With at least three rookie QBs, injuries to several veteran signal-callers, and a few leaky offensive lines playing in front of otherwise solid passers, it’s not difficult to find a D/ST sleeper/waiver wire streamer with upside in a given week. Our Week 5 fantasy defense rankings reflect that, as you could easily go 20 deep and feel comfortable with your start ’em, sit ’em decision.
Most of the top drafted D/STs have favorable or neutral matchups this week, but don’t get complacent. Several widely available units might have better outlooks. The Saints (vs. Buccaneers) and 49ers (vs. Browns) are two interesting D/STs given their matchups against potentially explosive offenses. However, both the Bucs and Browns O-lines have given up a good amount of sacks, and both Jameis Winston and Baker Mayfield have shown a willingness to turn the ball over. We like the home defenses to continue giving them problems even if they give up some points.
WEEK 5 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Kicker
The Eagles (vs. Jets) and Panthers (vs. Jaguars) also look to be in good spots with home matchups against inexperienced QBs. Even if Sam Darnold (mono) returns for New York, we like the Eagles this week. The Browns (@ 49ers), Titans (vs. Bills), and Falcons (vs. Texans) are also available in over 50 percent of Yahoo leagues and have reasons for optimism this week. Even the Raiders (vs. Bears in London) could be a sneaky sleeper.
WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
The Cowboys (vs. Packers), Packers (@ Cowboys), and Seahawks (vs. Rams) are really the only D/STs owned in over 50 percent of Yahoo leagues that have worrisome outlooks. You can still make a case for the Seahawks given the Thursday night home factor and how poorly Jared Goff has looked at times this year.
MORE WEEK 5 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup builder
Overall, it’s a good week for D/STs. We know there will be disappointments and surprises, but at least on Sunday morning, you shouldn’t worry much about that spot in your lineup.
WEEK 5:
Top waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Trade values | Snap counts
Reminder: These rankings will be adjusted throughout week, so check back often for updates and analysis!
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WEEK 5 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP
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Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defense
| 1 | New England Patriots @ Redskins. The Pats are among the top non-QBs in all of fantasy and get to face a Redskins offense in complete disarray. This one will get ugly no matter who starts under center for Washington. |
| 2 | Chicago Bears vs. Raiders (in UK). The Raiders aren’t pushovers on offense, limiting defenses to six fantasy points per game (FPPG), but the Bears remain as talented as virtually any D/ST out there, ranking tied for third in sacks and takeaways. London games are always weird, and that figures to help the defenses, too. |
| 3 | Minnesota Vikings @ Giants. Daniel Jones has lost two fumbles, thrown two INTs, and taken five sacks in two games as a starter. Yes, he’s led the Giants to wins, but clearly there are still some growing pains to come for the rookie. Minnesota is allowing just 15.8 points while recording 2.8 sacks and 1.5 takeaways per game, so this should be another showing for the Vikings. |
| 4 | New Orleans Saints vs. Buccaneers. It’s been a tale of two Jameis Winstons this year. After a truly terrible Week 1 (three INTs, two fumbles), Winston had a mediocre Week 2 and monster Weeks 3 and 4, including an impressive showing on the road against the Rams vaunted defense. Has he turned the corner? While he’s certainly looked better, it’s worth noting that he’s still thrown an INT in each of the past two games and taken six total sacks, so there are still points to be had for fantasy D/STs against him. A second straight road game in the noisy Superdome against a Saints defense that is averaging 3.5 sacks and two takeaways in two homes this year might not end well for Winston and the Bucs. |
| 5 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Browns. Cleveland did well in a tough road environment in Week 4, limiting the Ravens to one sack and one takeaway. But San Francisco will be well rested coming off a bye, and it’s taken advantage of three favorable matchups (TB, CIN, PIT) to open the season, totaling nine sacks and seven takeaways. The Browns allowed at least three sacks in each of the first three games, and Baker Mayfield has thrown an INT in every game this season. Yet another prime-time game, this one on the road, might not be a good thing for the Browns. |
| 6 | Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jets. Philadelphia is either going to get a weakened Sam Darnold coming off mono or Luke Falk. The Eagles haven’t done much this year, totaling four sacks and posting two games without a takeaway, but this home matchup is too good to pass up. |
| 7 | Carolina Panthers vs. Jaguars. Carolina’s pass rush has been dominant the past two weeks, recording 14 sacks against Arizona and Houston. That’s come with three INTs and a fumble recovery. Gardner Minshew has done a great job limiting mistakes, throwing just one INT. However, he has taken nine sacks the past three weeks, including five last week in Denver. Carolina should have a nice floor thanks to sacks and keeping the score low, and it should have a high ceiling, as well. |
| 8 | Los Angeles Rams @ Seahawks. The Rams D/ST salvaged its fantasy day with a late pick-six in Week 4, but fantasy owners were still stunned when it gave up 49 points to the Bucs at home. Seattle has allowed four sacks in three of four games this year and lost at least one fumble in three of four, so protection and ball security are clearly issues. Russell Wilson is yet to throw an INT, though, so that’s a plus. Even after last week, we think the Rams have too much talent to continue to struggle, and the short turnaround for a Thursday night game should actually help them. |
| 9 | Tennessee Titans vs. Bills. Josh Allen has been turnover prone throughout his short career, and he might not even be able to play in this one because of a concussion. Whether it’s Allen or Matt Barkley, Tennessee (13 sacks, six takeaways) looks solid. |
| 10 | Baltimore Ravens @ Steelers. Mason Rudolph wasn’t terrible in his first start (two sacks, INT), but he showed little ability to push the ball downfield outside of two plays. Baltimore is coming off a down game at home against Cleveland, facing a Pittsburgh team coming off short rest should help it get back on track. |
| 11 | Jacksonville Jaguars @ Panthers. Kyle Allen struggled in Week 4, losing three fumbles and taking three sacks. He’ll be making his first home start this week, but the Jags have shown the ability to take advantage of sloppy offenses, recording 13 sacks in Weeks 2 and 3 against Houston and Tennessee. Carolina has allowed 11 sacks this year and lost at least one fumble every week (seven total). |
| 12 | Buffalo Bills @ Titans. Buffalo unsprisingly didn’t do much against New England, but it did limit the Pats to just 16 points. Tennessee allowed at least four sacks in each of the first three sacks and a whopping nine QB takedowns in Week 3, so even Buffalo’s modest pass rush (seven sacks) should be able to cause problems for Marcus Mariota. He’s yet to turn the ball over this year, but he hasn’t faced the Bills’ opportunistic defense (five INTs, three fumble recoveries). |
| 13 | Cleveland Browns @ 49ers. San Francisco was remarkably sloppy in its game before the bye, turning it over five times against the Steelers. But for the season, it’s only allowed two sacks while averaging 28 offensive points per game. Cleveland has gotten back to its turnover-happy ways the past two games, recording three takeaways. It also has at least four sacks in three of four games. The trends lineup for a solid floor for Cleveland. |
| 14 | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Broncos. Denver hasn’t been overly hospitable to fantasy defenses despite seemingly being unable to move the ball virtually every game. Joe Flacco has had some high-sack games (11 total) and thrown three INTs, but things haven’t gotten really out of hand despite matchups against the Bears, Packers, and Jaguars the past three weeks. The Chargers showed signs of life against the Dolphins last week recording five sacks and a takeaway while limiting them to 10 points, but that’s not all that impressive given the competition. L.A. has upside here, but the ceiling isn’t as high as you’d like to think. |
| 15 | Houston Texans vs. Falcons. Matt Ryan didn’t throw an INT for the first time this year last week, but he did take a season-high five sacks. Houston has at least three sacks in each of the past three games and have been fortunate with fumble recoveries, so it can take advantage of Atlanta’s deficiencies. |
| 16 | Atlanta Falcons @ Texans. Atlanta should be able to get sacks against a Texans team that’s allowed 18 this year, but it should’ve gotten sacks last week against a Titans offense that gave up nine the week before. Instead, Atlanta failed to record even one. Consider the Falcons a major boom-or-bust candidate. |
| 17 | Kansas City Chiefs vs. Colts. |
| 18 | Green Bay Packers @ Cowboys. |
| 19 | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cardinals. |
| 20 | Oakland Raiders vs. Bears (in UK). |
| 21 | Arizona Cardinals @ Bengals. |
| 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Ravens. |
| 23 | Denver Broncos @ Chargers. |
| 24 | Dallas Cowboys vs. Packers. |
| 25 | New York Jets @ Eagles. |
| 26 | Seattle Seahawks vs. Rams. |
| 27 | Indianapolis Colts @ Chiefs. |
| 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Saints. |
| 29 | New York Giants vs. Vikings. |
| 30 | Washington Redskins vs. Patriots. |