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Matt's must-start fantasy football waiver wire defenses (D/ST) to stream and start for Week 17 of the 2025 season. His fantasy defense start 'em, sit 'em picks.
Week 17 marks the championship finals for the majority of fantasy football leagues. With titles on the line, every roster decision is crucial, including the D/ST spot. RotoBaller's Matt Donnelly is here to help you lock up a trophy with his top Defense (D/ST) Must Starts for Week 17!
We've got you covered with Week 17 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 17 Defenses To Start (D/ST)
Matt Donnelly drops his top Defenses for Week 17 of the 2025 fantasy football season:
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Week 17 Fantasy Football Defense Outlooks
New York Giants D/ST at LV
The New York Giants have not been a reliable streaming option this season, but they have a prime Week 17 matchup. On Sunday, they will face the Las Vegas Raiders, led by Geno Smith, who has thrown a hefty 15 interceptions. In addition, the offense line has not been able to protect him, surrendering 57 sacks, the second-highest total in the sport.
Last weekend, the Giants' defense line flashed some upside, forcing four sacks and holding the Vikings to just 16 points. Given Smith's poor decision-making and inconsistent offensive line, the Giants have top-12 upside this weekend.
Detroit Lions D/ST at MIN
Some fantasy managers might be a bit hesitant to start this Lions D/ST in Week 17. This group is dealing with plenty of injuries in the secondary and has allowed at least 27 points in five consecutive games. But with J.J. McCarthy (hand) missing this game, Detroit's defense becomes a solid start in most leagues.
The Vikings will turn to Max Brosmer for this game. In his one start earlier this year, he threw four interceptions and was sacked four times. Given that Minnesota's offensive line has allowed 51 sacks (tied for the third-most) through 16 weeks, the Lions' defense will be a great start. This D/ST will have both a high floor and ceiling, with Brosmer starting.
New Orleans Saints D/ST at TEN
The New Orleans Saints had their best defensive performance of the season in Week 16. They totaled a season-high eight sacks, forced two turnovers, and held the Jets to only six offensive points. Now, this defense gets a matchup against an inconsistent Titans offense. Even though this Tennessee offense has been better in recent weeks, this Saints' D/ST could be a start in some leagues.
The Titans have allowed 51 sacks through 16 weeks, and the Saints showed last week they can get to the quarterback. Given that New Orleans has allowed 20 points or fewer in three straight games, this D/ST is worth a look.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST at MIA
Even with Quinn Ewers starting again for the Dolphins in Week 17, the Buccaneers will be more of a Tier 3 defense. This defense has allowed at least 28 points in four different games since Week 9 and has only totaled 10 sacks over the past seven games. That gives them a lower fantasy floor and ceiling this week. It's hard to trust this D/ST in the fantasy football championship, but they have some appeal in leagues with Ewers starting.
New England Patriots D/ST at NYJ
The New England Patriots defense has a prime opportunity in front of them in Week 17. This D/ST will go up against a Jets offense that will be starting Brady Cook once again. In three appearances (two starts) this season, Cook has really struggled under center. He has thrown six interceptions, been sacked 17 times, and has led just eight scoring drives in a little over 11 quarters.
Therefore, the Patriots should be started in all formats. They played well against the Ravens last week by forcing two turnovers and should force a few more turnovers against the Jets. Considering Cook was just sacked eight times in Week 16, New England's D/ST is one of the best plays of the week.
Week 17 D/ST Rankings
| Rank | Player Name |
| 1 | Denver Broncos |
| 2 | New England Patriots |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 4 | Houston Texans |
| 5 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 6 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 7 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 8 | New York Giants |
| 9 | New Orleans Saints |
| 10 | Detroit Lions |
| 11 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 12 | Tennessee Titans |
| 13 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 15 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 17 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 18 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 19 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 20 | Chicago Bears |
| 21 | Miami Dolphins |
| 22 | Buffalo Bills |
| 23 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 24 | Cleveland Browns |
| 25 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 26 | Carolina Panthers |
| 27 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 28 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 29 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 30 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 31 | Washington Commanders |
| 32 | New York Jets |
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 17 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding defenses like the New York Giants, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and more. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 17. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 17 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 17 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific defenses like the New York Giants, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 17.
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 17 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 17 (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 17 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 17 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for the compared to others:
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