Oct 10, 2026, 8:27 AM ET

The Houston Texans D/ST has been a disappointment in some ways this season, allowing 30+ points to the Bills in Week 1 and the Cowboys last week. The D/ST did get three sacks and a blocked kick last week, but has forced zero turnovers in three of Houston's four games this year. The pass rush has been effective with multiple sacks each week and a total of 14 sacks in four games, and they have faced a tough slate of matchups. This week, they get a much more favorable matchup on the road in Tennessee against the Titans. Houston's defense is the No. 2 DEF in RotoBaller's rankings this week, making it a strong option to use with confidence in all formats. The 0-4 team will be desperate to get its first win of the season and will look to lock down Cam Ward and the Titans to secure that victory.--Zach Thompson
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 10, 2026, 5:53 AM ET

The Baltimore Ravens' DST was serviceable against the Tennessee Titans in Week 4, but fell short of managers' expectations for a top-tier finish against one of the worst offenses. The road does not get easier as the Ravens fly to Atlanta to face the Falcons Sunday night in Week 5. Once again, the DST will be without star outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson (finger), who was ruled out Friday, and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (hamstring/calf) carries a questionable tag after logging just one limited practice this week. The Atlanta Falcons offense has been rolling since quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s return in Week 3, and elite running back Bijan Robinson looks almost unstoppable, with four rushing touchdowns and over 300 rushing yards over the last two games. Also, Penix has the league's sixth-lowest sack rate (2.2%) and has thrown just one interception in his two games. With Hendrickson out, the Ravens DST has a sub-3% sack rate, which would rank them as fourth-worst in the NFL. The Ravens DST is a risky start against the Falcons, but managers may want to weather the storm in Atlanta and look ahead to the Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.--Matt McCauley
Source: ESPN

Oct 10, 2026, 2:36 AM ET

The Chicago Bears D/ST will carry a strong string of recent success into Sunday's divisional clash with the Green Bay Packers. After yielding 37 points to the Panthers in Week 1, the unit has been lights out, allowing a combined 28 points to the Vikings, Eagles, and Jets. Furthermore, no quarterback has thrown for more than 153 yards over that stretch. Chicago ranks top-four in points per game allowed (16.3) and sits in the top 12 with six total takeaways (three INTs). In terms of their matchup, the Packers are one of the league's worst scoring teams (18.3) and tie for fifth with six giveaways. The Bears have done a great job of limiting opposing passing attacks while generating enough turnovers to provide a strong fantasy floor. The unit ranks as RotoBaller's D/ST9 for the week ahead.--Alex Ciulla
Source: ESPN

Oct 9, 2026, 8:23 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense surrendered 27 points in a loss to the Cleveland Browns last week but recorded two sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery to salvage its fantasy performance. In Week 5, the Steelers will host the Indianapolis Colts in a contest that could be impacted by heavy rain. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has lost three fumbles over the past two weeks and thrown an interception in each of his four starts this season. Even without cornerback Jamel Dean (ankle), safety DeShon Elliott (knee), and defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (foot), Pittsburgh's DST should be a relatively safe option this week, with enough turnover upside to remain in fantasy lineups.--Jorden Hill
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 9, 2026, 7:08 PM ET

The Seahawks defense/special teams will face their stiffest competition yet when the San Francisco 49ers come to visit in Week 5. This unit enters the matchup as the D/ST6 with only a Week 3 dud on its resume. However, San Francisco's offense is red-hot right now, averaging 30.5 points per game. San Francisco has played a couple of weak defenses along the way, but there is no denying how well this team is humming right now, making them a scary matchup even for a defense as good as Seattle's. RotoBaller currently has the Seahawks D/ST ranked at No. 16 for the week. There are definitely better options to pivot to if you are in a pinch. Perhaps encouraging is that Seattle should not be without any key players on defense this week. Still, it may be a good week to bench this unit and find another option, considering the potential for the 49ers to put up serious points in this game.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: Seattle Seahawks

Oct 9, 2026, 5:25 PM ET

The Philadelphia Eagles defense has had an underwhelming start to the 2026 season to say the least. According to RotoBaller's NFL stats page, the Eagles rank 29th out of 32 NFL teams in accumulated fantasy points through four games with 9.0 points (2.3 points per game). Philadelphia has recorded just four sacks on the season, while only the New York Giants have recorded fewer (the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins have also recorded four sacks). The Eagles have just two takeaways on the season - both interceptions - which is tied with three other teams for fewest in the league. Additionally, the Eagles are giving up 23.3 points per game (16th in the NFL). According to Pro Football Focus, the Eagles allow 18.0 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, 24.0 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, 17.8 fantasy points per game to running backs and 3.9 fantasy points per game to tight ends. Things aren't going to get any easier against a surging Jacksonville Jaguars team in London in Week 5. The Jaguars average 316.5 yards per game, 199.3 passing yards per game, 117.3 rushing yards per game and 26.0 points per game. Jacksonville also doesn't turn the ball over often, giving it away just twice all season. Philadelphia ranks as RotoBaller's No. 19 defense and special teams for Week 5. Currently rostered in 59% of Yahoo leagues, it might be wise to leave Philadelphia on the bench or waiver wire in Week 5.--Ryan O'Bleness
Source: RotoBaller NFL Stats Page

Oct 9, 2026, 5:21 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals defense will have one of the most favorable matchups in football as they take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 5. Despite losing their last game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Bengals only gave up 22 points. The Bengals defensive unit has been one of the most improved in the league and they will get the opportunity to prove that again this week. The Dolphins offense has yet to score more than 13 points in any game this year, so there is little chance of this matchup turning into a shootout. The Bengals may not sack mobile quarterback Malik Willis often, but turnovers and defensive scores are completely in play. It should be noted that the Cincinnati defense is dealing with multiple injuries to safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger, but they should be able to overcome those absences against Miami. The Bengals defense is the top-ranked defense in our RotoBaller Week 5 rankings, making them the best option at the position, despite their injuries. Fantasy managers should plug in the Bengals defense for an easy matchup.--Joshua Costello
Source: Bengals.com

Oct 9, 2026, 4:53 PM ET

Entering Week 5 as the top defense in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings' D/ST is a top-tier choice for fantasy lineups when the Vikings travel to New Orleans. Through four games, Minnesota has forced seven turnovers, compiled an NFL-best 16 sacks, and allowed points on 26% of opposing teams' possessions, which ranks first in the league. Three Vikings are in the top 15 in individual pressures as the Brian Flores-led unit has flummoxed every opponent so far. New Orleans has shown some firepower, ranking fifth in the league in passing yardage, but the Saints rank 30th in turnover percentage and 28th in yards per rushing attempt. Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough has never faced the scheme, which is typically a big advantage for the Vikings, even on the road. As RotoBaller's No. 4 D/ST, the Vikings can be started confidently in any format that plays a defense.--Nick Piotrowicz
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 7, 2026, 9:28 PM ET

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans will take over defensive play-calling duties going forward, according to Adam Schefter. Defensive coordinator Matt Burke will give up the play-calling following a 0-4 start to the season. This news comes after the Texans gave up 34 points to the Dallas Cowboys last week. They failed to get any turnovers and gave up nearly 400 passing yards and 17 receptions to CeeDee Lamb. Clearly, something needed to change in Houston, and Ryans has decided to take over the play-calling for now. Ryans is a defensive-minded coach, so this is in his wheelhouse. This defense should bounce back against the Tennessee Titans offense in Week 5.--Andy Webb
Source: Adam Schefter

Oct 7, 2026, 6:32 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys have had one of the worst defenses in the NFL so far this season, on paper, on film, and on the stat sheet. In fantasy football, they're the worst defense, depending on your scoring system, and haven't scored double-digit fantasy points in any of their games. They've allowed 28 points per game to opposing offenses. They even dipped into negative scoring in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. But the matchup is so good in Week 5 that they might finally be worth starting in deep leagues. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense fell completely flat in Week 4, as starting quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) missed the game with a thumb injury and was replaced by backup QB Jalon Daniels. He threw for just 148 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, and was sacked three times. Dallas will have home-field advantage for the contest. The Cowboys would benefit from having a real threat at pass-rusher, but in such an easy matchup, they have at least some upside in very deep leagues.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 6, 2026, 12:20 AM ET

Green Bay Packers pass rusher Micah Parsons (knee) will not practice ahead of Week 5 against the Chicago Bears, head coach Matt LaFleur told Weston Hodkiewicz of the team's digital staff. Parsons is working his way back from a torn ACL and meniscus damage. Although he's technically eligible to be activated from the PUP list this week, it sounds like he needs a little more time. The Packers' defense has allowed an average of 26.3 fantasy points per game to the Vikings, Jets, Falcons, and Buccaneers this year, so they'd certainly like to get Parsons back to inject some life into the unit. After all, the 27-year-old defender has registered 12+ sacks in each of his five seasons since entering the NFL. With that being said, Green Bay won't want to rush him back before he's ready.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Weston Hodkiewicz

Oct 5, 2026, 1:20 AM ET

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (ankle) likely avoided a long-term injury on Sunday afternoon in Week 4, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. Surtain went down with a non-contact injury, but his Achilles is intact, and the initial round of testing shows that he avoided a worst-case scenario. He will undergo additional testing on Monday to determine the exact severity of his injury and pinpoint a timeline for his return. All in all, it sounds like good news for the former Defensive Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-Pro. The 26-year-old picked off five passes over his last two seasons, and he's up to 21 tackles and one pass defended so far this year. If the injury does still sideline Surtain for a short period of time, we would expect players like Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine, and Ja'Quan McMillian to earn more defensive snaps. UPDATE: ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Surtain is "week-to-week," with one source bracing for the star cornerback to miss "about two weeks."--Andersen Pickard
Source: Tom Pelissero

Oct 3, 2026, 11:34 AM ET

New York Jets D/ST gets a somewhat better matchup now that Caleb Williams (hamstring) has been ruled out, but that doesn't suddenly make this unit a comfortable fantasy start. Tyson Bagent is expected to get the call for Chicago after taking most of the first-team reps, with Case Keenum still available after leading Monday night's 27-7 win over Philadelphia. The Jets have defended well in terms of yardage, allowing 258.3 per game, and they have nine sacks. The fantasy problem has been turnovers. New York has forced only one through three games. RotoBaller dropped the Jets to D/ST23 in Saturday's rankings, which puts them firmly in deep-league territory. The backup-quarterback matchup adds some upside, but there are still safer streamers on the board.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 3, 2026, 11:25 AM ET

Buffalo Bills D/ST gets exactly the kind of opponent fantasy managers like to target. New England is averaging 12.0 points per game, has committed eight turnovers, and has allowed three sacks in each of its first three contests. Drake Maye has thrown six interceptions already. Buffalo hasn't been dominant on defense, but the Bills have nine sacks and the matchup creates plenty of chances for the pressure plays and turnovers that matter in fantasy. Cornerback Christian Benford (toe) is questionable after missing practice all week, so there is still a notable injury to monitor. Even with that concern, RotoBaller moved Buffalo up to D/ST6 in Saturday's rankings. This is one of the better fantasy spots on the Week 4 board.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller