X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Sleeper Defenses for the 2015 Fantasy Football Season

What's up RotoBallers. Welcome to the fantasy football draft season, where we like to dominate our drafts and win some leagues. It's to get those draft engines started.

Drafting or starting the right defense for your fantasy football teams can be a key component to success, and in this column you will find some sleeper defenses that you should consider drafting.

Editor's Note: Be sure to also read about more fantasy football defense rankings & analysis, all in one easy place. You can also click here and find more defense sleepers and undervalued defenses that can return big time draft value based on their current ADPs.

 

Kansas City Chiefs

First Four Matchups: @HOU, DEN, @GB, @CIN

The Chiefs get a very tough start to the season, but this could help owners get this unit at a discounted price. The matchup with Green Bay in particular could be a nightmare for this defensive unit. There's also a visit from Peyton Manning and the Broncos too. After those first four weeks though, things get a lot better for this team. They still have Justin Houston who racked up 22 sacks in 2014, and they get Eric Berry back in the secondary. So if you can stomach the potential early season struggles, this unit could be very fun to own in fantasy.

The Chiefs were the epitome of "bend don't break" last season as they finished 28th in the league in rushing yards allowed, but yet they only allowed four rushing touchdowns. This is good in the sense that it minimizes damage to fantasy rosters, and also forces a team to pass the ball in the redzone. The bad news is that they could still be vulnerable to the running game this year.

Aside from Justin Houstin, they still have LB Tamba Hali who can still be very useful in the pass rush, but he's no longer the pass rushing terror he was in his previous seasons. However, Hali was also not a particularly effective run stopper. LB Derrick Johnson missed most of 2014 with torn Achilles, but should be ready to start the season. The 2005 first rounder is in the twilight of his career though, so it remains to be seen how much of a factor he can be. Even so, his best asset was always pass coverage. The fourth linebacker slot is undetermined as of now with James-Michael Johnson, Dee Ford, and Josh Mauga all being options. Johnson and Mauga did not play well in 2014, and Ford played off the bench. Ford was another first rounder, but he's also better at chasing QB's than stopping the run.

On the defensive line, there's more of the same story. NT Dontari Poe, reached a career high in sacks in 2014, but he disappointed badly in the run game after showing potential in that aspect the year before. DE Jaye Howard was unimpressive in his first season as a starter, and DE Mike Devito, whose main claim to fame is stopping the run, had his season end early due to an Achilles injury.

The secondary could be pretty strong for the Chiefs this year as Sean Smith was one of the top cover cornerbacks in the league last year. Rookie Marcus Peters is the favorite to win the other starting corner job Peters has cover skills, but he will have some growing pains so expect the occasional long TD at his expense. Once he settles  in though, and if the pass rush helps him a bit, don't be surprised if he racks up some INTs as QB's avoid Smith.

The talent is there, particularly when it comes to rushing the quarterback. If the run defense can improve in 2015 and they can continue to exhibit scoring ability on defense, this unit can have a lot of upside based on their ability to be a good scoring defense. The sacks, forced fumbles, and other takeaways should help mitigate any porousness in the running game.

 

Editor’s Note: If you’re looking for a new, awesome, highly customizable and free option for year-round commissioner & dynasty leagues, something more capable than Yahoo, better looking than CBS, and built from the ground up with fantasy football in mind, play free fantasy football with our friends at Fleaflicker. Sign up your league on Fleaflicker, and get a Full Season Premium Subscription for FREE.

 

Indianapolis Colts

First Four Matchups: @BUF, NYJ, @TEN, JAC

If you're looking for an underrated D/ST unit, look no further than the Colts. They have four games with weak rushing offenses in the Falcons, Bucs, and the Titans twice. The toughest running games they will see are the Jets, Panthers, and Texans twice, but the Texans recently lost Arian Foster to a groin injury. Their competition in the passing game isn't particularly intimidating either, although they will face four top passing games in the Saints, Steelers, Falcons, and Broncos.

Indianapolis was right around the league average in rushing yards allowed with 1,814 yards, and opposing offenses were able to gain 4.3 yards per rush while scoring 14 rushing TD in 2014. Similar to the Chiefs, the Colts lack an impact run stopper. Their D-line will be made up of DE Kendall Langford, NT Josh Chapman, and DE Arthur Jones this season. Langford has never been much of a run stopper and is more of a guy used as a sub off the bench; just as the Rams utilized him in 2014. Chapman is serviceable against the run, but was also ONLY on the field on first down and running situations. Lastly, Jones really isn't much of an asset against the pass rush and he's also slipping in terms of stopping the run.

The Colts were ninth in the league in sacks with 41 in 2014, and limited teams through the air by allowing the 12th lowest amount of passing yards. They only had 12 INT despite this, but look for that to improve this season. Vontae Davis has developed into one of the league's best cornerbacks, not allowing a single TD catch against him in the 2014 season. The rest of the secondary isn't quite as strong. CB Greg Toler had teams score nine TDs on his watch last season, and receivers reeled in 70 passes for 903 yards on 125 targets against him. Safety Dwight Lowery is also a bit of a liability in coverage. Mike Adams is coming off his best season in terms of defending the pass, but at age 34 it'll be interesting to see if he can duplicate last year's success.

As for the linebackers, the Colts' best pass rusher in Robert Mathis returns after an Achilles injury ended his season early. The only caveat is he won't be back until around midseason. He's 34, but I still think he has something left in the tank. Bjoern Werner was not able to fill Mathis' shoes very well last year as he only amassed five sacks and was average at best in the run game. However, he can still improve as this is only his third year in the NFL. D'Qwell Jackson started slow last season, but he was very effective in run protection during the second half. Jerrell Freeman is a subpar run defender, but makes up for it by being fairly adept at pass coverage. Last, but certainly not least, is Trent Cole as he will look to boost the LB core with his above average pass rushing ability and solid run stopping.

They have their flaws, but they should be able to get after the QB and force some mistakes. It helps that their offense can contribute to their defense as well if they can force the opposing teams to abandon the run. They're not a shutdown defense, but they can rack up the points on any given week. Even if the game isn't a blowout, they're strong enough that they won't hurt your fantasy team.

 

Cleveland Browns

First Four Matchups: @NYJ, TEN, OAK, @SD,

The Cleveland Browns make for an interesting D/ST unit because while they have the second-hardest schedule of any run defense (eight matchups against above-average ground games), they also have the fourth-easiest schedule in terms of passing. They have a whopping 10 games against the more underwhelming aerial assaults in the league.

The Browns were absolutely gashed on the ground last year as they gave up the most rushing yards in the league with 2,265. Their best run defender, DE Jabaal Sheard, is a member of the Pats now, but Cleveland addressed this by selecting three defensive linemen in the first three rounds of the draft. NT Danny Shelton shifts into the starting lineup as a run stopper with some pass rushing capability. Phil Taylor is back this season and the team added Randy Starks via free agency, but look for the rookies to try and bolster that line in 2015.

The linebackers are a different story for the Browns as there is some talent here. Karlos Dansby is still great in pass coverage despite being 33 now, and Barkevious Mingo improved in his sophomore season,  particularly against the run.

Despite a low sack total, the Browns were still very good at defending the pass. In large part this is thanks to Joe Haden being an elite cornerback. Donte Whitner and Tashaun Gipson were no slouches either as Gibson was excellent in coverage while Whitner was great in run support (hence the short-lived nickname "Hitner"). Buster Skrine departed in the offseason so last year's first-rounder, Justin Gilbert, is going to have to settle into the #2 corner role quickly. Having Tramon Williams though will add some veteran leadership at corner.

The Browns have the tools, but will it translate? I know their performance against the run last year may scare some away, but the fact that they will get their share of takeaways is worth taking a gamble on. They've made some improvements and Duke Johnson will also boost them with his skills as a returner as he could take a few kicks to the house.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

 

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Freddie Freeman16 mins ago

Leads Dodgers To Victory
Caleb Martin23 mins ago

Probable Against Portland
Robert Suarez25 mins ago

Picks Up Second Save
Pablo López29 mins ago

Pablo Lopez Shows Out In Opener
Logan Cooley32 mins ago

Nets First Career Hat Trick Versus Nashville
Cole Ragans37 mins ago

Looks Good On Opening Day
Frederik Andersen43 mins ago

Continues Winning Streak With Second Shutout
Jackson Chourio45 mins ago

Leading Off In Brewers Opener
Anton Forsberg49 mins ago

Shuts Out Chicago
Kevin Love55 mins ago

Probable On Friday
Joel Eriksson Ek57 mins ago

Makes Scoring Return Thursday
Nathan MacKinnon1 hour ago

Home Point Streak Ends
Jaime Jaquez1 hour ago

Jr. Expected To Play Friday
Ryan Graves1 hour ago

Evaluated For An Upper-Body Injury
Tyler Herro1 hour ago

Remains Sidelined Against Portland
Timothy Liljegren1 hour ago

To Miss "Some Time"
Alec Burks2 hours ago

Questionable On Friday
Esteury Ruiz2 hours ago

Pinch Hits In Loss
Dean Wade2 hours ago

Won't Play Against 76ers
Shane Bieber2 hours ago

Filthy In First Start
Kenley Jansen2 hours ago

Records First Save
Brayan Bello2 hours ago

Secures First Victory
Luis Castillo2 hours ago

Suffers First Loss
OG Anunoby2 hours ago

Ruled Out Again Friday
Rafael Devers2 hours ago

Goes Yard On Opening Day
Dylan Moore2 hours ago

Blasts Pinch-Hit Homer
Yasmani Grandal3 hours ago

Placed On Injured List
Mitch Haniger3 hours ago

Goes Yard
Tyler O'Neill3 hours ago

Continues Opening Day Streak
Nick Martini10 hours ago

Homers Twice On Opening Day
Trey Lipscomb11 hours ago

To Be Called Up
Nick Senzel11 hours ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray11 hours ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele11 hours ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons13 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler13 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson13 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Matisse Thybulle13 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans13 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic13 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric14 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney14 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga14 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant14 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith14 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen14 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara14 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Richaun Holmes14 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson14 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Rhys McKee15 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Chidi Njokuani15 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson15 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo15 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley15 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque15 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Aaron Ekblad1 day ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto1 day ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin1 day ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard1 day ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins1 day ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist1 day ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear1 day ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard2 days ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers2 days ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers2 days ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels2 days ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby2 days ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore3 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson3 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery3 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown3 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff3 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins3 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams3 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT3 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Nick Chubb3 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift3 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson3 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell3 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans3 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott3 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley3 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs3 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Pittsburgh Steelers4 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson4 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas4 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas4 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson4 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla4 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo4 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal5 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott5 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa5 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams5 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Mock Draft: First-Rounder With Trades

The 2024 NFL Draft is less than a month away. Yet, that isn’t soon enough for football fans. While everyone wants to discuss the quarterback class and the first few picks, the NFL Draft doesn’t end after the first round. Teams will find starters and star players on the second and third days of the... Read More


Kyren Williams - Fantasy Football, Waiver Wire Pickups

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact- Part III

Throughout the NFL's offseason, many players see their fantasy football values fluctuate based on their movement and personnel decisions by their respective teams. Throughout this series, we have identified 12 players who have seen their fantasy football value increase over the free-agency period. The final big fantasy football value movement will come after the NFL... Read More


UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Value Plays: Week 1 Bargain Bin for DraftKings Including E.J. Perry, CJ Marable, Jace Sternberger, more

Welcome to the Week 1 edition of RotoBaller's UFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 1 UFL contests. Each week during the UFL 2024 season and postseason, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit for DraftKings'... Read More


2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More