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Matt's must-start fantasy football waiver wire defenses (D/ST) to stream and start for Week 16 of the 2025 season. His fantasy defense start 'em, sit 'em picks.
The fantasy football playoffs are upon us, which means every decision can make or break your chances at a championship! RotoBaller's Matt Donnelly is here to help with his top Defense (D/ST) Must Starts for Week 16!
We've got you covered with Week 16 D/ST streamer options to give you the tools needed to set those winning lineups and dominate your matchups in the fantasy playoffs!
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2025 Fantasy Football: Week 16 Defenses To Start (D/ST)
Matt Donnelly drops his top Defenses for Week 16 of the 2025 fantasy football season:
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Week 16 Fantasy Football Defense Outlooks
Houston Texans D/ST vs. LV
The Houston Texans D/ST will come in as the No. 1-ranked defense for this week. This group has been the best defense in the NFL this season, and the Raiders have been one of the worst offenses through 15 weeks. That makes this Houston defense a must-start in all leagues.
The Texans have allowed 20 points or fewer in 12 of their 14 games and have one of the best pass rush duos in the league in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The Raiders simply won't be able to contain either pass rusher, considering they have allowed the most sacks in the NFL (54) this season. Given that this offensive line has also given up 33 sacks over the last five weeks, Houston's D/ST is a smash start.
Detroit Lions D/ST vs. PIT
The Lions' defense has been very hit-or-miss this season. Even though the Steelers have also been hit-or-miss on offense through 15 weeks, Detroit doesn't have much fantasy appeal in the second round of the fantasy football playoffs. Aaron Rodgers gets the ball out quickly, meaning this D/ST might not tally many sacks in Week 16.
New Orleans Saints D/ST vs. NYJ
With Justin Fields (knee) and Tyrod Taylor (groin) currently dealing with injuries, the New York Jets could be forced to start Brady Cook again this week. In Week 15, Cook threw three interceptions and was sacked three times against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Cook starts again, the Saints' D/ST will be a strong play in all formats.
Although New Orleans ranks toward the bottom of the league in pressure rate, this defense has tallied multiple sacks in five of its last seven games. Those sacks should come into play in this game, especially since the Jets have given up the third-most sacks through 15 weeks (50). That makes the Saints' defense a sneaky option.
Minnesota Vikings D/ST at NYG
The Minnesota Vikings will round out the Tier 1 defenses for this week. They have totaled multiple sacks in three straight games, and their blitz-heavy scheme could cause a rookie like Jaxson Dart some trouble in Week 16. Dart has been sacked multiple times in seven of his nine starts this season, making this Vikings' D/ST a solid play in most formats.
Minnesota ranks second in pass rush win rate and top-5 in pressure rate this season. Ranking high in both of those categories should lead to a solid defensive day for the Vikings. The Giants have also scored 21 points or fewer in four of Dart's last five starts.
Tennessee Titans D/ST vs. KC
The Titans enter Week 1 6as a shaky starting option for those in deep formats. The Tians will face a Kansas City offense without superstar QB Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL last weekend. In relief, Gardner Minshew went 3-for-5 with just 22 yards and an interception. In this game, the Chiefs also allowed five sacks.
Given the series of question marks under centre, the Tians have a path to provide top-10 upside this weekend. If several of the top streaming options above are ordered, the Titans are a strong pivot as they could reach the same ceiling given Minshew's inconsistent play.
Week 16 D/ST Rankings
| Rank | Player Name |
| 1 | Houston Texans |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 4 | New Orleans Saints |
| 5 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 6 | Denver Broncos |
| 7 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 8 | Detroit Lions |
| 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 10 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 11 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 12 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 13 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 14 | Carolina Panthers |
| 15 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 16 | Chicago Bears |
| 17 | New York Giants |
| 18 | New England Patriots |
| 19 | Green Bay Packers |
| 20 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 21 | Tennessee Titans |
| 22 | Cleveland Browns |
| 23 | Miami Dolphins |
| 24 | New York Jets |
| 25 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 26 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 27 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 28 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 29 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 30 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 31 | Washington Commanders |
| 32 | Las Vegas Raiders |
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 16 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding defenses like the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 16. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 16 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 16 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific defenses like the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 16.
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 16 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 16 (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 16 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for the compared to others:
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