Some weeks are loaded with great fantasy matchups for team defenses. The best in the league face tomato can offenses. There are a handful of rock-solid matchup plays. There are more startable fantasy defenses than there are teams in a 12-team league. Everyone gets to eat.
This is not one of those weeks.
It doesn’t help that two of the top-seven defenses in terms of fantasy points (the third-ranked Pittsburgh Steelers and seventh-ranked San Francisco 49ers) are both off this week. But that’s hardly the only dilemma facing fantasy managers defensively this week.
Take the Denver Broncos, for example. Thanks to a solid fantasy performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 8, the Broncos overtook the Minnesota Vikings as the highest-scoring defense in fantasy. The Broncos have been both productive and consistent - Denver is third in total defense and scoring defense, leads the AFC with 30 sacks and is tied for sixth in the league with 12 takeaways.
But folks who choose to roll Denver out this week will be doing so through closed eyes. This week the 5-3 Broncos are on the road in Baltimore. The Ravens may be coming off a loss, but they lead the NFL by a sizable margin in total offense. Their 30.3 points per game leads the AFC. And only the Buffalo Bills have surrendered fewer fantasy points per game to defenses this year.
Rolling with Denver is a risky play in Week 9. But frankly, there aren’t many defenses this week that aren’t - at least to one extent or another.
Still, fantasy managers have to start someone in the D/ST slot. So, here’s a look at the closest things to locks, some streaming plays and a defense that (like the Broncos) might be better left on the bench.
THE NO-DOUBTERS
Los Angeles Chargers (at Cleveland Browns)
The Browns’ ranking of fourth in fantasy points allowed to defenses has to be taken with a grain of salt now - with Jameis Winston under center the Browns had easily their best game of the season offensively against the Ravens last week, topping 20 points for the first time this season. But the Browns still lead the league in sacks allowed with 37 (a whopping 10 more than any other team in the league), the Chargers aren’t the sieve against the pass that the Ravens are, and Winston has been known to throw the occasional interception.
Minnesota Vikings (vs. Indianapolis Colts)
It was bound to happen sooner or later - the Vikings had been living on sacks and takeaways, and last week against the Rams those dried up and Minnesota’s leaky pass defense was exposed. However, in Week 9 the Vikings play host to a Colts team led by a quarterback in Anthony Richardson who aspires to one day complete half his passes. Last week against the Houston Texans, Anthony Richardson was sacked five times and turned the ball over twice. Minnesota rebounds at home in primetime on Sunday night.
Houston Texans (at New York Jets)
The Texans rank outside the top-12 fantasy defenses for the season, but DeMeco Ryans’ squad has been hot of late - third among fantasy defenses over a three-week span in which Houston has scored double-digit fantasy points in all three of those games. Only the Tennessee Titans have allowed fewer yards per game this season than the Texans, and New York’s offensive line is going to have its hands full with edge-rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The Jets have been a favorable fantasy matchup for defenses - 11th in points per game allowed to the position.
Baltimore Ravens (vs. Denver Broncos)
As has already been mentioned, the Ravens are not good defensively against the pass. In fact, no team in the league is worse. The question is whether rookie quarterback Bo Nix can take advantage of that deficiency against a Ravens team that has also been good at pressuring opposing quarterbacks - fourth in the league with 24 sacks. The Ravens are no doubt seething after losing to a rival - and losing first place in the AFC North in the process. This is a game that could get away from Denver. And if the Ravens can tee off on Nix, the rookie is likely going to make mistakes with the ball.
Chicago Bears (at Arizona Cardinals)
The Bears have been solid defensively this year, ranking just outside the top-10 in yards allowed and fourth in scoring defense. Chicago has also been effective for fantasy managers - thanks to 20 sacks, 13 takeaways and a pair of non-offensive touchdowns, Da Bears presently sit third in fantasy points per game among defenses. The Cardinals aren’t an especially favorable fantasy matchup, but they have struggled with consistency on offense - especially against higher-end defenses. The Bears aren’t a great play, but managers who have already rostered them shouldn’t hesitate to roll them out.
Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
It seems I write this every week, but when the reasons for Kansas City being the NFL’s lone undefeated team come up, the defense rarely gets a lot of run. But the Chiefs are fifth in both total defense and scoring defense as well as second against the run. Baker Mayfield is playing arguably the best football of his career. But his wide receiver corps has been ravaged by injuries, and while Mayfield’s 21 touchdowns lead the league, so do his nine interceptions. The injuries catch up to the Tampa offense on Monday night.
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STREAMERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!
Philadelphia Eagles (at Jacksonville Jaguars)
Philly’s “No Doubter” days are behind them - at least for now. The team is struggling to stop the pass (again), and their 20 sacks on the season are just … OK. However, the Eagles are coming off one of their better defensive efforts of the season last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, and this week’s trip to Jacksonville could be a matchup dream. The Jacksonville passing game has been reduced to tight end Evan Engram, Sal the nacho vendor and Lou the parking lot attendant. You know, the guy with the orange things that tells you where to park.
Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)
The 2024 season hasn’t gone according to plan for the Cincinnati Bengals, in no small part due to a defense that was just roasted like Arby’s by the Philadelphia Eagles a week ago. But here’s a news-flash - the Las Vegas Raiders are most assuredly not the Eagles. Through eight weeks, the Raiders have turned the ball over a league-leading 17 times, given up 25 sacks (fourth-most in the league) and surrendered more fantasy points to defenses than every team in the NFL save one. If Cincy can’t get on track this week, there will be no on-tracking.
Washington Commanders (at New York Giants)
You won’t find the Commanders at the top of any defensive leaderboards, but over the past month the Washington defense has improved considerably - they held Caleb Williams and the Bears in check last week, and over the past four weeks the Commanders have been a top-five fantasy defense. The Giants have struggled both to protect Daniel Jones and with turnovers from Daniel Jones this season - so much so that the team has surrendered the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses.
New Orleans Saints (at Carolina Panthers)
To say that the Saints have struggled defensively of late is an understatement - no team in the NFL is surrendering more yards per game this season. But injuries and a pathetic offense played a part in those struggles, and there’s optimism that quarterback Derek Carr could return in Week 9. Even if he doesn’t, the Saints draw a matchup that makes opposing defenses look good with regularity - the floundering Panthers are 29th in both total offense and scoring offense, lead the NFC with 14 giveaways and have given up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses.
CAVEAT EMPTOR, FOLKS
Green Bay Packers (vs. Detroit Lions)
The Packers are the poster defense for waiting to draft one. Not only is Green Bay a solid sixth in fantasy points at the position for the season, but there hasn’t been a true clunker - Green Bay has logged at least a handful of points every time out - including against some high-end offenses. But there’s just no way to rationally consider starting any defense against the Honolulu Blue-hot Detroit Lions this week. Minnesota’s defense was bailed out against the Lions by a defensive touchdown a few weeks ago - but counting on that to happen is asking for trouble.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on X at @IDPSharks.
