The Kante rule has added an extra dimension to Draft Fantasy this season as it provides value to those that may not regularly be involved in the attacking third.

The defensive-minded midfielders now have a place in the game and the very best at retrieving the ball can now be better players to own than mid-range attacking midfielders.

Here are the five currently leading the way in tackles, interceptions and recoveries:

5) Nemanja Matic (630 minutes, 16 points)

The Manchester United player is tied for fifth spot with Oriol Romeu has they have played the same amount of minutes and both accrued 16 points through the Kante rule. However, as he has collected more points in Draft Fantasy overall, he is the better player to own. Manchester United have kept six clean sheets and have an excellent attack.

Both of these facts added to his ball-retrieval ability make Matic a great own in Draft Fantasy this season. He has already collected 39 points overall and has the potential to be a great fourth or fifth choice midfielder as the season progresses. He was signed with a purpose and his performances so far reflect that.

4) Mikel Merino (538 minutes, 16 points)

Newcastle United have found a great player in Mikel Merino and he has impressed with his ability to win back possession for his team. His reading of the game is superb and he is aggressive when his team doesn’t have the ball. The Spaniard averages 3.3 tackles per game and has emerged as a key member of this Magpies’ team.

Although he hasn’t gained a goal or an assist, he does have a good passing range and will surely improve his attacking contribution as the season progresses. As of right now, he is a decent option due to the Kante rule. Newcastle like to play without the ball, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for Merino to add to his total of 16 points.

3) Morgan Schneiderlin (511 minutes, 16 points)

There are two Everton players in the top three when it comes to the Kante rule and that will be a concern for Ronald Koeman. It is encouraging that his players can retrieve possession, but they need to offer more with the ball. Schneiderlin has the lowest amount of points overall of the five players listed here and that suggests he isn’t the best player to own.

In the times that he is on the pitch, he will score highly under the Kante rule, but his injury record and Everton’s European campaign mean that he is unlikely to play every minute in the Premier League. There will be rotation and the Frenchman should fall down this list as the season progresses.

2) Idrissa Gueye (606 minutes, 20 points)

At the beginning of the season, Idrissa Gueye was marked out as a player that would do well under this rule and he has scored 20 points through it. This makes him the second highest-scoring player under the Kante Rule and makes him a good option in Draft Fantasy. Unlike Schneiderlin, he is likely to feature in most Premier League matches.

Interestingly, Everton have conceded nine goals while Gueye has been on the pitch and ten when Schneiderlin has been playing, despite the former featuring for nearly 100 minutes more. This underlines the importance of Gueye and once the Toffees get through this sticky patch, he should emerge as a great Draft Fantasy option for more reasons than TIR points.

1) N’Golo Kante (630 minutes, 22 points)

This won’t be surprising, but it is fitting that Ngolo Kante already leads the way in points scored through the Kante Rule. The Frenchman has scored 22 points, which is six better than the third-best in Schneiderlin. He is such an important player for Chelsea and that is reflected by his minutes played, as he is yet to miss a minute of Premier League action.

In addition to the TIR points, Kante has contributed a goal and helped his side to three clean sheets. The addition of the Kante Rule has increased his value to the point that he is one of the best midfielders to own in the game. Currently, he ranks as the joint sixth-best midfielder in the game with 46 points alongside Mohamed Salah.