Fantasy football defense rankings, Week 8: From elite (Chargers) to streamable (Packers)
You’ve got your fantasy football lineup all but set for the week, with a few tweaks to be made here and there as Sunday’s slate of games is ready to kick off.
But you’re trying to optimize your lineup to make sure you get the most points. And that’s why you have to make sure your D/ST position has the best possible squad to win you the week.
That’s what these rankings will help with: A look at the elite, solid, and streamable options that could win you some virtual games in your league.
Let’s break down the Week 8 D/ST tiers:
Elite
1. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Saints)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (at Raiders)
3. Baltimore Ravens (at Browns)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Giants)
5. Chicago Bears (at Commanders)
The common thread here is defenses who will be facing backup quarterbacks. The Saints are still without Derek Carr, the Browns are turning to Jameis Winston and the Bears will likely get to face Marcus Mariota instead of Jayden Daniels.
Solid
6. New York Jets (at Patriots)
7. Denver Broncos (vs. Panthers)
8. Houston Texans (vs. Colts)
9. Detroit Lions (vs. Titans)
10. Atlanta Falcons (at Buccaneers)
In any other week, these matchups would be in the “elite” tier. All of these defenses are facing banged up offenses who will struggle to put up points.
Streaming Options
11. San Francisco 49ers (vs. Cowboys)
12. Green Bay Packers (at Jaguars)
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Falcons)
14. Dallas Cowboys (at 49ers)
15. Cleveland Browns (vs. Ravens)
This is the best week for streaming defenses in quite some time — with the exception of Cleveland, which is still a good option even against the Ravens. Grab Green Bay or Tampa if you can.