The D/ST position in fantasy football can be overlooked, but choosing the proper defense can be the difference between victory and defeat in your playoffs.
Avoid deploying an elite NFL defense in tough matchups, as it might not score points for the D/ST position. The best approach is to focus entirely on matchups.
Bye weeks are over, so managers will have the full selection of defensive units at their disposal.
Here are our Week 15 D/ST fantasy rankings, best starts, sleepers, and some matchups to avoid.
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Week 15 Fantasy D/ST Rankings: Start-sit team defense lineup tips
Updated 12/10:
| Rk | Team Defense | OPP | Rk Chg |
| 1 | Houston Texans | ARI | |
| 2 | Philadelphia Eagles | LV | |
| 3 | San Francisco 49ers | TEN | |
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ATL | ⬇️ 1 |
| 5 | Denver Broncos | GB | |
| 6 | Los Angeles Chargers | @KC | |
| 7 | Green Bay Packers | @DEN | |
| 8 | Chicago Bears | CLE | |
| 9 | Seattle Seahawks | IND | |
| 10 | Jacksonville Jaguars | NYJ | ⬆️ 2 |
| 11 | Cleveland Browns | @CHI | ⬇️ 5 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Rams | DET | |
| 13 | Indianapolis Colts | @SEA | |
| 14 | Kansas City Chiefs | LAC | ⬆️ 1 |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers | MIA | |
| 16 | Arizona Cardinals | @HOU | |
| 17 | New Orleans Saints | CAR | |
| 18 | Baltimore Ravens | @CIN | |
| 19 | Carolina Panthers | @NO | |
| 20 | New York Jets | @JAX | |
| 21 | Minnesota Vikings | @DAL | |
| 22 | Buffalo Bills | @NE | |
| 23 | New England Patriots | BUF | |
| 24 | Dallas Cowboys | MIN | |
| 25 | Detroit Lions | @LAR | |
| 26 | Atlanta Falcons | @TB | |
| 27 | Tennessee Titans | @SF | |
| 28 | Washington Commanders | @NYG | |
| 29 | Miami Dolphins | @PIT | |
| 30 | Las Vegas Raiders | @PHI | |
| 31 | New York Giants | WAS | |
| 32 | Cincinnati Bengals | BAL |
Who are the best fantasy defenses in Week 15?
No manager should need any advice on whether or not starting the Houston Texans’ defense is a brilliant idea. The Texans made the Buffalo Bills look poor on offense; they’ll have little problem with the Arizona Cardinals.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense has not been as dominant as we’ve come to expect. However, the Raiders might have the worst offense in football, with a quarterback who gives up a ton of sacks and is prone to turning the ball over.
Who are the top fantasy D/ST sleepers in Week 15?
While the Seattle Seahawks certainly are not a sleeper defense, this is to boost the confidence of all those managers considering benching them because they play the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts’ offense is not clicking as it was at the beginning of the season, and Daniel Jones has not looked fantastic by any means.
There is a world where the New Orleans Saints are startable against the Carolina Panthers; it just depends on whether you are brave enough to start them in your playoffs.
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