After a few tough weeks for D/STs, our Week 9 fantasy defense rankings are looking pretty strong, at least through the top 12. Bye weeks are still thinning the rankings as a whole, as the Rams, Eagles, Browns, and Bengals are idle this week. That said, the waiver wire streamers available this week are better than usual thanks to some favorable matchups, and that helps strengthen the starting tier as we continue to target mistake-prone quarterbacks and shaky offensive lines.
The mistake-prone quarterbacks we're talking about include Kirk Cousins (vs. Lions), Daniel Jones (@ Washington), Nick Foles (@ Titans), and Jake Luton (vs. Texans). Cousins is prone to picks, Jones turns the ball over plenty and takes sacks, Foles has had issues generating yards, and Jacksonville's duo lacks talent/experience. That will make Detroit, Washington, Tennessee, and Houston solid streaming options.
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Kicker
The Cardinals could also be a worthwhile play, as they are taking on Tua Tagovaviloa in his first road start. Miami has a lot of offensive weapons, but rookies are often prone to mistakes. Tagovailoa represents the unproven quarterback part of our streaming equation, as his first start resulted in fewer than 100 passing yards and a lost fumble.
WEEK 9 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Kicker
There are certainly other fantasy defenses to watch. The Giants could take advantage of Kyle Allen and a lackluster Washington offense, while Atlanta has a highly favorable matchup against the mistake-prone Drew Lock. If the Falcons had shown us much of anything this year, they'd be ranked higher, but if you're in a bind, you can certainly take a chance on the Falcons.
WEEK 9 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Among the top-tier options, the Steelers get to face off against the Cowboys, the Patriots take on the Jets, and the Ravens take on the Colts and the immobile Philip Rivers, who can be prone to bouts with sacks and interceptions.
WEEK 9 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
If there's any top unit to consider fading this week, it would be the Buccaneers. They are taking on the Saints, and if Michael Thomas (hamstring) and Emmanuel Sanders (COVID) are back, that game could turn into a high-scoring affair. Given how the Bucs have played in recent weeks, it's fine to trust them, but just know that their floor may be a bit lower than normal as they take on a very good offense. The same is true for the Colts, who take on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Pittsburgh's defense had a decent day against Baltimore last week (four sacks, four takeaways), so Indianapolis is still in play if you need it.
MORE WEEK 9 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder
NOTE: Check back for updates and analysis throughout the week.
WEEK 9 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Week 9 Fantasy Defense Rankings
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cowboys. In three full games without Dak Prescott, the Cowboys are averaging 7.3 points per game, 250.3 total yards of offense, and 2.3 turnovers per game. Those numbers are terrible, and the Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL. With either Garrett Gilbert or Cooper Rush set to start at quarterback, the Steelers should be able to take advantage of the Cowboys' banged-up offensive line and limit their scoring. They also have a high sack floor, making them the clear-cut top option of the week. |
| 2 | New England Patriots @ Jets. The Patriots aren't playing too well on offense right now, but their defense is still solid. They have 13 takeaways, tied for the fourth most with two other teams, and are allowing the 12th-fewest points per game (23.9). The Jets have both the NFL's worst scoring offense (11.8 points per game) and the fewest yards per game (259) on the season. They also have stalled out frequently in the second half and have just 67 total yards in the second half of their past two games combined. Expect the Patriots defense to put up one of their best performances of the season in a must-win game. |
| 3 | Baltimore Ravens @ Colts. The Colts are coming off a 41-point outburst against the Lions, but the Ravens defense could prove to be a tough test. The Ravens have averaged 3.4 sacks per game this year, good for the fourth most in the NFL, and while the Colts have a good offensive line, Philip Rivers isn't very mobile. If the Ravens can get to him, they will be able to bring him down. Rivers has also thrown at least one interception in four-of-seven games this year and his top wideout, T.Y. Hilton (groin), may be questionable for this game. If he forces some passes into tight windows, he could pay for it against a strong defense. |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans vs. Bears. The bad news is that the Titans defense has allowed at least 27 points in three consecutive games. The good news is that the Bears offense averages just 20.1 points per game (fifth worst in the NFL) and 310.6 yards per game (fourth worst in the league). This could be a nice bounce-back spot for the Titans considering that Nick Foles has thrown an interception in every game he has played and has been sacked nine times in the past two weeks. |
| 5 | Chicago Bears @ Titans. The Bears-Titans game could end up being a defensive battle. The Bears have only allowed 20.8 points per game to offenses this year and have yet to allow more than 26 points in any contest. The Titans have a high-flying offense, but the Bears could have a shot at containing them, especially since Ryan Tannehill had issues against the Bengals outside of garbage time. |
| 6 | Washington Football Team vs. Giants. Ahead of their Monday Night Football game against the Buccaneers, the Giants were allowing 9.3 fantasy points per game (FPPG) to D/STs, good for the fourth most in the league. When Washington faced the Giants a few weeks ago, they held New York to 13 offensive points and 240 total yards. They'll need no get more sacks -- they had just one -- but considering that they rank fifth in the league in sacks per game with 3.1, they should have a chance to do that against a turnover-prone Giants offense that has committed the fifth-most turnovers in the NFL (13). |
| 7 | Houston Texans @ Jaguars. With Gardner Minshew (thumb) out for the Jaguars' Week 9 meeting with the Texans, they will be starting either Mike Glennon or Jake Luton at quarterback. Glennon hasn't started a game since 2017 when he went 1-3 and posted a 4-to-5 TD-to-INT ratio, and Luton is a sixth-round rookie. The Texans defense hasn't been good this year, but they still have enough of a pass rush (2.3 sacks per game) to take advantage of a Jaguars team that was allowed 7.0 FPPG to D/STs (10th most in the league) before Minshew got hurt. |
| 8 | Kansas City Chiefs vs. Panthers. The Chiefs have allowed 20 or fewer points in all but one of their games so far this season, and that has given them the third-best scoring defense in the NFL at 19 points per game. The Panthers are averaging just 22.4 points per game, good for eighth fewest, and just got shut down by the Falcons. The Chiefs should have a chance to limit the Panthers and force Teddy Bridgewater into some mistakes. |
| 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Saints. The Saints offense has been good this year, but the Bucs defense has been one of the best units in the NFL. They have allowed the fewest total yards per game (291.3) ahead of their Monday night game against the Giants and have 12 takeaways, tied for seventh most in the NFL. The Saints offense may be better if Michael Thomas (hamstring) and Emmanuel Sanders (COVID) are back, but the Bucs limited Drew Brees to 160 passing yards in the season opener. So long as Tom Brady doesn't make mistakes, the defense will hold up just fine in a good revenge spot. |
| 10 | New York Giants @ Washington. So far this season, Washington has allowed 8.6 FPPG to D/STs. The last time the Giants played Washington, Kyle Allen had two turnovers, including one that was returned for a TD. The Giants could force Allen into some similar mistakes, so their solid defense can be trusted in his matchup. |
| 11 | Detroit Lions @ Vikings. The Lions had a solid defensive stretch come to an end against the Colts when they surrendered 34 offensive points, but they still can be a solid play against the Vikings. The Vikings have not played well in the passing game in recent weeks, and Kirk Cousins has three games with three turnovers in his past five outings. Detroit could take advantage if they can limit the Vikings on the ground. That's easier said than done after what Dalvin Cook did last week, but the Lions should have a chance to be a top-12 unit if they can at least make the Vikings pass more than the 14 times the Packers did. |
| 12 | Arizona Cardinals vs. Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa got a win in his first start, but he threw for fewer than 100 yards, had a turnover, and was sacked once during the contest. He didn't have to do much since the Miami defense put him so far ahead, but he may have to do more against the Cardinals. Arizona is allowing just 20.9 points per game this season, so they may be able to force the rookie starter into some mistakes and make a big play. |
| 13 | Green Bay @ 49ers. The Niners lost Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), Tevin Coleman (knee), and George Kittle (foot) against the Seahawks and play on a short week. Those injuries alone make Green Bay a worthwhile streamer. |
| 14 | Miami Dolphins @ Cardinals. The Dolphins have the NFL's best scoring defense (18.6 points per game), the fourth-most takeaways (13), and are tied for eighth in sacks per game (2.7). These numbers are surprising at a glance, but they prove that the Dolphins defense is better than most expect. Facing Kyler Murray is never easy, but he does have at least one turnover in all but one game this year. The Dolphins should have the personnel to take advantage of that and make life difficult for Arizona. |
| 15 | Indianapolis Colts vs. Ravens. The Colts have been one of the top fantasy defenses in all format so far this year and are coming off a 15-point outing against the Lions. That said, the Ravens offense is excellent, and entering Week 8, they were allowing just 3.3 FPPG to defenses this year. The Colts still may be able to force some turnovers or get some sacks with Ronnie Stanley out like the Steelers did last week, but trusting them in this spot against the dynamic Lamar Jackson is a risk. |
| 16 | Seattle Seahawks @ Bills. Before allowing some garbage-time points to Nick Mullens and Co., the Seahawks were playing an excellent game on defense in Week 8, and they are currently tied for the NFL lead in takeaways (14). The Bills haven't played well in recent weeks and were lucky to escape with a win against the Patriots in Week 8. As long as Josh Allen is struggling through the air, the Seahawks can be trusted as a solid streaming option. |
| 17 | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Raiders |
| 18 | Atlanta Falcons vs. Broncos. It's hard to trust the Falcons, but they did just limit the Panthers and are taking on a Broncos team that has 15 turnovers this season, tied for the third most in the NFL. They are a bottom-barrel streaming option as a high-risk, high-reward play. |
| 19 | New Orleans Saints @ Buccaneers |
| 20 | Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Texans |
| 21 | New York Jets vs. Patriots. As nice as it may sound to fade the Patriots and their 15 giveaways (tied for third most in the league), they're playing the Jets. You can trust the Jets to contain a team that is desperate for a win. |
| 22 | Buffalo Bills vs. Seahawks |
| 23 | Denver Broncos @ Falcons |
| 24 | Minnesota Vikings vs. Lions |
| 25 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Packers |
| 26 | Carolina Panthers @ Chiefs |
| 27 | Las Vegas Raiders @ Chargers |
| 28 | Dallas Cowboys vs. Steelers |
