As the fantasy football playoffs roll on, there are always a few tough start 'em, sit 'em choices at each position, but D/ST is often the source of the most frustration. At this point, it's tough to know if trusting a defense that has performed well on a season-long basis is the way to go or if it's better to start a top streaming option. Our Week 15 fantasy defense rankings can help you sort through those choices and identify sleepers worth trusting.
This week, many of the top overall defenses have great matchups. The Rams (vs. Jets), Steelers (@ Bengals), Ravens (vs. Jaguars), and Bills (@ Broncos) should all have a chance to rack up sacks and generate a lot of turnovers. If you've been riding one of these top units in recent weeks, feel free to continue to trust them as high-floor, high-ceiling plays.
WEEK 15 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Kicker
For those who aren't quite as lucky in the D/ST department, the good news is that there are quite a few worthwhile streamers. The 49ers (@ Cowboys) and Cardinals (vs. Eagles) stand out as the best. The 49ers defense is getting healthier and will be able to contain the Cowboys' rushing attack and force Andy Dalton into some tough throws against a good secondary. Meanwhile, the Cardinals will be taking on rookie QB Jalen Hurts in the first road start of his career, so they could rattle him if they get some pressure early.
WEEK 15 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Kicker
Both sides of the Giants-Browns game could work out as starters, too. The Giants defense has improved under Joe Judge and Patrick Graham, and if James Bradberry can eliminate Jarvis Landry, it may be hard for Baker Mayfield and the Browns passing offense to do much. On the other side, the Browns will have a chance to pressure the sack-prone and turnover-prone Daniel Jones while he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. They have some holes in the back seven, but if Myles Garrett and Co. show up, the Browns will be a top-12 play.
WEEK 15 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Unfortunately, there are several defenses that have been staples in year-long leagues that will need to be avoided this week. The Saints and the Chiefs are playing one another, so both will have low ceilings while facing top-tier offenses. The Saints do have one of the better defenses in the NFL -- and after last week's mistake-riddled game by Kansas City, it's tempting to trust New Orleans -- but there are many safer options this week.
WEEK 15 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
The Colts (vs. Texans) and Buccaneers (@ Falcons) also qualify as risky starts. They are facing good offenses and have fallen off in recent weeks, especially against the pass. They could pan out, but they fall into the boom-or-bust category this week. The same can be said of the surging Washington D/ST in a matchup with a powerful Seahawks offense.
MORE WEEK 15 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder
NOTE: Check back for updates throughout the week.
WEEK 15 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Week 15 Fantasy Defense Rankings
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Jets. Starting the Rams against the Jets this week is a no-brainer. The Rams have allowed the fewest yards to offenses this year and rank top three in scoring defense while the Jets are averaging a pitiful 14.1 points and 269.8 yards per game, both last in the NFL. Aaron Donald and the Rams pass rush should be able to tee off on Sam Darnold and force some sacks and turnovers in this matchup. |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers @ Bengals. The Steelers defense has continued to play well despite their two-game losing streak, and in Week 15, they get to take on a Bengals team that has turned the ball over 22 times this season, tied for the fifth most in the NFL. Since losing Joe Burrow (knee), Cincinnati has averaged 10.3 points per game and allowed an average of 3.3 sacks and 2.7 turnovers per game. This will be a get-right game for the Steelers, and their defense will be a big part of that. (Update: Ryan Finley is expected to start.) |
| 3 | Baltimore Ravens vs. Jaguars. The Jaguars finally saw Mike Glennon implode against a poor Titans D/ST, but even Gardner Minshew doesn't figure to have much success against a Ravens defense that is finally getting healthy and has been a top-five scoring defense for most of the year. |
| 4 | Buffalo Bills @ Broncos. The Bills defense is healthy and coming off a game that saw them intercept Ben Roethlisberger twice, including a pick-six. They should have a chance to do some damage against a Broncos team that has turned the ball over a league-high 29 times and has seen Drew Lock turn the ball over in nine consecutive starts. |
| 5 | Seattle Seahawks @ Washington. The Washington offense is averaging 314.5 yards per game this season, good for the third fewest in the NFL, and though they just beat the 49ers, they failed to score an offensive TD. The Seahawks have been up-and-down this season, but they have largely limited bad offenses, allowing 21 or fewer points in their past four games. It's also worth noting that Alex Smith (leg) may not be able to start in this game, and if Dwayne Haskins plays, the Seahawks have a higher ceiling, as Haskins averaged 1.3 turnovers and 3.3 sacks per start (Smith has averaged 0.6 and 2.2 in his starts, for comparison's sake). (Update: Haskins is starting.) |
| 6 | Miami Dolphins vs. Patriots. The Dolphins just forced Patrick Mahomes into three interceptions on Sunday. Prior to that, Mahomes had thrown just two all season long. The Patriots offense isn't anywhere close to as good as what the Chiefs have, so the Dolphins should have a chance to shut them down and potentially force Cam Newton into some turnovers (he has 11 on the year). Miami has been weak against the run at times, so that's the only concern here. Otherwise, expect the defense to play well. |
| 7 | San Francisco 49ers @ Cowboys. The 49ers defense held Washington's offense to just nine points in their loss, so they did find success against a low-level offense. Now, they get to take on another mediocre offense led by Andy Dalton. The Cowboys have some good WRs, but the 49ers should slow them down and take advantage of the 24 turnovers the Cowboys have committed this season, good for third most in the NFL. |
| 8 | Arizona Cardinals vs. Eagles. Jalen Hurts did a great job in his first game in charge of the Eagles and was able to move the ball consistently against the Saints' tough defense. He ran for over 100 yards and had only one turnover. While Hurts did well against the Saints, the Cardinals will have a better plan of attack against the rookie in his first road start after seeing him in extended action at the NFL level for the first time. They just notched eight sacks against the Giants and will make Hurts make mistakes by pressuring an Eagles offensive line that had allowed 53 sacks on the year. |
| 9 | Cleveland Browns @ Giants. Daniel Jones struggled in his return to action for the Giants, and the offense sputtered as a result. The team turned the ball over three times and surrendered eight sacks in an awful showing against Arizona. He will likely have similar troubles against a Browns pass rush that has averaged 2.5 sacks per game this year, tied for the 12th most in the NFL. (Update: Colt McCoy is expected to start, but he's almost as turnover-prone as Jones and offers less overall upside.) |
| 10 | New England Patriots @ Dolphins. Bill Belichick has a sparkling 20-5 record against rookie quarterbacks, and he will be facing one on Sunday in Tua Tagovailoa. Though Tua has played well in his six starts and has improved in each of his past two starts, Belichick's defense will have a chance to contain him, just as they did Justin Herbert in the Patriots' 45-0 win a couple of weeks ago. The Patriots are just outside the top 10 in yards allowed and have a top-10 scoring defense, so counting on them in what could be a low-scoring game makes sense, especially with so many of Miami's playmakers banged up. |
| 11 | Chicago Bears @ Vikings. The Bears defense just did an excellent job of containing Deshaun Watson and the Texans' offense (seven sacks, two turnovers forced). Now, they'll get a chance to take on the Vikings. Minnesota has turned the ball over 22 times this year, tied for fifth-most in the league, but they still have Dalvin Cook, who just ran for 100-plus yards against one of the league's best run defenses. Because of Cook's presence, the Bears' floor/ceiling is just a bit lower than usual, so it drops them below these other top defensive options in excellent matchups. |
| 12 | Minnesota Vikings vs. Bears. Can Mitchell Trubisky lead the Bears to another great offensive outing or will he regress? We're banking on him regressing a little bit, as he has turned the ball over seven times this year and has also been sacked an average of 2.5 times per game. The Vikings don't have the best defense, but they should be able to get some pressure on Trubisky and rattle him a bit. |
| 13 | Indianapolis Colts vs. Texans. The Colts defense has regressed since its early-season dominance. They did log 10 fantasy points against the Texans a couple of weeks ago, but they aren't limiting yardage and points all that much. Relying on turnovers, sacks, and TDs to generate most of the team's value makes the Colts a boom-or-bust proposition, as they have a high ceiling but one of the lowest floors among the top-15 options. That will make them a fine streamer, but not one you can definitively count on. |
| 14 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Falcons. The Buccaneers were just able to sack Kirk Cousins six times, and Matt Ryan is coming off a three-interception game. So, what's not to like? Well, if Julio Jones (hamstring) returns, he may be able to help expose one of the Bucs' bigger weaknesses, their pass defense, and that could help Ryan to fix his struggles. The Falcons have also had two 34-plus point outbursts already this year, so trusting the Bucs here is doable but carries some risk. |
| 15 | New York Giants vs. Browns. The Giants didn't do anything on offense against the Cardinals, yet their defense only surrendered 26 points despite being put in bad spots consistently and being on the field for nearly 38 minutes of the game. They're a good bounce-back candidate, but playing against a solid offense like the Browns, there are other options to target (though the Giants could be good as a low-priced DFS streamer this week). |
| 16 | Washington Football Team vs. Seahawks. Washington's defense was epic against the 49ers. They had two defensive TDs, forced an additional fumble, and sacked Nick Mullens four times. While the Football Team's defense played well, the Seahawks offense is coming off a 40-point outburst against the Jets and it may be harder for Washington to pressure Russell Wilson into bad throws. They still have a high sack floor, as their 3.1 sacks per game ranks tied for fourth in the league, but their ceiling is capped against a strong offensive team. |
| 17 | Green Bay Packers vs. Panthers |
| 18 | Dallas Cowboys vs. 49ers |
| 19 | Tennessee Titans vs. Lions |
| 20 | New Orleans Saints vs. Chiefs. Normally, the Saints defense is a top-10 play. However, they're playing the Chiefs offense, and while Patrick Mahomes threw a few picks last week, that was an aberration. The Eagles just moved the ball well on the Saints, so there's no reason to expect the Chiefs to do anything different. |
| 21 | Kansas City Chiefs @ Saints. Taysom Hill took a lot of sacks against the Eagles, but if he starts against the Chiefs, he won't make the same mistakes he did in that one. The Chiefs have allowed an average of 25.8 points per game in their last five outings anyway, so they have been regressing a little. Trusting them in what could be a back-and-forth shootout is not ideal. |
| 22 | Denver Broncos vs. Bills |
| 23 | Houston Texans @ Colts |
| 24 | Philadelphia Eagles @ Cardinals. Yes, they limited the Saints. Yes, they average 3.3 sacks per game (second most in the NFL). No, trusting them against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals offense is not a great idea. |
| 25 | Los Angeles Chargers @ Raiders |
| 26 | Las Vegas Raiders vs. Chargers |
| 27 | Carolina Panthers @ Packers |
| 28 | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Steelers |
| 29 | Atlanta Falcons vs. Buccaneers |
| 30 | Detroit Lions @ Titans |
| 31 | Jacksonville Jaguars @ Ravens |
| 32 | New York Jets @ Rams |
