Fantasy football 2019 tier defense rankings

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on these teams. They are in the bottom fantasy football 10 for a reason. You’re not going to draft them. You may use them once this season as a bye-week fill in or in DFS lineups.

Oakland

The Raiders traded one of the best defensive players in the league just before the start of last season. The Raiders then finished 26th in total yards allowed and last in points allowed per game. I don’t see much changing this season and having to play the Chargers and Chiefs twice won’t help matters.

Cincinnati

The Bengals were not far behind the Raiders in terms of being low on the stat sheets. They were last in yards per game, 413.9, and third in points per game, 28.4. While the Ravens and Steelers offenses have changed, there are still productive players on each roster. Plus, the Browns improved greatly.

Tampa Bay

Rounding out the top-three worst defenses is Tampa Bay. They were sixth in yards and second in points allowed. Facing the Saints, Falcons and Panthers two times each will do that to a defense. In a high-octane NFL, this defense won’t stop a nosebleed (first and last time I use that phrase).

Miami

Miami finished in the bottom 10 in both yards, points and sacks. They were second in league with interceptions, though. Those extra two points will come in handy if you draft them. The Bills and Jets quarterbacks are another year older and Tom Brady is still Tom Brady.

New York Giants

The Giants were 30th in sacks, seventh in interceptions, 24th in yards and 23rd in points allowed last season. They received Jabrill Peppers in the Odell Beckham trade and added depth to the defensive line. But with the Eagles high-powered offense, the Cowboys having a young roster and Eli Manning still under center, the Giants defense will be on the field a lot this season.

San Francisco

The NFC West is a one-team show. But even with a couple of rebuilding teams, the 49ers defense could still not put it together. They had just 37 sacks, two interceptions and five fumbles last season.

Week 1 is a bit favorable to start the season with the Bucs, but they then face the Bengals, Steelers and Browns after that. They are a low-end streaming option.

Detroit

While the front seven was good to create pressure and disrupt the passer, 43 sacks and seven interceptions, the secondary gave up a lot of yards and points, 353.6 yards and 22.5 points per game.

The Lions start the season behind the 8-ball with the Cardinals, Chargers, Eagles and Chiefs. Plus, facing Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota will cause issues. Stay away from the Detroit defense.

Arizona

The defensive line was good for the Cardinals, recording 49 sacks. The additions of Terrell Suggs and Corey Peters will help continue that pressure. The secondary, on the other hand, was a weakness. They allowed 379.6 yards and 26.6 points per game.

With a new offense, the defense may be on the field more than expected. They have some pieces but it’s not as solid as other teams. Starting against the Lions, Ravens, Panthers and Seahawks could lead to a boom or bust four games.

Washington

The Redskins defense finished 16th in points per game and 17th in yards per game. Yet, they finished seventh in sacks (47) and ninth in interceptions (15). It does help having Josh Normal in the secondary.

Starting the season with a division game in three of their first four games is not ideal. The fourth game is against the Bears. It will set the tone for the season. They may be able to handle the Giants who are struggling on offense but the other three will give them trouble.

New York Jets

The New York Jets. I don’t like to harp on preseason numbers, especially the first week because it is second and third-string players on the field. But when a defense allows 31 points and 414 yards to the Giants, it’s worth taking note.

The team added depth to the linebacker corps which will help limit opposing yardage. They had 13 interceptions but playing against a rookie in Buffalo and a bad combo in Miami will help. The Jets are a team to watch but not for good reasons.