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The latest DEF fantasy football rankings for 2025 team defenses. Use RotoBaller's D/ST tiered rankings for fantasy football drafts and dominate your leagues.
It's fantasy football draft season, and you must cap off your team with a great defense to give yourself the final piece of a championship squad. If that's your goal, you have come to the right place. Check out our freshly updated fantasy football defense (DEF) rankings and tiers for 2025 drafts.
In this DEF ranking article below, you will see where key defenses such as the Eagles DEF, Vikings DEF, Packers DEF, Steelers DEF, and Texans DEF stand for 2025. When the time comes in your drafts, you'll want to target defenses with the best early-season matchups, and our draft rankings will guide you to the best picks. Will the Packers' defense become an elite unit with Micah Parsons? Can the Steelers continue their dominance as a fantasy defense? We'll soon find out!
These updated fantasy football DEF rankings have been put together by Nick Mariano, RotoBaller's lead NFL forecaster and rankings guru, and will help answer some of those defense questions. You'll also see relevant DEF fantasy football news and DEF outlooks for certain key defenses below. Good luck with your drafts, RotoBallers, and let's get to it!
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Latest Fantasy Football Defense Rankings (D/ST)
Bookmark our PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, and standard (non-PPR) rankings
| DEF Tier | DEF Rank | DEF Name | Position |
| 1 | 1 | Denver Broncos D/ST | DEF |
| 1 | 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST | DEF |
| 1 | 3 | Philadelphia Eagles D/ST | DEF |
| 1 | 4 | Baltimore Ravens D/ST | DEF |
| 2 | 5 | San Francisco 49ers D/ST | DEF |
| 2 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings D/ST | DEF |
| 3 | 7 | Buffalo Bills D/ST | DEF |
| 3 | 8 | Kansas City Chiefs D/ST | DEF |
| 3 | 9 | Green Bay Packers D/ST | DEF |
| 3 | 10 | Houston Texans D/ST | DEF |
| 4 | 11 | Arizona Cardinals D/ST | DEF |
| 4 | 12 | Los Angeles Chargers D/ST | DEF |
| 4 | 13 | Detroit Lions D/ST | DEF |
| 4 | 14 | New York Giants D/ST | DEF |
| 4 | 15 | Seattle Seahawks D/ST | DEF |
| 5 | 16 | New York Jets D/ST | DEF |
| 5 | 17 | Cleveland Browns D/ST | DEF |
| 5 | 18 | Los Angeles Rams D/ST | DEF |
| 5 | 19 | New England Patriots D/ST | DEF |
| 5 | 20 | Chicago Bears D/ST | DEF |
| 5 | 21 | Indianapolis Colts D/ST | DEF |
| 5 | 22 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST | DEF |
| 6 | 23 | Atlanta Falcons D/ST | DEF |
| 6 | 24 | Washington Commanders D/ST | DEF |
| 6 | 25 | Dallas Cowboys D/ST | DEF |
| 6 | 26 | Las Vegas Raiders D/ST | DEF |
| 6 | 27 | Carolina Panthers D/ST | DEF |
| 7 | 28 | Jacksonville Jaguars D/ST | DEF |
| 7 | 29 | Cincinnati Bengals D/ST | DEF |
| 7 | 30 | New Orleans Saints D/ST | DEF |
| 7 | 31 | Miami Dolphins D/ST | DEF |
| 7 | 32 | Tennessee Titans D/ST | DEF |
Defense Rankings Fantasy Football News
- Broncos Being Smart With Dre Greenlaw
- Chiefs, Trent McDuffie Not Expected to Finalize Extension
- Walter Nolen to Open Season on PUP List
- Shemar Stewart Draws Praise From Defensive Star
- Trevon Diggs Uncertain for Week 1, Will Return by Week 4
- Micah Parsons Traded to Green Bay
- Kenny Clark Dealt to the Cowboys
Defense Rankings Fantasy Football Outlooks
TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
For three straight offseasons, T.J. Watt has held a comfortable lead over all other defenders in our fantasy rankings… but that lead is shrinking after a "disappointing" 2024 campaign. Last year, Watt's total sacks, QB hits, pressure rate, pressure total, and Pass Rush Win Rate all dropped significantly. That kind of dip during a healthy campaign is usually a clear sign of decline for an edge rusher entering his age-31 season. Of course, even in that down year, Watt finished as DL3 in Standard IDP points per game, proving 80% of T.J. Watt is still a valuable fantasy asset.
However, the signs of decline are there, and his age suggests those signs may not be a mirage. While the former Defensive Player of the Year still merits top-five defender consideration based on his volume and big play ability, his decline in efficiency and the rise of younger defenders like Brian Branch and Zack Baun have helped close the gap Watt used to have over any other fantasy defender.
As a result, fantasy managers should resist reaching for Watt this year. Instead, you should wait and take whichever of the top five DLs goes last.
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Advanced metrics and film tell you Myles Garrett remains one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, if not the best. Despite collecting "only" 14 sacks last year, Garrett still finished second in PFF's Pass Rush grade while placing third in both Pass Rush Win Rate and Quarterback Hurries. Thus, there is no questioning Garrett's supreme real-world pass rush skills. However, tackles matter a lot in most IDP leagues, and Garrett doesn't get a lot of those. He collected just 47 total tackles last season, which is nearly half what Andrew Van Ginkel totaled. '
That is a problem, especially when you consider most fantasy providers now permit outside linebackers to qualify as a fantasy DL. That means that there should be multiple fantasy DLs capable of doubling Garrett's tackle totals while collecting double-digit sacks themselves.
For that reason, Garrett needs to have a 20+ sack season to compete against edges with more diverse statistical profiles, such as T.J. Watt and Van Ginkel. Unfortunately, Garrett's career high in sacks is just 16. Thus, the superstar remains an NFL force who lacks the consistency and variety to compete for the mantle of fantasy's top-overall defensive lineman.
Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Many of us have been waiting for a Zack Baun breakout since his rookie year, and it finally happened in 2024. In his first season with the Eagles, the Wisconsin alum earned an All-Pro honor, a big new contract, a Super Bowl ring, and the most important distinction of all… LB2 overall in IDP Standard Scoring. While some may see Baun as a one-year wonder, the reasons for his breakout are repeatable. The Wisconsin alum struggled with the Saints because they used him improperly, deploying him primarily as an edge rusher.
Philly played to Baun's strengths, deploying him as a standup linebacker who moved all over the formation. That usage allowed Baun to finish third in the NFL in solo tackles, sixth in total tackles, tied for second in forced fumbles, and tied for sixth amongst interior linebackers in sacks.
With the Eagles signing Baun to the NFL's fourth-largest contract for an inside linebacker, it is clear that the All-Pro should remain in the same role on an elite defense for the foreseeable future. Thus, he should be one of the first two true linebackers off the board in IDP drafts.
Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos
Singleton tore his ACL early in the 2024 campaign, but he's already back at practice, and reports indicate he does not appear to be slowed by the knee injury. However, the Montana State alum recently suffered a broken thumb during practice that required surgery and is expected to sideline him for one week of camp. The good news is Sean Payton expects Singleton to be back at practice within a week and has already designated Singleton as Denver's starting MIKE for Week 1.
That is great news for IDP fans, as Singleton sits third in tackles-per-game since becoming the Broncos' starting MIKE during the 2022 season. More importantly, he sits third in solo tackles per game during that same span. It is those solo tackles that make Singleton a fantasy force, as he doesn't collect many sacks, forced turnovers, or TFLs.
Fortunately, the solo takedowns are so prolific that he ranks as LB6 in our Standard IDP Scoring over the past three seasons, on a points per game basis, despite the lack of big plays. Thus, the only real concern for this former Eagle is injury. With a clean bill of health on his knee, Singleton remains a top ten LB.
Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
Hamilton has always possessed the size, range, and tackling ability that you look for in a top fantasy DB. That potential came together in 2023, when he finished as DB3 overall in Standard IDP scoring. Unfortunately, Hamilton saw a dip in almost every big play metric (INTs, sacks, PDs) last year, which dropped him down to DB10 in total fantasy points. While DB10 is likely the floor for this talented 24-year-old superstar, Baltimore's addition of Malaki Starks in the NFL Draft adds a new wrinkle to the equation.
Starks is arguably the most coveted safety prospect to come out of college since Hamilton, and they have eerily similar skillsets. Both are long hybrid prospects capable of playing the slot cornerback, box safety, and deep safety positions. With that said, Starks is seeing some time at cornerback in camp, and he's best used in coverage.
If the Ravens maximize the potential of these two safeties, it could mean both see their fair share of big play opportunities as they make life easier on each other. Additionally, odds favor Hamilton playing more in the box and seeing more tackle opportunities if the Ravens utilize Starks as their deep safety.
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