With the fantasy football playoffs starting, Pro Football Network continues the weekly Defense/Special Teams (D/ST) rankings for the 2020 season. We now look to fantasy defense rankings for Week 14. While singular offensive players dominate fantasy football, the other side of the ball sees players work together as a unit. These rankings can be especially useful if you are streaming your defense on a weekly basis.
When ranking a fantasy defense and special teams, the general scoring includes points for fumbles, interceptions, sacks, safeties, and restricting offensive yards and points. Special teams’ scoring incorporates any kickoff or punt return touchdowns, blocked punts, and blocked field goal attempts.
Week 14 Fantasy D/ST Ranking Top 10
1) Seattle Seahawks
Multiple sacks in each game since Week 8. Double-digit points in back to back weeks. Under 24 points allowed over the last four games. A turnover in all but two games in 2020. All of this points to an impressive unit that gets to meet with the New York Jets, who have not put an opposing defense in negative fantasy points all year. The Jamal Adams revenge game will be a fantasy feast.
2) New Orleans Saints
Jalen Hurts will get his first NFL start for the Philadelphia Eagles, which could not come against a tougher opponent. A relentless pass rush alongside an aggressive secondary spells doom for a signal-caller that we cannot forget is missing the team’s three top offensive tackles in Lane Johnson, Andre Dillard, and Jason Peters. If he can even break contain, Hurts will be running all day.
3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Vikings were already a good matchup, with Kirk Cousins prone to taking sacks. Add in the week off, and the Buccaneers should have slightly more fresh legs than normal to go along with extra study time. With multiple turnovers forced in seven of 12 games this season, fantasy managers will have their hopes that the squad makes it eight games by the end of the day.
4) Kansas City Chiefs
Since their bye week, declining fantasy production does cast a little doubt on what could be a rather ambitious ranking. Still, a middle of the road offensive line could be just the ticket for this team’s woeful pass rush of late. The Dolphins gave up ten sacks combined to the Jets and Broncos, so there is a chance this defense can match the production of its offense.
5) Baltimore Ravens
The Browns’ run-heavy attack holds down the ceiling for the Ravens’ fantasy production. Yet Baker Mayfield is where they can score points, specifically in the second half. His split stats are still a mess this season, seeing a 16:4 TD/INT ratio in the first half crater down at 5:3 in the second half. With the Steelers just barely opening the door, this is a very important game for the AFC North.
6) Washington Football Team
The win last week was sealed by an interception that saved an otherwise disappointing fantasy day. The fantasy defense rankings for Week 14 still show their immense potential against hesitant passers with their days against the Cowboys and Bengals in the preceding weeks.
7) Carolina Panthers
The Denver offense is allowing the third-most points to opposing fantasy defenses. Drew Lock has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns this season, and that should work in favor of a defense that has only caused five this year. Brian Burns is leading a young pass rush that should be set to make a splash after their bye week.
8) San Francisco 49ers
Josh Allen looked like the MVP candidate he was at the beginning of the season last week against this defense. After a strong performance against the Rams the week before, it’s possible the magic could return against a less mobile QB than Allen. Robert Saleh is preparing a head coach resumé, and bouncing back would be good for him and fantasy players.
9) Tennessee Titans
Coming off a rough loss to the Browns means the Titans will be looking to get back to their winning ways aggressively. Enter the Jaguars, who had four turnovers against the Vikings last week and are in the top 10 in points allowed to opposing fantasy defenses. Jadeveon Clowney is shut down for the rest of the season, so there is a little less potential for sacks, but this defense should still have a productive day.
10) Pittsburgh Steelers
Bud Dupree being done took a little bit of the zip out of this defense. Still, a top tier unit doesn’t find themselves the number one unit for D/ST rankings because of one or two players. The Bills offensive line has had a hard time quelling aggressive pass rushes, masked by Josh Allen’s mobility. The Steelers could force Allen into a day like the one he had against the Chargers where he was sacked three times, threw an interception, and had a fumble.
Week 14 Defense and Special Teams Fantasy Rankings – Tier 2
11) Green Bay Packers
12) Arizona Cardinals
13) Indianapolis Colts
14) Dallas Cowboys
15) New York Giants
16) Houston Texans
17) Denver Broncos
18) Chicago Bears
19) Los Angeles Chargers
20) Cleveland Browns
Week 14 Defense and Special Teams Fantasy Rankings – Tier 3
21) Buffalo Bills
22) Cincinnati Bengals
23) Minnesota Vikings
24) Atlanta Falcons
25) Las Vegas Raiders
26) Philadelphia Eagles
27) Detroit Lions
28) Jacksonville Jaguars
29) New York Jets
30) Miami Dolphins