%
34W. FaesCentre-backLeicester28-17.5
24/25→25/26
384.5%3848.8%
35J. ShepherdCentre-backBarnsley25-18.8
24/25→25/26
1261.2%4529.5%
36M. PlattCentre-backNotts County28-19.6
24/25→25/26
1950.9%2232.4%
37J. LewisCentre-backAFC Wimbledon26-31.2
24/25→25/26
1469.5%389.6%