Fantasy football managers are constantly searching for that perfect waiver wire pickup that could make or break their week. Defensive units often fly under the radar, but savvy players know that streaming the proper defense can be the difference between victory and defeat.
This week presents some intriguing options that could provide significant value for your lineup. Smart fantasy football decisions aren’t always about the most prominent names, but rather about identifying favorable matchups and emerging opportunities.
These rankings were last updated at 7:00 AM ET on Sunday, November 02, 2025.
Week 9 Defense Rankings
1) Los Angeles Chargers (at TEN)
2) Green Bay Packers (vs. CAR)
3) Los Angeles Rams (vs. NO)
4) Detroit Lions (vs. MIN)
5) Jacksonville Jaguars (at LV)
6) Denver Broncos (at HOU)
7) New England Patriots (vs. ATL)
8) San Francisco 49ers (at NYG)
9) Houston Texans (vs. DEN)
10) Seattle Seahawks (at WAS)
11) Atlanta Falcons (at NE)
12) Baltimore Ravens (at MIA)
13) Chicago Bears (at CIN)
14) New York Giants (vs. SF)
15) Indianapolis Colts (at PIT)
16) Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CHI)
17) Las Vegas Raiders (vs. JAX)
18) Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. IND)
19) Buffalo Bills (vs. KC)
20) Washington Commanders (vs. SEA)
21) Minnesota Vikings (at DET)
22) Kansas City Chiefs (at BUF)
23) Dallas Cowboys (vs. ARI)
24) Tennessee Titans (vs. LAC)
25) Carolina Panthers (at GB)
26) Arizona Cardinals (at DAL)
27) New Orleans Saints (at LAR)
28) Miami Dolphins (vs. BAL)
Los Angeles Rams DEF (vs. NOR)
If looking to maximize your Week 9 output, the Rams defense should be among the favorites to lead the way this weekend. The NFC West contenders rank fourth among all defenses in fantasy points per game this year (8.7) and have a dream matchup against the Saints on Sunday.
Shough played a little over a quarter of New Orleans’ Week 8 loss, but still managed to throw his first NFL interception. Among all players to attempt more than two passes, only Carson Wentz had a lower completion percentage than Shough (56.7%), and Wentz was playing through a season-ending injury.
The Rams’ defense is tied for eighth in turnovers (10) and is second in sacks (26) this season. They might not get a better opportunity to add to those numbers than they have this week.
Chicago Bears DEF (at CIN)
Finally, if you get outbid for the Seahawks and Rams’ defenses this week, the Chicago Bears have been a productive unit all season. Despite conceding the eighth-most points per game in the NFL, their high turnover volume has made them a great fantasy asset.
The Bears lead all defenses in turnovers (16) despite having already had their bye and being bottom-half in both sacks (14) and quarterback pressure rate (18.6). They have been a top-12 defense in five of their seven games so far this season, and are another long-term fantasy asset, beyond just this week.
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Joe Flacco hasn’t thrown an interception in three games with the Bengals, but threw six in four games before that. In a potentially high-scoring game, the Bears are a riskier play this weekend, but have more than proven themselves capable of big fantasy weeks.
The Seahawks and Rams are both preferable, but Chicago’s defense is a perfectly good option if needed.