Kate Magdziuk ranks the best defenses in the NFL for the 2024 fantasy football season and examines some viable streamers for Week 1.
Most fantasy football managers wait until the final rounds of their drafts before considering their defense/special teams unit, but that doesn’t mean you have to head into your fantasy drafts without a game plan!
As is always the case with fantasy defenses, there’s a little something for everyone, between top-end options like the San Francisco 49ers or Baltimore Ravens (currently being drafted as the first and second defenses off the board based on FantasyPros cumulative ADP, respectively) and some late-round sleepers like the Chicago Bears (one of my favorites).
Just in case you’re not looking to invest in a top-tier option at defense, there are plenty of options available to you in the later rounds. Or, better yet, if you’re considering streaming the position, there are several desirable targets with favorable Week 1 matchups to get you off to a hot start. If you don’t fancy any of these options, fret not — just keep scrolling until you find my D/ST rankings for the 2024 fantasy football season to find a unit best suited for your roster build.
Those who aren’t looking to pay up for a defense in the draft should prioritize the Cincinnati Bengals D/ST in Week 1, who are currently sitting as 9.5-point home favorites as it stands on FanDuel Sportsbook. This matchup is tied with Steelers-Falcons and Panthers-Saints for the lowest point total in the league, which isn’t surprising given that ... well, it is the Patriots, after all. The Falcons have a shaky offensive line at best right now, which could mean big things for DE Trey Hendrickson as he looks to prove his worth in search of a contract extension.
The Pittsburgh Steelers might be one of the biggest wild cards in the league this season, having undergone massive overhauls on offense this year. Not only did they revamp the quarterbacks room with newly dubbed QB1 Russell Wilson and explosive backup Justin Fields; they also brought in Arthur Smith at offensive coordinator. Sure, Smith may have fallen short as a head coach, but let’s not forget that his final season in Tennessee, his offense ranked second in total yards and fourth in points scored.
While all of that sounds pretty great, the number of shakeups in the dynamic of the team is bound to come with some kinks that will need to be worked out in the season. Wilson is still shaking off some rust following a calf injury suffered at the start of training camp, and the offensive line might be deploying a whopping three rookies out there. In short, between the question on the Steelers’ roster and recent acquisitions made by the Falcons (Matt Judon, Justin Simmons), it could be a blood bath.
The Bears are one of my favorite defenses in 2024 period, let alone in Week 1. The Bears were already beginning to look like an improved unit on defense just last season and now have a much-improved offense to help keep them off the field for longer stretches to stay fresh. Between star CB Jaylon Johnson, LB T.J. Edwards, DE Montez Sweat and this offseason’s signing of Kevin Byard, they’ve got several promising options to build on their finish as the D/ST 10 in Weeks 9-18.
In Week 1, they’ll face the Tennessee Titans, who have some solid contributors on offense including Calvin Ridley, De’Andre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd catching passes from second-year QB Will Levis. However, this is a brand new unit on many fronts — including the offensive line — which could necessitate some patience on the part of fantasy managers, particularly going up this Bears defense on the road to open up the year.
| # | Player (Team/Bye) | vs. ECR | vs. ADP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore Ravens BAL (14) | 0 | +1 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys DAL (7) | +2 | +1 |
| 3 | New York Jets NYJ (12) | -1 | +1 |
| 4 | Miami Dolphins MIA (6) | +6 | +6 |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns CLE (10) | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills BUF (12) | +2 | +1 |
| 7 | New Orleans Saints NO (12) | +5 | +9 |
| 8 | Las Vegas Raiders LV (10) | +12 | +9 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers PIT (9) | -3 | -1 |
| 10 | San Francisco 49ers SF (9) | -7 | -9 |
| 11 | Philadelphia Eagles PHI (5) | 0 | -2 |
| 12 | Kansas City Chiefs KC (6) | -5 | -6 |
| 13 | Detroit Lions DET (5) | +2 | +2 |
| 14 | Houston Texans HOU (14) | -5 | -1 |
| 15 | Denver Broncos DEN (14) | +6 | +9 |
| 16 | New England Patriots NE (14) | +6 | +6 |
| 17 | Indianapolis Colts IND (14) | -3 | +4 |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings MIN (6) | 0 | +7 |
| 19 | Atlanta Falcons ATL (12) | +9 | +9 |
| 20 | Chicago Bears CHI (7) | -7 | -8 |
| 21 | Los Angeles Rams LAR (6) | +6 | +10 |
| 22 | Cincinnati Bengals CIN (12) | -6 | -8 |
| 23 | Green Bay Packers GB (10) | -4 | 0 |
| 24 | Carolina Panthers CAR (11) | +5 | +8 |
| 25 | Jacksonville Jaguars JAC (12) | -8 | +1 |
| 26 | Seattle Seahawks SEA (10) | -2 | -8 |
| 27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB (11) | -4 | -16 |
| 28 | New York Giants NYG (11) | -3 | -9 |
Kate Magdziuk is an editor and contributor for Yahoo Fantasy and co-host of the Locked On Dynasty Football podcast. She is also the managing editor for Behind The Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s exclusive Pittsburgh Steelers blog. Her previous bylines include Pro Football Focus, NBC Sports Rotoworld and 4for4 Football, among others.
