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Welcome to our Fantasy Football Defense Rankings for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL regular season. In this week’s column, we dissect whether the New England Patriots can remain their elite selves. While the Buffalo Bills D/ST is met with a dream matchup.
* If you’re looking for more information on how to best set your lineup this coming week check out our Week 1 Defense Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.
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Defense Outlook Week 1
The Buffalo Bills (DEF1) had a top-10 scoring D/ST unit in fantasy this past season. Chances are they rank within there once again by the end of Week 1. The New York Jets are littered with question marks on offense, as eight of their nine wide receivers have either been ruled out or are currently carrying a questionable tag.
New York surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing D/ST last season, headlined by a whopping 52 sacks allowed, fourth-most in football.
No team was hit harder in terms of COVID-19 opt-out decision than the New England Patriots (DEF2). Will the losses of Dont’a Hightower and Patrick Chung strip the Pats defense of their fantasy football dominance?
New England averaged an absurd 15.6 points per game in 2019, tops amongst all D/STs. While only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers surrendered more fantasy points to opposing defenses than the Patriots’ opponents this week, the Miami Dolphins.
Fans will likely remember Ryan Fitzpatrick working his FitzMagic on the Patriots during the final week of last season. What they fail to remember is Fitzpatrick’s -1.84 outing against New England earlier in the year.
The Indianapolis Colts (DEF6) defense was nothing special last season, finishing ranked as the 14th-highest scoring unit in fantasy. They did go out and add Deforest Buckner and Xavier Rhoades this offseason, but the reasoning for their high ranking this week has little to do with those moves and plenty to do with their opponent.
You can call it tanking, you can call it rebuilding, whatever it is, the Jacksonville Jaguars don’t look like a good football team right now. Devine Ozigbo, an undrafted free agent with nine career rushing attempts, appears primed to carry the workload in the Jags run game. While WR DeDe Westbrook continues to deal with a shoulder injury.
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Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: Defense
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- Matchup: Great l Avg l Tough
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# Defenses TEAM Opp. 1
Bills BUF vs. NYJ
2
Patriots NE vs. MIA
3
Steelers PIT @ NYG
4
49ers SF vs. ARI
5
Ravens BAL vs. CLE
6
Colts IND @ JAC
7
Eagles PHI @ WAS
8
Chargers LAC @ CIN
9
Bears CHI @ DET
10
Broncos DEN vs. TEN
11
Titans TEN @ DEN
12
Seahawks SEA @ ATL
13
Chiefs KC vs. HOU
14
Vikings MIN vs. GB
15
Lions DET vs. CHI
16
Saints NO vs. TB
17
Cowboys DAL @ LAR
18
Raiders LV @ CAR
19
Rams LAR vs. DAL
20
Jets NYJ @ BUF
21
Falcons ATL vs. SEA
22
Packers GB @ MIN
23
Washington WAS vs. PHI
24
Bengals CIN vs. LAC
25
Buccaneers TB @ NO
26
Jaguars JAC vs. IND
27
Panthers CAR vs. LV
28
Dolphins MIA @ NE
29
Giants NYG vs. PIT
30
Cardinals ARI @ SF
31
Browns CLE @ BAL
32
Texans HOU @ KC
- *Check out our Week 1 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Ems to further optimize your lineups
- Start-Sit [QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
READ NEXT
- Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: RB
- Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: WR
- Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: QB
- Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: TE
- Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: Flex/Top-100
- Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: K