Week 14 Rankings (2018): Top 15 Defenses

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

This week we get some intriguing matchups, with some surprising teams surging towards the top of the rankings (and some better defenses with some very difficult matchups).  With your fantasy playoffs hanging in the balance are you willing to gamble?  Let’s take a look at how we’d rank things:

1. Denver Broncos – at San Francisco
2. Pittsburgh Steelers – at Oakland
3. Buffalo Bills – vs. New York Jets
4. New Orleans Saints – at Tampa Bay
5. Tennessee Titans – vs. Jacksonville
6. Los Angeles Chargers – vs. Cincinnati
7. Los Angeles Rams – at Chicago
8. New England Patriots – at Miami
9. Chicago Bears – vs. Los Angeles Rams
10. Jacksonville Jaguars – at Tennessee
11. Carolina Panthers – at Cleveland
12. Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Baltimore
13. New York Jets – at Buffalo
14. Seattle Seahawks – vs. Minnesota
15. Detroit Lions – at Arizona

Thoughts:

• The 49ers have been as injury riddled as it comes and they have already ruled Matt Breida out for this week.  That leaves them at their fourth option at running back (assuming you want to count Alfred Morris, who failed for reason other than injury) and their third option at quarterback.  Throw in allowing 38 sacks and the Denver Broncos (tied for fifth most sacks with 37 and 13 INT) are easy to slot them atop these rankings.
• The Jaguars will get Leonard Fournette back, and that means the offense at least has some potential.  At the same time Tennessee has been strong against opposing running backs this season (sixth fewest points per week) and the Jacksonville passing game is inept (and that could be putting it mildly).  The Titans are well worth firing up in all formats.
• With A.J. Green officially out the Bengals will be operating without their starting quarterback and their star wide receiver.  They do have Joe Mixon, and he’s always going to be a threat, but opposing defenses will also be able to focus on stopping him.  They should be a good offense to pick on the rest of the way.
• The game between the Rams and Bears is going to be intriguing because it could devolve into a shootout, but it also features two of the better defenses in the league.  Obviously the Rams have a little bit more firepower, making their defense the better play, but both should be back-end options.

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Make sure to check out all of our Week 14 rankings: