Week 1 of the fantasy football season has arrived. As always, it is crucial to know what players are the preferable starts. Taking player talent, performance, and matchup into account, here are my Week 1 DEF rankings.
Top 32 Fantasy Defense Rankings
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1) Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
2) Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
3) San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
4) New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
5) Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
6) Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
7) Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
8) Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
9) Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
10) Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
11) New York Jets (at SF)
12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
13) New York Giants (vs. MIN)
14) Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
15) Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
16) Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
17) Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
18) Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
19) Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
20) Houston Texans (at IND)
21) Denver Broncos (at SEA)
22) Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
23) Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
24) Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
25) Carolina Panthers (at NO)
26) Washington Commanders (at TB)
27) Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
28) Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
29) Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
30) Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
31) New England Patriots (at CIN)
32) Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
The Top Defenses To Start in Week 1
Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
When it comes to defenses, I care far more about the caliber of the opposing offense. The Bengals are probably not going to be a top-12 defense this season, but in Week 1, they are No. 1 on my rankings.
The Patriots are widely expected to be the worst offense in football. They are touchdown underdogs on the road in Cincinnati this week with an implied team total of just 17 points. There’s a very real chance the Patriots won’t score a touchdown.
It would be preferential if Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase both played, as their presence would increase the likelihood of a positive game script for the Bengals. However, even without Higgins and with Chase limited, Joe Burrow is good enough to work with Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton, and Charlie Jones.
Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
It’s beginning to look like Justin Fields really might end up starting in place of an injured Russell Wilson. Ironically, this is good for fantasy managers with Fields and with the Falcons’ defense.
Fields’ mobility makes him a weekly QB1, but his penchant for holding the ball too long and taking sacks gives opposing defense a high weekly floor. Despite only starting 13 games last season, Fields took 44 sacks, the fifth-most in the league.
The Falcons had the league’s worst pass rush last season. That’s especially problematic for fantasy, as sacks are the most reliable form of defensive scoring. The good news is that Atlanta’s coaches feel confident about having improved in that area heading into the season.
But this isn’t about whether the Falcons have a good defense. They are playing against a weak offense. The Steelers want to run the ball and churn the clock. If they fall behind, they may be forced into throwing more than they want to, which leads to turnovers.
The Falcons are an excellent streaming option in Week 1.