Four teams are on bye again in Week 10, requiring fantasy football managers to dip back into the waiver wire for bye-week replacements. Below, we look at the defense/special teams rankings for Week 10, with insights into particularly strong streaming units.
1) Los Angeles Chargers (vs. TEN)
The Los Angeles Chargers allow the fewest points per game yet are still available in roughly 40% of ESPN and Yahoo leagues. Ahead of Week 10, though, Los Angeles should be added to every format when they play against the woeful Tennessee Titans.
Even with the turnover machine Will Levis on the bench in the past three games, the Titans rank last in turnovers per drive. Moreover, Tennessee is 28th in points per game, so there isn’t any ceiling to the offense’s mistake-prone style of play.
The Chargers are arguably the highest-floor D/ST option in Week 10 simply because of the matchup.
2) Minnesota Vikings (at JAX)
The Vikings have cooled off since their strong start, but they’re still second in the league in takeaways and now get to face the error-prone Jacksonville Jaguars.
Minnesota still largely excels in generating the types of splash plays necessary for a strong D/ST unit in fantasy. In addition to their takeaways, the Vikings rank seventh in sacks.
The Jaguars have been a more functional offense since starting 0-4, but the Vikings remain an elite unit.
3) New York Giants (at CAR)
You would think the team that leads the NFL in sacks would be universally rostered in fantasy football. However, the New York Giants are still rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues and 4% of ESPN leagues, one of the more bizarre trends in fantasy this season.
At least Dexter Lawrence's highlight reel is always fun. pic.twitter.com/YotQTT9BDf
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) October 29, 2024
New York is a must-start most weeks simply because of the high floor that their pass rush provides. That’s especially true in a Week 10 matchup against the abysmal Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers have actually done reasonably in pass protection this year (eighth-lowest sack rate allowed), but their 28th-ranked turnover rate makes them a juicy matchup every week.
The Giants should be rostered in every league regardless, but we’ll see their percentage rocket up for Week 10. Even with a bye week coming in Week 11, fantasy managers should carve out a roster spot for New York this week.
4) Chicago Bears (vs. NE)
The Bears remain winless on the road, but have been a different story at Soldier Field. Chicago allows 15.3 PPG at home with a 10.6% sack rate, compared to 21.8 PPG on the road with a 7.9% sack rate.
Drake Maye may be an exciting prospect capable of electric plays, but he’s also an extremely error-prone rookie. Sunday vs. the Tennessee Titans, Maye turned the ball over three times while taking four sacks. That makes the Bears a must-start unit at home.
5) Kansas City Chiefs (vs. DEN)
The Denver Broncos’ offense has improved, but the numbers are still not particularly encouraging. Denver ranks 25th in points per drive on the season, and even if you remove the ugly 0-2 start, the Broncos rank 21st in points per drive.
The Kansas City Chiefs have generated the fifth-highest pressure rate this season, which belies their mediocre sack rate (6.1%, which ranks 23rd). At Arrowhead Stadium, that should result in some sacks and mistakes from Bo Nix.
6) New York Jets (at ARI)
The NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals will likely be favored at home, so why are the New York Jets such a highly-ranked unit?
It all comes down to the sacks this unit can generate. The Jets rank second in sacks, trailing only the Giants. They’ve also generated the second-highest pressure rate at 41%, trailing only the Cleveland Browns.
7) Detroit Lions (at HOU)
The Detroit Lions surely miss superstar edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, but the pass rush hasn’t been totally hopeless in his absence. Since Hutchinson’s leg injury in Week 6 vs. the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit ranks 12th in sack rate and 13th in pressure rate.
While that’s nothing to throw a parade for, even an average pass rush should make hay against the disintegrating Houston Texans offense.
The Texans have allowed the fifth-highest sack rate this season and is fresh off an abysmal eight-sack showing against the New York Jets, the most in any game of C.J. Stroud’s career.
.@jets pass rush forced CJ Stroud to drop back 38X and complete 11 passes with plenty of throwaways like this. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/6dQ89LEbk1
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 1, 2024
There’s certainly risk in streaming the Lions, as wide receiver Nico Collins is on track to return from injured reserve for Houston. That could spell trouble for a Detroit defense that plays man coverage at the highest rate (41%) in the NFL this season.
Still, deeper league managers can take a shot on a unit that will almost certainly generate multiple sacks against the leaky Texans offensive line.
8) Buffalo Bills (at IND)
The Buffalo Bills have been a bit of a boom-or-bust D/ST. Buffalo has had four weeks recording double-digit scoring weeks this season and four weeks recording four points or fewer.
The Indianapolis Colts aren’t a simple matchup anymore without Anthony Richardson, but this ranking mostly comes down to the Bills ranking fourth with 15 takeaways. The Colts rank 26th in turnovers per drive, which makes this a matchup where Buffalo’s defense could accentuate its greatest strength.
9) Philadelphia Eagles (at DAL)
This is contingent on Dak Prescott’s status. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback left Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons with a hamstring injury, which casts doubt on his status for Sunday.
Don’t be fooled by Cooper Rush going 4-1 in relief of Prescott in 2021. The Cowboys’ already struggling offense would have no floor if Rush has to play in place of Prescott. That’s particularly true with CeeDee Lamb also needing an MRI for an AC joint sprain.
If Prescott is out and Lamb plays, the Eagles move up to third in these rankings. If both are out, move them up to the top.
10) Denver Broncos (at KC)
The Chiefs aren’t as fearsome an offense as they were from 2018-22, which makes Denver a startable-if-not-ideal unit. Kansas City still ranks first in success rate entering its Monday night matchup in Week 9, so the Broncos are unlikely to earn a points allowed bonus in this game.
However, Denver shouldn’t be a net negative like it was at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. Patrick Mahomes has turned the ball over in every game this season, so the Broncos should have an opportunity to salvage some splash plays.
11) Tennessee Titans (at LAC)
The Titans finally generated some takeaways on Sunday vs. the New England Patriots. Tennessee’s three takeaways were a season-high after the Titans generated only three over their first seven games combined.
Justin Herbert is on a tear and hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 2, which makes this a much dicier matchup. Still, there are surprisingly few strong matchups for above-average defenses in Week 10. Tennessee still ranks third in yards per play allowed, so bank on the Titans capping the Chargers’ ceiling a bit.
12) Pittsburgh Steelers (at WAS)
The Pittsburgh Steelers rank second in scoring defense and are tied for fourth in takeaways despite having their bye in Week 9. Normally, the Steelers would be an easy top-five to 10 D/ST, but a road matchup against a powerful Washington Commanders offense is a different story.
Pittsburgh’s league-leading red zone defense could help limit a bit of Washington’s upside. Red zone offense is one of the Commanders’ few weaknesses, as they rank 26th in red zone efficiency.
13) San Francisco 49ers (at TB)
The 49ers aren’t the same defense we’ve become accustomed to in recent seasons. The Niners rank 16th in EPA per play and sack rate, giving them a very middling ceiling from week to week.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t as frightening a matchup with both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin out. But Baker Mayfield still leads a high-volume passing game that tends to pile up yardage, which makes San Francisco a tougher play in leagues that penalize for yards allowed.
14) Houston Texans (at DET)
This is another solid defense with an awful matchup. The Detroit Lions have 28 touchdowns and 24 incompletions over their last six games. They’re the first team since the 1959-60 Cleveland Browns with more touchdowns than incompletions over a six-game span.
In other words, virtually any defense is unplayable against the Lions, particularly on the road. Houston does boast the fourth-best sack rate, which always gives the Texans a decent floor in fantasy. But start another defense if you can find one.
15) Washington Commanders (vs. PIT)
The Washington Commanders put together a couple of promising weeks but fell flat in Week 9 at the New York Giants. The Commanders were particularly generous on deep throws, allowing Daniel Jones to complete 7-of-10 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown on passes of 10+ air yards.
That’s a troubling trend against Russell Wilson, who has destroyed defenses with the deep ball so far. In two starts, Wilson is 9-of-12 for 286 yards (23.8 yards per attempt!) and two touchdowns on passes of 10+ air yards.
Washington looked like a defense trending in the right direction, but proceed with caution in this matchup.
16) Atlanta Falcons (at NO)
The team that ranks last in sack rate will never be a particularly useful option in fantasy. The Falcons are higher than usual this week due to the bevy of rough matchups for the best D/ST units, coupled with the New Orleans Saints’ persistent struggles.
Even with Derek Carr back in the lineup, the Saints could only muster a meager -0.01 EPA per dropback against the Panthers. This was the first time all season that a team did not post a positive EPA per dropback against Carolina.
With Chris Olave likely out after a frightening concussion, the Saints simply don’t have the ceiling to be particularly threatening to even a relatively toothless Atlanta defense.
17) Miami Dolphins (at LAR)
The Miami Dolphins have only 10 sacks, tied for the second-fewest in the NFL. After a promising start in terms of pressure generation, the Dolphins’ pass rush has totally collapsed in the last two weeks. Since Week 8, Miami’s 21% pressure rate is fourth-worst in the league.
Unfortunately, that’s one of the very few surefire ways to generate negative plays from Matthew Stafford. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback has thrown five interceptions when pressured this season, tied for third most in the league.
With Miami’s pass rush disintegrating, the Dolphins are a stay-away in a primetime road matchup.
18) New England Patriots (at CHI)
The Chicago Bears have posted a couple mediocre offensive showings in a row, but they are a different unit at Soldier Field. In true home games, the Bears have scored at least 24 points in every game and have turned it over just once.
The New England Patriots took advantage of a favorable Week 9 matchup in Tennessee but still allowed 5.5 yards per play, a below-average figure. This is more of a get-right spot for Caleb Williams and the offense rather than an opportunity to stream the Pats’ D/ST.
19) Arizona Cardinals (vs. NYJ)
The Arizona Cardinals didn’t allow a touchdown for the second time in three weeks, a stunning development for a defense that was one of the worst to begin the season.
The issue is that the Cardinals aren’t really equipped with the personnel to slow down Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson. Arizona ranks 27th in yards per target allowed to wide receivers (8.7). With the Jets’ offense showing signs of life in the second half of its Week 9 win over the Houston Texans, the Cards are a risky D/ST streamer even at home.
20) Indianapolis Colts (vs. BUF)
The Indianapolis Colts played reasonably well in a difficult Sunday night environment at the Minnesota Vikings. The Colts’ defense outscored its offense 7-6, with a Kenny Moore fumble return touchdown being the only time they reached the end zone.
Unfortunately, Indy will now face a Bills team with the third-lowest turnover rate and lowest sack rate allowed. The Colts are unlikely to be a usable option in this game.
21) Los Angeles Rams (vs. MIA)
The Los Angeles Rams rattled Geno Smith into three interceptions, giving L.A. seven takeaways during its three-game win streak. The Rams had four takeaways over their first five games combined.
Still, the Dolphins have looked like a different unit with Tua Tagovailoa back from his injured reserve stint. In Tua’s two games back, Miami ranks second in points per drive and has only turned it over once on a Raheem Mostert fumble.
Given that the Rams are unlikely to feast on takeaways again, expect the Dolphins to move the ball regularly.
22) Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)
The Baltimore Ravens tied a season-low with 10 points allowed in their Week 9 win over the Denver Broncos. The pass defense finally showed signs of life with Marcus Williams back from his benching. Baltimore conceded 197 pass yards – it’s second-fewest this season – while also posting just its second game with a positive EPA per dropback.
Unfortunately, they’ll now face Joe Burrow, fresh off a five-torque performance. Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals have shown more weekly variance than past seasons, but they still rank sixth in points per drive this year.
Burrow had the third-best EPA per dropback of his career (0.57) in the Week 5 overtime loss to Baltimore, so don’t bank on the Ravens successfully slowing down the Bengals in the rematch.
23) New Orleans Saints (vs. ATL)
The New Orleans Saints have lost seven straight since a 2-0 start and continue to hemorrhage in run defense. They are a bottom-five unit in both yards per rush allowed and run defense success rate.
How will that work out against Bijan Robinson? Probably poorly! The Atlanta Falcons have stabilized since their 1-2 start, ranking fifth in points per drive since Week 4. As a result, the Saints cannot be started in fantasy.
24) Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. MIN)
The Jaguars have been a wretched defense all season, and this is a particularly problematic matchup for them. Jacksonville plays man coverage at the fourth-highest rate (34.4%). Thanks in large part to Justin Jefferson, Sam Darnold has the third-highest passer rating (121.0) against man coverage this season.
The Jags will surely bracket Jefferson like every defense. But as we saw in the Vikings’ Week 9 over the Indianapolis Colts, single-high defenses that plan for Jefferson can get burned by Minnesota’s supporting cast targets just as easily.
25) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. SF)
The wheels have fallen off for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. Entering their MNF matchup in Kansas City, the Bucs rank 29th in defensive EPA per play (-0.11). They’ve allowed 2.84 points per drive in that span, second-worst ahead of only the Carolina Panthers.
The San Francisco 49ers may not be as fearsome as past offenses, but this could be Christian McCaffrey’s season debut. Even with CMC likely to have some pitch count, the Bucs are in the conversation for the least playable defense in Week 10.
26) Dallas Cowboys (vs. PHI)
The Dallas Cowboys have given up the second most points per drive on the season, ahead of only the Carolina Panthers. Dallas is back home, which has been its worst nightmare this season. At AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys are allowing 39.7 PPG and 7.6 yards per play. Both those are the worst of any team at home this season.
While the Philadelphia Eagles are still prone to self-inflicted wounds, they also generate explosive plays at a rate that should break Dallas’ defense. The Eagles have gained 20+ yards on 7.1% of their plays this season, the eighth-highest rate in the league.
Even if Jalen Hurts runs into a turnover and a couple of sacks, the trio of Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith should do more than enough damage to the abysmal Cowboys defense.
27) Carolina Panthers (vs. NYG)
Forget that the New York Giants are typically a solid matchup against which you can stream a D/ST. The Panthers posted their second-best defensive game of the season in Week 9 vs. the New Orleans Saints…and still conceded 22 points and 427 total yards. Carolina didn’t even post a positive EPA per play on defense (-0.03).
The Panthers will most likely not perform at the second-worst level of any defense in Week 10. The Giants have only exceeded 21 points in a single game this season and rank 31st in points per drive. But Carolina is not a D/ST worth rostering, no matter the circumstances.
28) Cincinnati Bengals (at BAL)
Playing on a short week on the road against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry? That will land most defenses in the basement of the weekly rankings, and that’s especially true for the leaky Cincinnati Bengals D/ST.
The Denver Broncos were an elite unit that got diced up for 41 points, 0.37 EPA per play, and a perfect passer rating from Jackson. Despite some recent encouraging performances, the Bengals still rank 27th in defensive EPA per play.
No unit can be started against the Ravens offense, and the Bengals are almost never worth starting, regardless of the opponent. That lands Cincinnati at the bottom for Week 10.
Full Fantasy D/ST Rankings for Week 10
1. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. TEN)
2. Minnesota Vikings (at JAX)
3. New York Giants (at CAR)
4. Chicago Bears (vs. NE)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. DEN)
6. New York Jets (at ARI)
7. Detroit Lions (at HOU)
8. Buffalo Bills (at IND)
9. Philadelphia Eagles (at DAL)
10. Denver Broncos (at KC)
11. Tennessee Titans (at LAC)
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (at WAS)
13. San Francisco 49ers (at TB)
14. Houston Texans (at DET)
15. Washington Commanders (vs. PIT)
16. Atlanta Falcons (at NO)
17. Miami Dolphins (at LAR)
18. New England Patriots (at CHI)
19. Arizona Cardinals (vs. NYJ)
20. Indianapolis Colts (vs. BUF)
21. Los Angeles Rams (vs. MIA)
22. Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)
23. New Orleans Saints (vs. ATL)
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. MIN)
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. SF)
26. Dallas Cowboys (vs. PHI)
27. Carolina Panthers (vs. NYG)
28. Cincinnati Bengals (at BAL)