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Projections last updated: May 14, 2024 Defense Fantasy
Rank Player Team Bye Int FR Sck TD PtsA FPts Value
1 Baltimore Ravens BAL 14.3 10.1 50.1 2.8 20.6 133.3 9.5
2 San Francisco 49ers SF 13.9 10.9 45.7 2.9 20.5 130.7 8.2
3 Kansas City Chiefs KC 14.6 9.5 48.7 2.8 20.9 130.1 7.9
4 Pittsburgh Steelers PIT 14.5 10.3 46.1 2.9 20.8 129.9 7.8
5 New York Jets NYJ 13.3 10.5 49.0 2.8 21.1 129.0 7.4
6 Green Bay Packers GB 14.8 10.7 45.4 2.8 21.5 127.2 6.5
7 Buffalo Bills BUF 14.2 9.1 46.3 2.8 20.9 126.1 5.9
7 Houston Texans HOU 14.2 11.0 45.5 2.9 21.8 126.1 5.9
9 Los Angeles Chargers LAC 12.8 10.4 48.5 2.8 21.7 124.9 5.3
10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB 13.7 9.5 45.0 2.8 21.4 122.6 4.2
11 Dallas Cowboys DAL 14.3 9.8 45.0 2.8 22.0 122.0 3.9
12 Cincinnati Bengals CIN 13.0 9.7 45.2 2.7 21.4 121.2 3.5
13 Cleveland Browns CLE 13.1 8.9 45.3 2.7 21.1 121.1 3.4
14 Indianapolis Colts IND 13.2 9.8 45.7 2.7 22.1 119.5 2.6
15 Philadelphia Eagles PHI 12.3 10.2 45.2 2.8 22.6 116.6 1.2
16 Detroit Lions DET 13.1 10.2 45.9 2.5 22.8 116.3 1.0
17 Las Vegas Raiders LV 15.0 8.7 38.3 2.6 21.8 114.1 -0.1
18 Chicago Bears CHI 13.2 8.8 38.2 2.6 21.4 112.2 -2.0
19 Minnesota Vikings MIN 13.7 9.1 40.3 2.6 22.4 111.9 -2.3
20 Seattle Seahawks SEA 13.8 8.7 41.0 2.6 22.6 111.2 -3.0
21 Jacksonville Jaguars JAC 13.4 9.4 40.4 2.6 23.2 108.8 -5.4
22 Atlanta Falcons ATL 11.6 8.3 41.0 2.5 21.8 108.6 -5.6
23 Miami Dolphins MIA 11.2 9.4 47.5 2.3 23.7 107.7 -6.5
24 Tennessee Titans TEN 12.2 8.2 41.2 2.5 22.4 107.4 -6.8
25 Arizona Cardinals ARI 13.4 8.9 41.3 2.7 23.8 106.9 -7.3
26 New York Giants NYG 12.9 9.4 41.0 2.6 23.8 106.0 -8.2
27 Denver Broncos DEN 12.9 9.4 40.3 2.5 23.6 105.5 -8.7
28 Washington Commanders WAS 13.2 7.8 39.8 2.5 23.9 101.2 -13.0
29 New Orleans Saints NO 13.8 7.2 37.6 2.5 23.4 101.0 -13.2
30 New England Patriots NE 12.4 8.0 39.1 2.4 23.5 100.3 -13.9
31 Los Angeles Rams LAR 12.6 7.6 36.7 2.3 23.6 96.5 -17.7
32 Carolina Panthers CAR 12.6 8.5 34.9 2.4 23.8 96.3 -17.9

Fantasy Football Defense Rankings 2024

Our Fantasy Football Defense rankings for the 2024 NFL season are based on points allowed, turnovers, sacks, and touchdowns projected. 

Fantasy Football Team Defense Rankings are Harder to Predict

We put out these fantasy football defense rankings, but remember: this is perhaps the toughest position to predict. Because it is harder to predict, you should be less confident in your selection in a draft, and not use early picks (or even mid-round picks) on defense. 

Last year was a relatively rare case where the top defenses in fantasy football were drafted somewhat early, with Baltimore (5th among defenses in draft position) finishing 1st in sacks and interceptions.

Depending on your scoring sytem, Philadelphia was the best defense in 2022, and they were being drafted outside the top 12. Dallas or New England were the two top fantasy defenses in 2021. Dallas was not being drafted in the top 12 at the position, and New England was 9th. In 2020, Pittsburgh led the way and were being drafted 4th. The New England Patriots were the highest-scoring defense in 2019. They were being drafted 10th among defenses entering the year. The year before that? The Bears finished at No. 1. They were being drafted 11th. And the year before that, it was Jacksonville emerging as the surprise No. 1 finisher. They were not being drafted in the Top 12. 

So in the last six years, only one of the defensive leaders by the end of the year was being drafted in the top 8 at the position.

The lesson here is to not go overboard trying to get the best defense. Because knowing who that is can be difficult. 

Look for Late Round Values in the Fantasy Football Defense Rankings

The best fantasy football draft strategy at a less predictable position like defense is to wait and look for values. It almost certainly means you won’t be drafting the first few teams on the fantasy football defense rankings. But if you can wait, and look at early matchups to find teams you might want for the start of the season, you can get as many points as your opponents without investing an earlier pick.