D/ST is always a rollercoaster in the early part of the season, but as we accrue more matchup data, soon we'll be able to say confidently which matchups are favorable and unfavorable. In the mean, our Week 3 fantasy defense rankings are here to help serve as a guide for D/STs are must-starts this week and which units look like sleepers worth streaming off the waiver wire.
Just like with NFL power rankings, the chalk always serves as the easiest parts of the list. Pittsburgh (@ Browns), Dallas (@ Giants), and Buffalo (@ Dolphins) will almost always reside near the top of the list, but strong matchups against what we think are potentially turnover-prone QBs make them even more intriguing this week. Denver (vs. 49ers) has a tougher game slated, but its plethora of defensive playmakers should capitalize against a team now missing its starting QB (Trey Lance) and RB (Elijah Mitchell).
For other squads, what a difference a week makes. After vaulting up the D/ST lists with strong Week 1 play, Baltimore (@ Patriots) and Cleveland (vs. Steelers) both took a step back in Week 2. Baltimore allowed Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to go off for a career day, while Cleveland gave up a whopping 31 points to the Jets in a loss. These teams have decent matchups in Week 3 — a disorganized and downright-erratic New England offense and a Mitchell Trubisky-led Steelers team on the road on short rest. We still like these units as starters, but after last week's letdowns, clearly there are reasons to be worried.
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | Kickers
Philadelphia (@ Commanders) gets a rivalry game against former QB Carson Wentz, no stranger to pick-sixes; the Bengals get what should be another favorable matchup (@ Jets) against a backup QB; and the Saints (@ Panthers) will have a much easier Week 3 now that they're done battling Tom Brady. All three defenses can be used this week, but, again -- Joe Flacco has been solid and the Bengals flopped against Cooper Rush, so this isn't a slam dunk. We're still trusting the historical trends here and predicting these D/STs will come through.
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | Kickers
Looking for sleepers? The Bears (vs. Texans) have shown signs of life early and now draw a home game with a Texans squad that struggles to run the ball, protect the pocket, and convert on third downs and in the red zone. Going a little deeper, the Giants (vs. Cowboys) can unleash their underrated pass rush on Cooper Rush and his banged-up O-line, while Carolina (vs. Saints) could cause some turnovers at home against a sloppy Jameis Winston and his ailing running game. The Chiefs (@ Colts) will look to exploit Matt Ryan's deficiencies, as he was a sitting duck last week without Michael Pittman (quad).
WEEK 3 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
Of course, we also have some fades. The Dolphins (vs. Bills), 49ers (@ Broncos), Packers (@ Buccaneers), Patriots (vs. Ravens), and Colts (vs. Chiefs) all have rough matchups. Only the Dolphins and Colts are truly "off limits," but check your options before blindly starting the rest.
WEEK 3 DFS: Best values | Best stacks
Again, we'll continue to learn more about this position going forward, but in the meantime, continue to pick on shaky QBs and offensive lines. Don't be afraid to take some chances in deeper leagues, either. For instance, the Jets should be able to get some sacks on the Bengals, and the Cardinals should get an INT or two on Matthew Stafford, so even in what look to be "bad" matchups, there are points to be had. Talent always matters, but matchups tend to be more predictive at D/ST.
WEEK 3 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Good luck in Week 3, and come back throughout the week for the latest updates and player movement.
Week 3 fantasy defense rankings
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys @ Giants |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers @ Browns |
| 3 | Buffalo Bills @ Dolphins |
| 4 | Cleveland Browns vs. Steelers |
| 5 | Denver Broncos vs. 49ers |
| 6 | Baltimore Ravens @ Patriots |
| 7 | Philadelphia Eagles @ Commanders |
| 8 | Cincinnati Bengals @ Jets |
| 9 | New Orleans Saints @ Panthers |
| 10 | Chicago Bears vs. Texans |
| 11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Packers |
| 12 | Los Angeles Rams @ Cardinals |
| 13 | New York Giants vs. Cowboys |
| 14 | Kansas City Chiefs @ Colts |
| 15 | Carolina Panthers vs. Saints |
| 16 | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jaguars |
| 17 | Arizona Cardinals vs. Rams |
| 18 | San Francisco 49ers @ Broncos |
| 19 | New York Jets vs. Bengals |
| 20 | Minnesota Vikings vs. Lions |
| 21 | Las Vegas Raiders @ Titans |
| 22 | Atlanta Falcons @ Seahawks |
| 23 | Green Bay Packers @ Buccaneers |
| 24 | New England Patriots vs. Ravens |
| 25 | Detroit Lions @ Vikings |
| 26 | Seattle Seahawks vs. Falcons |
| 27 | Houston Texans @ Bears |
| 28 | Indianapolis Colts vs. Chiefs |
| 29 | Washington Commanders vs. Eagles |
| 30 | Miami Dolphins vs. Bills |
| 31 | Tennessee Titans vs. Raiders |
| 32 | Jacksonville Jaguars @ Chargers |
Week 3 defense fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks
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