Defensive Team By Committee (DTBC)

Clayton Gray's Defensive Team By Committee (DTBC) Clayton Gray Published 08/30/2022

Editors Note: Originally, this article incorrectly used seasonal fantasy points instead of per-game numbers. The rankings did not change, but the volume of acceptable committees was inflated. We apologize for the error.

There are a couple of common approaches to addressing the team defense position in fantasy drafts.

  • Draft a top defense fairly early.
  • Draft two defenses fairly late to stream your way to production that is on par with a top defense.

Well, there is another common approach. Draft a decent defense, drop it when it underproduces, and hate the team defense position all season long.

Let's avoid that third approach.

Going After a Top Defense

Simply put, you're in the wrong place for a top defense. But if that's how you roll, we have multiple avenues for you to take here.

  • Use the Draft Dominator. With it, you'll be able to get fully customized rankings. You'll know exactly which top defense you should target.

  • Go straight to our Defensive Team rankings. These are customized, but you'll get a general feel for highly-rated defenses.

If you're having trouble deciding on a top defense or you want one with an easy schedule, take a moment to check out our SOS for defenses.

Now, let's find a DTBC.

Starting-Level Defenses

If we have a DTBC, we won't be taking an early defense. And that means we won't start the season with a single starting-level defense (listed with their projected fantasy points).

  • Buffalo Bills - 6.6
  • Indianapolis Colts - 6.5
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 6.5
  • Dallas Cowboys - 6.5
  • New Orleans Saints - 6.3
  • Los Angeles Rams - 6.3
  • Miami Dolphins - 6.3
  • New England Patriots - 6.2
  • Pittsburgh Steelers - 6.2
  • Green Bay Packers - 6.2
  • Los Angeles Chargers - 6.1
  • Kansas City Chiefs - 6.1

Matching the Dolphins

The goal of creating a DTBC is to compete against starting-level defenses. But if we just want to get into the Top 12, we can just take the Kansas City defense. Instead of just getting by, let's compete toward the top and be in the top half of a 12-team league. So, to get a top-six defense, we need to beat the Dolphins (and Rams and Saints).

Without taking any of the 12 defenses listed above, let's fine 6.4 PPG and beat the Dolphins.

Finding DTBCs

Finding the right committee will be based on three things:

  • Bye week compatibility - This seems obvious, but your two defenses can't have the same bye week.
  • Projected fantasy points scored - Defenses projected to score more fantasy points this season will generally rank higher in the list of possible committees.
  • Strength of schedule - Defenses with easier opponents will generally rank higher in the list of possible committees.

So let's get to it.

Looking through the 169 possibilities, a whopping 63 of them are projected to beat the Dolphins. And 15 of them are projected to beat the Bills.

Already a subscriber?

Continue reading this content with a PRO subscription.

Yes, tons of quality options with a good deal of variety.

Rank Defense 1 Defense 2 FanPts
1 Minnesota Vikings Cleveland Browns 6.8
2 Philadelphia Eagles Denver Broncos 6.8
3 Philadelphia Eagles Cincinnati Bengals 6.8
4 Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns 6.8
5 Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns 6.8
6 Denver Broncos Washington Commanders 6.8
7 Philadelphia Eagles Houston Texans 6.7
8 Denver Broncos Tennessee Titans 6.7
9 Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens 6.7
10 Philadelphia Eagles Washington Commanders 6.7
11 Cleveland Browns Carolina Panthers 6.7
12 Washington Commanders Cleveland Browns 6.7
13 Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens 6.7
14 Denver Broncos Cincinnati Bengals 6.7
15 Cincinnati Bengals San Francisco 49ers 6.7
16 Cleveland Browns Houston Texans 6.6
17 Denver Broncos Houston Texans 6.6
18 Tennessee Titans New York Giants 6.6
19 Denver Broncos Minnesota Vikings 6.6
20 Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns 6.6
21 Philadelphia Eagles New York Giants 6.6
22 Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers 6.6
23 Denver Broncos New York Jets 6.6
24 Denver Broncos Arizona Cardinals 6.6
25 Denver Broncos Carolina Panthers 6.6
26 San Francisco 49ers Baltimore Ravens 6.6
27 New York Giants Houston Texans 6.5
28 Washington Commanders Houston Texans 6.5
29 Cleveland Browns Tennessee Titans 6.5
30 San Francisco 49ers Tennessee Titans 6.5
31 San Francisco 49ers Minnesota Vikings 6.5
32 Philadelphia Eagles New York Jets 6.5
33 Philadelphia Eagles Arizona Cardinals 6.5
34 Philadelphia Eagles Carolina Panthers 6.5
35 Philadelphia Eagles Atlanta Falcons 6.5
36 Cleveland Browns New York Jets 6.5
37 Arizona Cardinals Cleveland Browns 6.5
38 Cleveland Browns Atlanta Falcons 6.5
39 Cleveland Browns Chicago Bears 6.5
40 Denver Broncos Jacksonville Jaguars 6.5
41 Baltimore Ravens New York Giants 6.5
42 San Francisco 49ers Arizona Cardinals 6.5
43 San Francisco 49ers Carolina Panthers 6.5
44 Washington Commanders Cincinnati Bengals 6.5
45 Cincinnati Bengals Detroit Lions 6.4
46 San Francisco 49ers Houston Texans 6.4
47 Baltimore Ravens Houston Texans 6.4
48 Cincinnati Bengals Houston Texans 6.4
49 Cincinnati Bengals Tennessee Titans 6.4
50 Washington Commanders Tennessee Titans 6.4
51 Minnesota Vikings New York Giants 6.4
52 Minnesota Vikings Arizona Cardinals 6.4
53 Cleveland Browns Jacksonville Jaguars 6.4
54 Denver Broncos Chicago Bears 6.4
55 Cincinnati Bengals New York Giants 6.4
56 New York Giants Carolina Panthers 6.4
57 San Francisco 49ers Jacksonville Jaguars 6.4
58 San Francisco 49ers Atlanta Falcons 6.4
59 Washington Commanders San Francisco 49ers 6.4
60 Arizona Cardinals Baltimore Ravens 6.4
61 Cincinnati Bengals Arizona Cardinals 6.4
62 Washington Commanders Arizona Cardinals 6.4
63 Washington Commanders Carolina Panthers 6.4
64 Denver Broncos Detroit Lions 6.3
65 Houston Texans Carolina Panthers 6.3
66 Cleveland Browns Las Vegas Raiders 6.3
67 Denver Broncos Las Vegas Raiders 6.3
68 Philadelphia Eagles Tennessee Titans 6.3
69 Washington Commanders Minnesota Vikings 6.3
70 Philadelphia Eagles Chicago Bears 6.3
71 Cleveland Browns Seattle Seahawks 6.3
72 Denver Broncos Seattle Seahawks 6.3
73 Denver Broncos Atlanta Falcons 6.3
74 New York Giants Jacksonville Jaguars 6.3
75 Washington Commanders New York Giants 6.3
76 San Francisco 49ers Chicago Bears 6.3
77 Cincinnati Bengals Carolina Panthers 6.3
78 Cincinnati Bengals Atlanta Falcons 6.3
79 Philadelphia Eagles Detroit Lions 6.2
80 Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions 6.2
81 San Francisco 49ers Detroit Lions 6.2
82 Minnesota Vikings Houston Texans 6.2
83 Arizona Cardinals Houston Texans 6.2
84 Chicago Bears Houston Texans 6.2
85 San Francisco 49ers Las Vegas Raiders 6.2
86 Minnesota Vikings Tennessee Titans 6.2
87 Baltimore Ravens Tennessee Titans 6.2
88 Arizona Cardinals Tennessee Titans 6.2
89 Tennessee Titans Atlanta Falcons 6.2
90 Philadelphia Eagles Jacksonville Jaguars 6.2
91 Philadelphia Eagles Seattle Seahawks 6.2
92 New York Giants New York Jets 6.2
93 Arizona Cardinals New York Giants 6.2
94 San Francisco 49ers New York Jets 6.2
95 San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks 6.2
96 Baltimore Ravens Carolina Panthers 6.2
97 Baltimore Ravens Chicago Bears 6.2
98 Washington Commanders Baltimore Ravens 6.2
99 Cincinnati Bengals Jacksonville Jaguars 6.2
100 Cincinnati Bengals Chicago Bears 6.2
101 Arizona Cardinals Jacksonville Jaguars 6.2
102 Washington Commanders Jacksonville Jaguars 6.2
103 Minnesota Vikings Detroit Lions 6.1
104 New York Giants Detroit Lions 6.1
105 Baltimore Ravens Detroit Lions 6.1
106 Washington Commanders Detroit Lions 6.1
107 Houston Texans New York Jets 6.1
108 Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars 6.1
109 Houston Texans Atlanta Falcons 6.1
110 Washington Commanders Las Vegas Raiders 6.1
111 Tennessee Titans Carolina Panthers 6.1
112 Minnesota Vikings Baltimore Ravens 6.1
113 Cincinnati Bengals Minnesota Vikings 6.1
114 Minnesota Vikings New York Jets 6.1
115 Minnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons 6.1
116 New York Giants Seattle Seahawks 6.1
117 New York Giants Atlanta Falcons 6.1
118 New York Giants Chicago Bears 6.1
119 Baltimore Ravens Seattle Seahawks 6.1
120 Baltimore Ravens Atlanta Falcons 6.1
121 Cincinnati Bengals Seattle Seahawks 6.1
122 Arizona Cardinals New York Jets 6.1
123 Carolina Panthers New York Jets 6.1
124 Washington Commanders New York Jets 6.1
125 Washington Commanders Seattle Seahawks 6.1
126 Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons 6.1
127 Philadelphia Eagles Las Vegas Raiders 6
128 New York Giants Las Vegas Raiders 6
129 Minnesota Vikings Jacksonville Jaguars 6
130 Minnesota Vikings Carolina Panthers 6
131 Baltimore Ravens Jacksonville Jaguars 6
132 Arizona Cardinals Seattle Seahawks 6
133 Carolina Panthers Seattle Seahawks 6
134 Seattle Seahawks Atlanta Falcons 6
135 Arizona Cardinals Detroit Lions 5.9
136 Carolina Panthers Detroit Lions 5.9
137 Houston Texans Seattle Seahawks 5.9
138 Baltimore Ravens Las Vegas Raiders 5.9
139 Cincinnati Bengals Las Vegas Raiders 5.9
140 Tennessee Titans New York Jets 5.9
141 Tennessee Titans Chicago Bears 5.9
142 Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks 5.9
143 Minnesota Vikings Chicago Bears 5.9
144 New York Jets Atlanta Falcons 5.9
145 Chicago Bears New York Jets 5.9
146 Carolina Panthers Jacksonville Jaguars 5.9
147 Jacksonville Jaguars Atlanta Falcons 5.9
148 Arizona Cardinals Chicago Bears 5.9
149 New York Jets Detroit Lions 5.8
150 Chicago Bears Detroit Lions 5.8
151 Arizona Cardinals Las Vegas Raiders 5.8
152 Tennessee Titans Seattle Seahawks 5.8
153 New York Jets Jacksonville Jaguars 5.8
154 Chicago Bears Jacksonville Jaguars 5.8
155 Chicago Bears Seattle Seahawks 5.8
156 Carolina Panthers Atlanta Falcons 5.8
157 Chicago Bears Carolina Panthers 5.8
158 Jacksonville Jaguars Detroit Lions 5.7
159 Atlanta Falcons Detroit Lions 5.7
160 Carolina Panthers Las Vegas Raiders 5.7
161 Atlanta Falcons Las Vegas Raiders 5.7
162 New York Jets Seattle Seahawks 5.7
163 Seattle Seahawks Detroit Lions 5.6
164 Tennessee Titans Jacksonville Jaguars 5.6
165 Minnesota Vikings Las Vegas Raiders 5.5
166 New York Jets Las Vegas Raiders 5.5
167 Jacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas Raiders 5.4
168 Seattle Seahawks Las Vegas Raiders 5.4
169 Chicago Bears Las Vegas Raiders 5.4

Photos provided by Imagn Images

More by Clayton Gray

 

Underdog ADP Movement: How Best-Ball ADP Is Changing

Clayton Gray

Underdog ADP: A look at the current state of Best-Ball ADP and how it is moving.

05/18/25 Read More
 

2025 NFL Schedule Grid

Clayton Gray

The NFL schedule in grid format.

05/15/25 Read More
 

2025 NFL Schedule: Prime Time Games

Clayton Gray

A team-by-team look at the 2025 NFL prime time games.

05/14/25 Read More
 

2025 NFL Schedule: Bye Weeks

Clayton Gray

Each team's bye week for the 2025 NFL schedule.

05/14/25 Read More
 

2025 NFL Strength of Schedule By Team

Clayton Gray

The team-by-team strength of schedule for the 2025 NFL season.

05/14/25 Read More
 

Underdog ADP Movement: How Best-Ball ADP Is Changing

Clayton Gray

Underdog ADP: A look at the current state of Best-Ball ADP and how it is moving.

05/11/25 Read More