Fantasy Football Defenses

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Fantasy Football Defense Rankings

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Let's face it, ranking fantasy football defenses has very little to do with reality. Most scoring systems are far more concerned with points scored than points or yards allowed. That being said, it is still our belief that defenses are terribly under-valued on fantasy football draft days. How often do you see teams draft that "sleeper" WR who might have three good games while solid defenses that will score points for them every week are still on the board? Don't make that mistake, points are points and a good defense will get you plenty of them.

Quarterbacks Running Backs Wide Receivers Tight Ends Kickers Defenses

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Despite the loss of OLB Adalius Thomas we do not expect a significant drop-off for this top notch unit. The Ravens simply intimidate people and rarely if ever get blown out ( 26pts. was the most they allowed last year). Playing these guys when they're at home is about as safe as it gets. Last year they only allowed an average of 12 points per game at home while snagging 14 INTs. While the home schedule is more difficult this year (including the Colts and the Patriots), it is offset by a road schedule that includes the Browns, Bills, and Dolphins. Return man B.J. Sams failed to return a kick for a TD last year but he did have a 65yd. punt return and a 72yd. KO return - so the potential is still there. We also believe the addition of Willis McGahee is an upgrade for the Ravens running game which should mean more time of possession and an even more rested and aggressive defense.

CHICAGO BEARS

The Bears schedule is hardly brutal, but it is tougher than last year so don't expect quite the same defensive domination. The loss of Tank Johnson to sheer stupidity leaves this unit vulnerable to the run - something they struggled with at times last year. (They played Dominic Rhodes right into a fat free agent contract.) Still their aggressive style results in turnovers, and that of course is what it's all about in fantasy football. Return man Devin Hester had a year for the ages last season, but it would be unrealistic to expect him to repeat that performance again in 07. The plans to involve him in the offense sure sound interesting, but if it happens he will definitely see a drop off in his return numbers. (If you don't believe us, ask Dante Hall.) After a tough start to the season, Weeks 4 through 10 look like fantasy gold with lots of turnovers and sacks, and the schedule is favorable during the Fantasy Super Bowl weeks (Redskins, Vikings, and Packers in Weeks 14, 15, and 16).

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Patriots defense didn't get a lot of attention last year but they quietly put together a very solid performance. (Except for that 2nd half melt down in the AFC Championship.) HC Bill Belichick knows how to put people in the right position to make plays, and with the acquisition of OLB Adalius Thomas he has another very talented player to work with. There are challenges to overcome, like road games in Cincy, Dallas, and Indy as well as an unhappy CB (Asante Samuel) but look for the Patriots to once again be one of the better turnover producing defenses. The return game (which was not a particular area of strength) will need to find someone to take the place of Laurence Maroney on kick-offs if they are to make a significant contribution.

DALLAS COWBOYS

HC Wade Phillips built an aggressive defense in San Diego, and he's got a lot of the pieces in place to repeat that in Dallas. Last year the Cowboys defense was predicated on stopping big plays (which they failed at) rather than attacking the offense. With Phillips look for DeMarcus Ware to be used far less in pass coverage and far more in pass rushing. The addition of Anthony Spencer should also help give them the pass rush they often lacked last year. We still expect them to be vulnerable to the occasional big play, but that shouldn't hurt their fantasy value. We look for increases in all the major fantasy categories, sacks, turnovers, and points scored. Return man Miles Austin made an impression last year and could easily be the surprise special team story of the year.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

It's hard to complain about the Chargers defensive performance last year from a fantasy perspective, but a five week stretch from 10/22 to 11/19 (when they allowed almost 30pts. per game) certainly does give us something to at least consider. We also wonder just how much impact the departure of DC Wade Phillips will have as well as the change at the top from Schottenheimer to Turner. Still, there's a lot of reasons to like this defense and we certainly expect them to be a strong fantasy unit (though we look for a slight drop-off from last year). Of course this defense begins with Shawne Merriman who recorded a ridiculous 17 sacks in just 12 games last year due to his steroid suspension. After the suspension he played with a vengeance, recording 8.5 sacks in the month of December alone. If he brings that attitude and stays out of trouble this unit could easily challenge for the top spot.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

To 4-3 or not to 4-3, that is the question. Well, you get the idea. After considering scrapping the 3-4, HC Mike Tomlin now appears willing to let DC Dick LaBeau continue to run the defense in Pittsburgh so we don't look for any significant changes. They may occasionally throw in some different looks but overall the scheme will remain an aggressive one. The decision to let LB Joey Porter (Which raised a hue and cry in the Steel City) seems like a good move to us. For much of the past two seasons Porter has done a lot more talking about making plays than actually making them, so he should not be missed. You would be hard pressed to find a defense with a more favorable opening schedule (@ Browns and then home vs. the Bills and Niners) but Fantasy crunch time (Weeks 13 -17) will be challenging.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

There's no place like home, especially for the Jaguars. As we pointed out in our divisional analysis the Jaguars finished 6-2 at home allowing just 11 points per game, but were 2-6 on the road surrendering over 23 points per game. While it might be tempting to write that off as a fluke, keep in mind that in 2005 they allowed 14pts. at home and over 22pts. on the road. Perhaps even more amazing was the 14INTs at home vs. just 6 on the road. Notice a pattern here? The home schedule this year includes the Chargers and the Colts, but also has the likes of Houston, Buffalo, and Oakland so look for more of the same this year. The biggest disappointment for the Jaguars defense last year was their low sack total of 35 (only 13 teams were worse) an area that must be addressed in camp.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

So much talent, so few results. The Panthers were a consensus top 3 fantasy defense last year in pre-season, but they sure didn't play like it once the season started. While the passing defense finished ranked 4th overall, and the rushing defense was a solid 11th, only three teams had fewer take aways than the pathetic 22 the Panthers put up. With that said, the Panthers defense remains a very solid fantasy unit but they have yet to prove they belong in the same tier as Baltimore and Chicago. We also expect RB DeAngelo Williams to be used less in the return game which also lowers their value.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

If the rest of this team delivered like the defensive line, they would be play-off contenders. They simply shut down team's running games, allowing a paltry 61yds. per game and 2.8yds. per carry. There were times when teams simply stopped trying to run against them and threw on almost every down which resulted in the secondary allowing the most passing yards in the NFL, but they still only gave up 15 passing TDs (4th best in the NFL). The departure of Mike Tomlin raises some concerns but the bigger issue may very well be the inability of the offense to move the ball and the liklihood of QB Travaris Jackson turning it over. This may very well create a lot of short fields for the opposition offenses resulting in short, stat killing TD drives. If your league doesn't penalize for yardage the secondary will be worth drafting since they're bound to see more than their fair share of passes which should result in decent INT numbers.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Here's some easy money for you - make a water cooler bet on the top four defenses in sacks in the NFL in 2006, and then collect your winnings because very few people realize that the Packers were 4th in total sacks and third in sack yards. Want a couple more surprises? Only Baltimore and Chicago had more INTs than the Pack and only the Ravens had a better completion percentage rate. Now, toss in the fact that get two games each vs. the Vikings, Bears, and Lions as well as single games vs. Redskins, Chiefs, and Raiders and you can see why we expect them to once again be in the top five in INTs and sacks. It also doesn't hurt that three of their last four games will be played in potentially bad weather sites which also increases the probability of turnovers. The biggest drawback is their less than impressive return game, an area they will need to address in camp.