Best Defense for Fantasy Football: 2022 D/ST Rankings

Top Defense for Fantasy Football

Most fantasy football managers won't target a defense/special teams unit until the very end of the draft, but that doesn't mean they're not important. There's some D/ST options that are unstartable, slimming down an already-thin pool of just 32, so grabbing a unit you can depend on weekly is a major advantage.

Average draft position (ADP) data on FantasyPros shows a clear top tier of defenses. Smart managers will want to make sure they come away with one of these teams in order to start the season with as few questions on their rosters as possible.

The Duel is here to help. Check out our 2022 fantasy football rankings for defense/special teams.

Fantasy Football Defense/Special Teams Rankings 2022

16. Minnesota Vikings

15. Kansas City Chiefs

14. Miami Dolphins

13. Pittsburgh Steelers

12. Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers' defense/special teams finished with the sixth-fewest fantasy points last season. However, they've made major additions this offseason that could help them take a huge step forward. LA inked top cornerback J.C. Jackson to a deal in free agency after he secured 8 interceptions (and 1 TD) in 2021. Not stopping there, the Chargers also traded for star pass-rusher Khalil Mack, who posted at least 8.5 sacks every season from 2015-2020 before an injury-shortened 2021 campaign. Those two pickups make this a sneaky unit to target.

11. Green Bay Packers

10. New England Patriots

9. Denver Broncos

8. Baltimore Ravens

7. Indianapolis Colts

6. San Francisco 49ers

5. New Orleans Saints

4. Los Angeles Rams

3. Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys surprised some by being the No. 1 fantasy scoring D/ST last season. Though they were just 13th in sacks (41), Dallas' secondary nabbed a whopping 26 interceptions. The Cowboys' defense led the league with 6 defensive TDs overall, and the special teams unit stepped up with 3 return TDs as well. They should be even better in year two under coordinator Dan Quinn.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are coming off of a dominant year where they placed as the fourth-best D/ST in fantasy. Their 19 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries ranked T-No. 3 and T-No. 7, respectively, showcasing their ability to rack up turnovers on a weekly basis. Now the rich have gotten richer by adding former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, who will elevate a unit that finished T-No. 11 in sacks (42) last season.

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Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.