Just like kickers, the defensive squad you add to your fantasy football team many times comes as an afterthought. But, again, if you look at your weekly scores from last year (or those of your opponents), you’ll find there’s probably not a more consistent producer on your roster other than, of course, the quarterback. And really, we all know that, but if we’re taking kickers in the final round, most of us are probably taking a defense in the round before.
The difference between the top five defenses and the defenses behind them are sometimes striking. They could very well be the difference in winning the pot or being forced to streak a recreational softball game. You need to take this seriously.
It is with that knowledge that I suggest to you taking a defense earlier than the penultimate round of your draft and, preferably, one of these five defenses if you actually want to win your league.
Here they are. In order.
New York Jets
2014: Allowed 5,235 yards, 25.1 points per game, 47 sacks, forced 13 turnovers
The Jets from last season were falling apart with one of the worst offensive rosters in the league. The new regime, led by new head coach Todd Bowles has changed all that, fortifying his defense with new players like first-round pick and consensus best player in the draft Leonard Williams and what should be one of the two defensive backfields in all of football thanks to the triumphant return of Darrelle Revis. All those numbers will improve, especially the sacks and turnovers and those are where the real money is won in a fantasy football defense.
Buffalo Bills
2014: Allowed 4,995 yards, 18.1 points per game, 39 sacks, 30 turnovers
New head coach Rex Ryan was handed a good defense when he entered the building, and though he’ll want to switch it over to a 3-4 scheme, he’s still got the players in it that can dominate at nearly every spot. In the draft they, at worst, added some key depth with cornerback Ronald Darby (who could have been a first-rounder) and linebacker Tony Steward out off Clemson. Under Ryan, the Bills will attack more on defense and that will drive up those sacks and turnover numbers, already pretty high (only two teams forced more turnovers in 2014). That yardage number might go up, but with an improved offense they defense won’t be playing with the short field as much in 2015.
Houston Texans
2014: Allowed 5.571 yards, 19.2 points per game, 26 sacks, forced 34 turnovers
There are six words that spell out exactly why the Texans will have one of the best defenses in the NFL in 2015 and here they are: J.J. Watt teamed with Jadeveon Clowney.
The dream that the Texans envisioned when they drafted Clowney at No. 1 in 2013 will be made real this season and woe to any opposing offenses they face, especially quarterbacks. The Texans defense nearly drug the team to the playoffs last year without a quarterback, so with they can get anything out of Bryan Hoyer or Ryan Mallett, they’ll be playing in January this season. Houston’s 34 forced turnovers were the best in the league last season and while that 26 total sacks number isn’t, you need to realize that 19 of those alone came from J.J. Watt with absolutely no help. Clowney is going to help.
St. Louis Rams
2014: Allowed 5,626 yards, 22.1 points per game, 47 sacks, forced 25 turnovers
It can not be overstated how close the Rams were last year to being a real contender in the NFC. By the end of the year with the team finally gelled in Greg Williams’ defense and Chris Long back from injury, the Rams defense was a monster that only the New York Giants offense was able to solve, and even that was helped by three turnovers on offense and short fields. With a healthy Long and the only weak link in the front seven (Jo-Lonn Dunbar, and frankly he wasn’t that weak) replaced with Akeem Ayers, the Rams should pick up this year right where they left off last year, with, at worst, the second best pass-rushing tandem in the league with Long and Robert Quinn. And the Rams have Aaron Donald, Nick Fairly and Michael Brockers at defensive tackle too. It’s going to be rough on opposing teams.
Seattle Seahawks
2014: Allowed 4.274 yards, 15.9 points per game, 42 sacks, forced 23 turnovers
The Seahawks allowed the fewest yardage of any team in the league last season and the fewest points per game, with no significant loss in talent this season. Sure, the Legion of Boom had to replace a member, but they’ve done that before and not missed a beat or a beat down. As long as Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas are in that secondary, it’ll be the best in football and the No. 2 and No. 3 corners will benefit from it. The Seahawks amassed 42 sacks without a single pass-rusher getting double-digit sacks, so they can thank the secondary for that too. The turnovers were down, but the three-and-outs were up, so what are you going to do? Dominate and win is what you will do.
