Team Defense Tiers, Targets, and Teams to Avoid in 2023

Photo: Samantha Madar, USA Today Sports

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With the rise of Individual Defensive Player (IDP) leagues, for some, team defense is an old-fashioned way of playing fantasy football. However, for the vast majority of leagues, team defense is still included in their starting lineups and can be just as important as their tight end when it comes to securing weekly wins. With that in mind, here is a tiered breakdown for every team defense in fantasy football.

Pro Tip

This pointer will sound familiar if you've read this article in years past because I say the same thing every season: If your league rules allow it, Do Not Draft a Team Defense. While the top defenses score many more fantasy points looking at end-of-year totals, you should view team defense as a weekly game.

Last year's top defense, the New England Patriots, scored six or fewer fantasy points in six games. They were the best in the league and were average or worse in 35% of their matchups. The Colts were ranked 10th and scored below seven fantasy points in over half of their games, including two appearances with zero or negative fantasy points.

Choosing a defense is about picking the right matchups. There are usually 17-20 teams on your league's waivers to select from, so why waste the pick? Instead, load up on running backs and wide receivers and wait out injuries until Week 1. Then grab the best defense off of waivers by dropping or trading assets you no longer need.

PS: You should do the same with Kickers; more on that here!

Tier 1: Defenses to Target

Very rarely would I advocate drafting a defense, but you'll need to use a pick to get these squads. The teams in Tier 1 are great and have excellent opening schedules.

• San Francisco 49ers- The 49ers are one of the most talented defenses and open the season with games against the Steelers, Rams, Giants, and Cardinals. They are likely to be the top fantasy defense after the first month of the season.
• Philadelphia Eagles- The Eagles led the league in sacks last year and face the Patriots, Vikings, Buccaneers, Commanders, and Rams to start the season. If not for all the new faces on the defensive side of the ball, they would be my top defense.

Tier 2: Good Defenses to Have (but only if they fall to you)

If you simply must draft a defense, these are the teams worth checking out in the second-to-last round of your draft.

• Pittsburgh Steelers- The Steelers have a good defense that plays great when T.J. Watt is healthy. To start the year, they play the 49ers, Browns, Raiders, and Texans. The first two games could be challenging, but the last two are perfect. Unfortunately, the Steelers have a Week 6 bye, so you'll be streaming early.
• Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens are very talented and open the year against the Texans. It gets tougher after that, but they can hold their own.
• Dallas Cowboys- Dallas was one of the best fantasy defenses last year, racking up a ton of turnovers and defensive touchdowns. They have a middle-of-the-road schedule and a Week 7 bye, which keeps them from being ranked higher.
• Buffalo Bills- The Bills have a solid defense and finished in the top 5 for fantasy last year. After a sketchy matchup with the Jets in Week 1, their schedule opens up quite nicely for fantasy managers.
• New England Patriots- The Patriots had the No. 1 fantasy defense last year, scoring eight defensive or return touchdowns. The schedule is rough, but their past success indicates they'll be playable every week.
• New Orleans Saints- The Saints are coming off a down year but were top 5 in 2020 and 2021. They don't play a proven quarterback until Week 7, so they will be a steal if they bounce back.

Tier 3: You Have to Start Somebody