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Matt's must-start fantasy football waiver wire defenses (D/ST) to stream and start for Week 9 of the 2025 season. His fantasy defense start 'em, sit 'em picks.
We were forced to navigate Bye-mageddon in Week 8, and while the Week 9 slate isn't as brutal, we still have four NFL squads on byes. Trying to optimize your fantasy football roster? You've come to the right place! RotoBaller analyst Matt Donnelly drops his fantasy football must-start defenses (D/ST) for Week 9 of the 2025 season.
We are here to help with your Week 9 D/ST streamers, to give you the tools needed to set those winning lineups and dominate your matchups.
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2025 Fantasy Football: Week 9 Defenses To Start (D/ST)
Matt Donnelly drops his top Defenses for Week 9 of the 2025 fantasy football season:
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Week 9 Fantasy Football Defense Outlooks
Los Angeles Chargers at TEN
Starting any defense that plays against the Titans has worked wonders through the first half of the season. Five different D/ST have scored in double figures, and no defense has scored under seven fantasy points against Tennessee's offense. Therefore, the Chargers will come in as the No. 1-ranked D/ST.
No quarterback has been sacked more than Cam Ward (34) this season, and the Titans rank 32nd in points per game (13.8). Considering the Chargers rank 13th in pass rush win rate and are coming off a five-sack performance last week, fantasy managers should be starting this Los Angeles D/ST in every format.
Los Angeles Rams vs. NO
With Tyler Shough getting the start for the Saints, this Rams D/ST will be a must-start unit this weekend. Los Angeles has totaled 11 sacks over its last two games and currently ranks second in total sacks (26) on the season. That sack upside should play a major role in this matchup.
The Saints' offensive line ranks 31st in pass block win rate, and this group has let up nine sacks over the past two games. Given the inconsistency of this Saints offense, the Rams defense should be in for a strong game. Los Angeles entered last week with the most pressures among all defenses in the NFL.
Green Bay Packers vs. CAR
The Packers' defense has definitely bounced back in recent games. This unit has totaled nine sacks over the past two weeks and has forced a turnover in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Now, this Green Bay D/ST will have a favorable matchup against a struggling Panthers offense.
The Carolina offensive line just allowed a season-high seven sacks in last week's loss, and this unit ranks 25th in pass block win rate. That means a big game could be in store for the Packers' defensive line, especially from Micah Parsons -- who leads the league in total pressures. Even though Bryce Young (ankle) is expected to return, Green Bay's D/ST is a strong start.
Jacksonville Jaguars at LV
The Jaguars haven't exactly been a dominant defense recently. They have allowed over 27 points in two of their last three games and have only totaled four sacks since Week 3. However, this D/ST could be used in most formats this week against the Raiders.
Geno Smith ranks tied for first in interceptions thrown (10), and this Jacksonville secondary ranks tied for second in interceptions (10) through eight weeks. The Raiders' offensive line has also allowed at least three sacks in four of seven games this season. As a result, the Jaguars should have some sack opportunities in this game. They rank right around league average in pressure rate.
Houston Texans vs. DEN
The Texans have one of the best defenses in the NFL. This is a unit that ranks top-5 in pressure rate, top-10 in pass rush win rate, and has two pass rushers (Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.) who rank top-4 among all edge rushers in pass rush win rate. That helps this D/ST come in at No. 8 on this week's rankings.
Now, this matchup against the Broncos isn't the best. Denver ranks first in pass block win rate, and Bo Nix has only been sacked five times over the last three weeks. However, this Houston defense has stopped some high-powered offenses this year, including the Rams in Week 1, the Buccaneers in Week 2, and the 49ers in Week 8. That's enough to start them.
Week 9 D/ST Rankings
| Rank | Team Name |
| 1 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 2 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 3 | Green Bay Packers |
| 4 | Denver Broncos |
| 5 | Detroit Lions |
| 6 | New England Patriots |
| 7 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 8 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 9 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 10 | Houston Texans |
| 11 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 12 | Chicago Bears |
| 13 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 14 | New York Giants |
| 15 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 16 | Washington Commanders |
| 17 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 18 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 19 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 20 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 21 | Buffalo Bills |
| 22 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 23 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 24 | Tennessee Titans |
| 25 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 26 | Carolina Panthers |
| 27 | New Orleans Saints |
| 28 | Miami Dolphins |
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 9 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding defenses like the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and Houston Texans. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 9. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 9 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific defenses like the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and Houston Texans. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 9.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 9 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 9 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 9 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 9 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and Houston Texans compared to others:
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