We complained about bad D/ST weeks earlier in the season, but we really should have save those gripes for this week. Not only are their six teams on bye (Broncos, Eagles, Jaguars, Patriots, Redskins, Texans), but there are also wacky matchups all over the board. The result is a rough Week 10 fantasy defense rankings with a bunch of potential waiver wire streamers but very few actual "sleepers", all of which will make start 'em, sit 'em decisions a nightmare this week.
Cases in point: The Cardinals (@ Bucs), Giants (@ Jets), and Jets (vs. Giants) all have great matchups this week -- and all are pretty bad defenses. The same goes for the Colts (vs. Dolphins), Browns (vs. Bills), and Ravens (@ Bengals), all of which are available in roughly half of fantasy leagues.
WEEK 10 NON-PPR RANKINGS
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Kicker
So, yes, there's no shame in streaming your defense from the waiver wire this week. A good chunk of our top-12 D/STs are widely available, which is pretty rare. It doesn't help that stalwarts like the Vikings (@ Cowboys), Steelers (vs. Rams), Saints (vs. Falcons), Panthers (@ Packers), Bears (vs. Lions), and even the 49ers (vs. Seahawks) have difficult matchups. Some of those units, paraticularly the 49ers and Steelers, are still playable, but this is a downright brutal week.
WEEK 10 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
The good news is most fantasy owners are in similar predicaments, and we all know that fluky things will happen. The Patriots have allowed defensive TDs to the Jets, Giants, and Ravens this year, so you never know when big performances will be had by bad defenses. We all need to remember that as we set our lineups in Week 10.
MORE WEEK 10:
Waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Snap counts | Trade values | Fantasy playoff SOS
Reminder: These rankings will be adjusted throughout week, so check back often for updates and analysis!
WEEK 10 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | DK cash | DK GPP | FD cash | FD GPP
Week 10 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defense
MORE WEEK 10 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup Builder
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Buffalo Bills @ Browns. Baker Mayfield didn't turn it over and only took two sacks against Denver, so that's progress, but he's still a turnover waiting to happen. Buffalo has posted seven sacks the past two weeks and has the type of corners who can easily bait Mayfield into mistakes. It's a pretty mediocre "No. 1" D/ST, but that's just a reflection of the kind of week it is. |
| 2 | Los Angeles Rams @ Steelers. The Rams have been a disappointment overall this year, but since acquiring Jalen Ramsey prior to Week 7, they've posted 10 sacks, three takeaways, and a defensive TD while allowing 20 total points (two games). We expect that type of production to continue against a Mason Rudolph-led Steelers offense that figures to be without James Conner (shoulder). |
| 3 | Chicago Bears vs. Lions. Facing Jeff Driskel -- at home -- is enough to bump up the Bears to this spot. |
| 4 | Indianapolis Colts vs. Dolphins. The Dolphins have been positively spunky the past three weeks with Ryan Fitzpatrick back under center, but they've stilled allowed nine sacks and turned it over six times. Indianapolis has multiple takeaways in two of its past three games and at least three sacks in three of its past four, so this feels like a spot for similar high-floor production. |
| 5 | Baltimore Ravens @ Bengals. Ryan Finley's first NFL start is against divisional-rival Baltimore, who's fresh off a two-takeaway, one-TD performance against the Patriots. We'd like Baltimore a little more if it had any pass rush this year (eight total sacks since Week 2), but this is still a great spot for a big-play defense like the Ravens. |
| 6 | Green Bay Packers vs. Panthers. The clock has official struck midnight on Kyle Allen, who has a 2:4 TD-to-INT ratio and has taken 10 sacks the past two games. Green Bay hasn't done much after a blistering first three weeks of the season, posting 10 sacks and six takeaways while never giving up fewer than 22 offensive points over the past six contests. We're definitely worried about Christian McCaffrey single-handedly rendering the Packers useless in this one, but Allen will make some mistakes on the road, giving Green Bay plenty of upside. |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Rams. The Steelers have multiple takeaways in every game aside from Week 1 against the Patriots, and its had at least three in each of the past four games. The Rams have gotten on track in favorable matchups the past two weeks but struggled in tougher matchups earlier in the season (nine turnovers in Weeks 3-5), and Jared Goff has a history of struggling on the road. It's tough to bet against Pittsburgh's opportunistic defense. |
| 8 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Seahawks. The Niners really disappointed in a favorable Thursday night matchup against Arizona last week. This week, they get a much tougher opponent, but it is at home on Monday night. If the Seahaws' offense has a weakness, it's giving up sacks, something San Francisco does better than anyone except the Panthers. Given the other alternatives, it's tough make a real case for San Francisco falling out of the top 10 this week, but obviously the ceiling is lower against the Seahawks. |
| 9 | New York Giants @ Jets. Prior to Monday night, the Giants defense had scored in three of its previous five games. That includes a game against the Patriots and a four-INT game against Washington. This is a boom-or-bust defense, and the Jets will always allow opportunities. Since returning from mono, Sam Darnold has taken 14 sacks and thrown nine INTs (four games). Just as bad, over the past three games, the Jets have averaged just 10.3 points. This really isn't a road game for the Giants, so that helps their cause, too. |
| 10 | New York Jets vs. Giants. The Jets couldn't manage a takeaway against the Dolphins, so why would you trust them against the Giants? Well, the Giants turn it over a very high rate themselves (at least two in all but two games this year). Daniel Jones also takes a lot of sacks, hitting the turf 16 times in Weeks 5-8. The Jets have six sacks the past two games, so they should be able to put up some points against the Giants. |
| 11 | Cleveland Browns vs. Bills. Cleveland has been solid in terms getting sacks (11 in the past four games), but with just two takeaways in that span, it's tough to count on it for a big fantasy day. Even more important is that Josh Allen has really settled down this year, turning it over just twice the past four games. He's still vulnerable to sacks (12 in the past four games), so it's possible he'll be pressured into some mistakes. |
| 12 | Arizona Cardinals @ Buccaneers. Arizona hasn't done much this year, but it's also had a tough schedule. The last time its defense had a favorable matchup, it recorded eight sacks, three takeaways, and a touchdown on the road against the Giants. Arizona is the definition of a boom-or-bust defense this week, and it's going against the definition of a boom-or-bust offense, at least in terms of fantasy points allowed to D/STs. In the two games prior to last week, the Bucs allowed 10 sacks and 11 turnovers. But in Seattle last week, Tampa allowed just two sacks and turned it over once. You're rolling the dice with the Cardinals, but at least they have a high ceiling. |
| 13 | Kansas City Chiefs @ Titans. The Titans have given up the most sacks in the league, and the Chiefs have racked up 15 QB takedowns in the past three games, including a nine-sack showing against Denver. Ryan Tannehill has played well at home and struggled on the road, so perhaps expectations should be lowered for takeaways since this game is in Tennessee, but Tannehill is certainly still capable of turning it over in addition to taking sacks. |
| 14 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Cardinals. The Cardinals haven't turned the ball over since Week 4. It's also done a good job reducing sacks, allowing just 10 in the past five games. Some favorable matchups at the start of that span helped (Bengals, Falcons, Giants), but the past two games against the Saints and 49ers prove this offense might be growing up before our eyes. Overall, though, Kyler Murray has struggled on the road, and a cross-country trip to Tampa could bring out his worst. In a week like this, a rookie QB on the road is enough for us to at least think about playing the Bucs, who have had three sacks in each of the past two games. |
| 15 | Minnesota Vikings @ Cowboys. Dallas has had a pretty favorable schedule this year, but in two of its toughest games (Saints, Packers), it gave up four sacks and turned it over six times. Minnesota has a consistent defense that pretty much always gets at least one takeaway and around three sacks, so there's a decent floor here. |
| 16 | Carolina Panthers @ Packers. Carolina leads the league in sacks, which always gives it some level of decent floor and upside. |
| 17 | Detroit Lions vs. Bears |
| 18 | New Orleans Saints vs. Falcons |
| 19 | Tennessee Titans vs. Chiefs |
| 20 | Seattle Seahawks @ 49ers |
| 21 | Dallas Cowboys vs. Vikings |
| 22 | Los Angeles Chargers @ Raiders |
| 23 | Oakland Raiders vs. Chargers |
| 24 | Miami Dolphins @ Colts |
| 25 | Atlanta Falcons @ Saints |
| 26 | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Ravens |
