2024 NFL Defense Rankings Week 7

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Rank	Defense	Opponent	Blurb
1	Broncos	Saints	The Saints have multiple starters out. This Broncos D is due for a bounce back game after not recording a turnover last week. They’re still a top five D in fantasy overall.
2	Steelers	Jets	This Steelers D has forced three turnovers in back-to-back weeks. This Jets offense, even with WR Davante Adams, is just average. Steelers have posted four double-digit fantasy performances through the first six weeks.
3	Eagles	Giants	Philly’s D had a respectable showing against the Cleveland Browns last week. The Giants come into this game injured and their offense doesn’t score a ton.
4	Chargers	Cardinals	This Chargers D has only given up 20 points once this season. They have forced at least one turnover in every game this season. Arizona’s offense has averaged just 16 points the last four weeks.
5	Jets	Steelers	This Jets D doesn’t force many turnovers, but they’ve allowed an average of 17 points a week. The Steelers inexplicably made a QB change and will start Russell Wilson, who is out of his prime. This should be a good game for this defense.
6	Bills	Titans	Against bad offenses like Miami and Jacksonville, this Bills D scored 16 and 14 points in fantasy, respectively. They face another bad offense this week in the Titans. Home field advantage for Buffalo helps them this week as well.
7	Bengals	Browns	Cleveland just traded away WR Amari Cooper. They couldn’t score with him and they won’t score without him. This Bengals D has not been great this year, but every team that has played the Browns has fared well so far.
8	Colts	Dolphins	Miami does not have a QB and doesn’t have a high-scoring offense, only averaging 12 points per game. This Colts D, while not great, has forced multiple turnovers in three of the last four weeks.
9	Saints	Broncos	This Saints D forces a lot of turnovers and Broncos QB Bo Nix has been prone to turning the ball over this year. Also, home field advantage has done the Saints well besides last week. Even then, they forced three interceptions despite a blowout loss.
10	Packers	Texans	The Texans can score points, but when they face great defenses they tend to falter. This Packers D has been a top three unit all season and has forced multiple turnovers in every single game this year. They also only give up roughly 19 points a game this season. Packers also have home field advantage this week.
11	Patriots	Jaguars	This Patriots unit has held some star-studded offenses in check this year. While coming off a blowout loss to the Texans, they face a Jaguars offense that isn’t very good. They only average just under 19 points a game
12	Jaguars	Patriots	Patriots’ rookie QB Drake Maye comes in a little banged up and even though the Jags D isn’t good, New England just does not score a ton of points. This would be a good game to get back on track for the Jags.
13	49ers	Chiefs	The Chiefs have been up and down offensively this season. The Niners are a top 10 defense and might be the best D that KC will face all season. The only concern is that KC is the one of just two unbeaten teams left and Patrick Mahomes can never be counted out.
14	Falcons	Seahawks	The Seahawks have lost three straight games and come in slightly injured. Geno Smith is the third-most sacked QB this season so far (19). He also has six interceptions this year, including five in the last four games. Their offense is inconsistent in games as well. The Falcons have forced multiple turnovers in two of their last three games.
15	Vikings	Lions	This is arguably the best D in the league right now. They have forced multiple interceptions in five of their six games this year and have forced multiple turnovers in every game. However, they face one of the most dangerous offenses in football. The Lions have averaged 30 points per game this year, including back-to-back 42+ point games the last two weeks. This matchup can go either way.
16	Rams	Raiders	The Rams had a bye last week, but did put up a double-digit performance the week before against a solid Packers offense. They’re only higher on the list this week because they face an offense that averages 18 points a game and is now without Davante Adams.
17	Chiefs	49ers	This Chiefs D has allowed an average of 17 points per game this season. They do not have a multi-turnover game this year, however. This week they face a tough 49ers offense that is searching for some stability after a 3-3 start, so this matchup can go either way.
18	Texans	Packers	Houston’s D is somewhere in the middle of the pack this season. They only have two multi-turnover games, in which they’ve had double-digit fantasy performances. Outside of those, they’re highest fantasy performance was a five-point outing against the Vikings, in a game that saw them give up 34 points. They face a Packers offense that averages 27 points a game. However, their penchant for keeping most of their games close and allowing 21 points or less in four of six games could be a good sign this week.
19	Commanders	Panthers	Washington’s D is not the best and they have three negative-point fantasy performances this season. They don’t have a multi-turnover game either. However, the last bad team they faced helped them earn 14 fantasy points. Carolina averages just 17 points a game and is 1-5 so far. Washington is also at home this week, something that could benefit them.
20	Giants	Eagles	This Giants D doesn’t allow a lot of points, but they don’t force many turnovers. They do rack up sacks and have compiled four or more in four of the last five games. However, they face a healthy Eagles offense and their own offense may put them in a position where they’ll be on the field all game.
21	Ravens	Buccaneers	Baltimore’s D allows about 24-25 points a game and the Buccaneers average over 28 points a game. This D doesn’t have a multi-turnover game yet. Tampa Bay is coming off a 45-point offensive barrage in a 51-27 win over the Saints. This game could be a shootout, which will hurt both defenses.
22	Buccaneers	Ravens	Tampa Bay’s D has been up and down this year. In the last three weeks, they have two double-digit fantasy performances, but also have a negative-point fantasy performance over a high-powered Falcons offense. This Baltimore offense is no different, averaging almost 30 points a game and winning four straight games. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are nearly impossible to stop.
23	Dolphins	Colts	The Dolphins D doesn’t have a double-digit fantasy performance this year. They only have one multi-turnover game. However, they’re well-rested coming off a bye and could face QB Anthony Richardson. Richardson was a turnover machine prior to his injury and the offense is pretty banged up, so there may be some hope here.
24	Raiders	Rams	This Raiders D isn’t very good and gives up an average of 25 points a game, which is really over 28 points when you factor out their easy win against the Browns. They have forced only two turnovers all season so far. The Rams might get WR Cooper Kupp back this week, further complicating things for the black and silver.
25	Browns	Bengals	This Browns D is not bad, but they’re facing a Bengals offense that is very talented and looking to score more than just the 17 points they got last week. Before that, Cincy’s offense was averaging 28 points a game and is still averaging over 26 after a misfire against the Giants. With how bad Cleveland’s offense is, this D might be on the field against this high-powered offense too often.
26	Lions	Vikings	While they’re coming off an insane 19-point fantasy performance last week, this Lions D faces a high-powered, fully healthy, unbeaten Vikings team this week. They don’t surrender a ton of points, but they haven’t faced an offense this good yet.
27	Seahawks	Falcons	This Seattle D has been awful the last three weeks and has only forced one turnover the last five weeks. They’re heavily injured and face a talented Atlanta offense that has averaged 33 points per game the last three weeks.
28	Cardinals	Chargers	Arizona is coming off their second negative point fantasy performance in three weeks. Over the last three weeks, they’ve given up an average of 33 points per game. They only have one multi-turnover game this year. The Chargers have only turned the ball over once this season.
29	Titans	Bills	Tennessee doesn’t have the worst D in football, but they’re potentially facing a Bills offense with WR Amari Cooper this week. They also have forced just three turnovers all season, so this matchup isn’t favorable at all.
30	Panthers	Commanders	The worst-ranked defense in fantasy takes on arguably the hottest offense in the league. What could go wrong? Washington averages 31 points per game this season, while the Panthers D has three negative-point performances in six weeks. They’re only two positive fantasy performances came against low-scoring offenses, while the other four opponents have scored at least 34 points.

October 17, 2024, 8:52 am