Top Fantasy Football Playoffs D/ST Rankings (Weeks 15, 16, 17) - Defense Streamers and Starts

December 11, 2024

Joey's best fantasy football playoffs defense streamers and D/ST rankings for Weeks 15, 16, 17 in 2024. NFL team defense streamers and starts based on strength of schedule.

Welcome RotoBallers to our fantasy football playoffs D/ST streamers and starts for Weeks 15, 16, and 17. The fantasy football playoffs are right around the corner, and now is the perfect time to line up your fantasy defenses for the rest of the year. Getting ahead of your league mates and picking up defenses that have a great upcoming schedule could be the difference between a championship or a first-round exit.

This article will go through the best defenses to pick up and play for the fantasy football playoffs (Week 15 through Week 17). The defenses on this list should be added in most formats heading into the final weeks of the season.

So, here are the best fantasy football defenses to stream during the fantasy football playoffs. If you want only weekly defensive rankings, be sure to check out the RotoBaller website.

D/ST Strength of Schedule: Weeks 15-17

There will be plenty of defenses to stream during the fantasy football playoffs. So, if you haven't picked up a defense yet for the final three weeks, no worries because all the options on this list will be rostered in under 60% of ESPN leagues.

Streaming defenses during the fantasy football playoffs is pivotal if you want to move on to the next round. While the Steelers and Eagles have been some of the better fantasy defensive options this season, fantasy managers might want to look elsewhere for the playoffs.

Pittsburgh will play the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs in the final three weeks, and Philadelphia will go up against the Steelers and Commanders in the first two rounds.

At this point in the season, it might be best to carry two or three different defenses on your roster. Fantasy managers should think about dropping those low-end bench pieces and instead pick up a defense that has a great matchup in either Week 15, Week 16, or Week 17. So, let's dive in and look at the best defenses to stream during the fantasy football playoffs.

Fantasy Football Playoffs D/ST Streamers 

Arizona Cardinals D/ST (Week 15 & 16 Target)

• Week 15 Opponent: New England Patriots (27th)
• Week 16 Opponent: Carolina Panthers (18th)
• ESPN Rostership: 59.8%

The Cardinals have been one of the most added defenses in fantasy over the past few weeks. If they are somehow still available on waivers, make sure to pick them up right now. Aside from last week's loss to the Seahawks, this Arizona defense has been on a roll lately and has a fantastic matchup to open up the fantasy football playoffs in Week 15 against the Patriots.

The Cardinals have totaled at least five sacks in three of the past five weeks and are allowing only 17.1 points per game over the last seven contests. So, this defense will be a must-start against the Patriots. New England has given up 43 sacks this season (tied for the fourth-most), and Drake Maye has thrown an interception in five straight games.

Since Week 7 the Arizona Cardinals Defense is:

2nd in PPG
2nd in yds per play
1st in YPG
1st in sacks

ELITE🔥 pic.twitter.com/tfcDZZIGOZ

— K1SinceDay1 (@KSzn2021) December 5, 2024

Arizona can also be used in Week 16 against the Panthers, but Bryce Young has played better in recent weeks. So, this defense won't necessarily be a must-start in the second round of the fantasy playoffs. Young has only been sacked six times over the last five games and hasn't turned over the ball much in recent weeks. Still, this Cardinals unit will likely be a top-12 play that week.

Buffalo Bills D/ST (Week 16 & 17 Target)

• Week 16 Opponent: New England Patriots (27th)
• Week 17 Opponent: New York Jets (19th)
• ESPN Rostership: 53.5%

The Bills are one of my favorite defensive targets heading into the fantasy football playoffs, especially if you have Week 15 already figured out. Buffalo will play the Patriots in Week 16 and the Jets in Week 17. New England has given up 43 sacks this season (tied for the fourth-most), and Maye has been sacked at least three times in four of the past five games.

Then, the Bills defense will go up against a Jets offense that has struggled offensively for most of the year. Aaron Rodgers has been sacked at least three times in four of the past five games, and this offensive line ranks 25th in pass-block win rate this season.

This New York offense could also decide to sit Rodgers down the stretch at some point since the team won't be playing for anything in the final weeks.

With those two great matchups in the fantasy football playoffs, this Bills defense is a must-add in fantasy. This unit also currently ranks tied for third in takeaways (24) and 12th in pass-rush win rate. So, fantasy managers should pick this defense up before Week 15.

Baltimore Ravens D/ST (Week 15 Target)

• Week 15 Opponent: New York Giants (30th) 
• ESPN Rostership: 48.1%

The Ravens have surely had their struggles on defense this season. However, this unit will be a top-5 play in the first round of the fantasy football playoffs against the Giants. New York has given up 42 sacks through 13 weeks (tied for the sixth-most), and this offensive line has allowed 12 sacks over the last three games.

As a result, this Ravens defense needs to be picked up in all leagues for Week 15. Baltimore ranks third in sacks (41), and this unit has totaled at least three sacks in four of the past five games. Those sacks will certainly come into play in this game, considering the Giants are banged up along the offensive line and currently rank 21st in pass-block win rate.

Los Angeles Chargers D/ST (Week 17 Target)

• Week 17 Opponent: New England Patriots (27th)
• ESPN Rostership: 50.3%

If you already have Week 15 and Week 16 figured out and want a potential defense for the fantasy football championship, the Chargers should be your top priority. They are still rostered in under 50% of ESPN leagues, and this defense currently ranks eighth in fantasy points this season. As a result, Los Angeles will be a top-three play in Week 17 against the Patriots.

New England has given up 43 sacks this season (tied for the fourth-most), and Maye has thrown an interception in five straight games. Even though this Patriots offense has looked better with the rookie under center, the offensive line remains a huge problem for this team. This unit ranks 32nd in pass-block win rate through 13 weeks.

So, make sure to pick up this Chargers defense before the fantasy football playoffs begin. Los Angeles ranks fifth in sacks (36) and tied for 10th in takeaways (17) this season.

Cincinnati Bengals D/ST (Week 15 & 16 Target)

• Week 15 Opponent: Tennessee Titans (32nd)
• Week 16 Opponent: Cleveland Browns (31st)
• ESPN Rostership: 27.7%

The Bengals' defense is an interesting case heading into the fantasy football playoffs because this unit has two fantastic matchups in the first two rounds. Cincinnati will play the Titans in Week 15 and the Browns in Week 16. Both offenses have struggled to protect the quarterback this season, and opposing defenses are averaging over 10.5 fantasy points per game against these offenses in 2024.

However, the Bengals are not a great defensive team. They rank 26th in yards allowed per game, 29th in points allowed per game, and 25th in pass-rush win rate. This Cincinnati defense has also allowed over 30 points in four of the past six games. Still, this unit can be picked in some 12-plus team leagues heading into the fantasy football playoffs.

The Titans have given up 45 sacks this season (third-most), and Will Levis has been sacked 24 times over the last five games. As for the Browns, this offensive line has allowed the second-most sacks (53) this year. Given that Jameis Winston has also thrown nine interceptions since Week 9, the Bengals' defense has some fantasy potential in both Week 15 and Week 16.

Indianapolis Colts D/ST (Week 16 & 17 Target)

• Week 16 Opponent: Tennessee Titans (32nd)
• Week 17 Opponent: New York Giants (30th)
• ESPN Rostership: 10.2%

The Colts' defense deserves to be rostered in more leagues as we head into the fantasy football playoffs. Although Indianapolis will play the Broncos in Week 15, this unit will have a great matchup in Week 16 against the Titans and in Week 17 against the Giants. Playing against both of these offenses makes this defense a must-add for the final two weeks of the season. 

PICK! Zaire Franklin intercepts Sam Darnold in the end zone! @Colts ball.

📺: #INDvsMIN on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/EGF53zlZBY

— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2024

Levis has been sacked 24 times over the past five weeks, and New York quarterbacks have been sacked 12 times across the last three games. Opposing defenses are also averaging 11.2 fantasy points per game against the Titans offense and 10.4 fantasy points per game against the Giants offense this season.

As a result, the Colts are a strong defense to pick up and play in the final two weeks of the fantasy season. Indianapolis has totaled at least three sacks in three straight games and currently ranks tied for 13th in sacks (32). Those solid sack numbers will surely play a part in both weeks, as the Giants and Titans rank bottom-12 in pass-block win rate this season.

Other D/ST Options For Fantasy Playoffs

Here are some other fantasy defenses to consider over the next three weeks. These defenses are rostered in under 55% of ESPN leagues. 

• New York Jets (42.2% rostership)
  • Week 15 opponent: 21st-ranked Jaguars 
• Washington Commanders (29.6% rostership)
  • Week 15 opponent: 22nd-ranked Saints
• Green Bay Packers (29.9% rostership)
  • Week 15 opponent: 28th-ranked Seahawks
  • Week 16 Opponent: 22nd-ranked Saints
• New Orleans Saints (53.7% rostership)
  • Week 17 opponent: 29th-ranked Raiders

Fool’s Gold Streamers To Avoid

Atlanta Falcons D/ST 

• Week 15 Opponent: Las Vegas Raiders (29th)
• Week 16 Opponent: New York Giants (30th)
• ESPN Rostership: 8.8%

Some fantasy managers might be running to the waiver wire to pick up this Falcons defense due to the team's upcoming schedule. Atlanta will play the Raiders in Week 15 and the Giants in Week 16. Although these matchups look great on paper, fantasy managers should consider rolling with other defenses during these two weeks.

The Falcons rank bottom-5 in pressure rate, 29th in pass-rush win rate, and 32nd in sacks per game (1.5). So, even though this defense does have two favorable matchups in Week 15 and Week 16, it'll be hard to trust this unit in the first two rounds of the fantasy football playoffs. This Atlanta defense just doesn't have a high enough floor in fantasy during these weeks.

D/ST Streaming Action Plan

Planning out your fantasy D/ST might require some work, but it might be necessary to win a fantasy football championship. Here are some different ways to line up your defensive streams over the next three weeks in the fantasy playoffs.

Option 1: 

1. Play the Cardinals defense in Week 15 
2. Play the Bills defense in Week 16
3. Play the Bills/Chargers defense in Week 17

Option 2: 

1. Play the Ravens/Cardinals defense in Week 15 
2. Play the Colts defense in Week 16 and Week 17

Option 3: 

1. Play the Bengals defense in Week 15 and Week 16
2. Play the Chargers defense in Week 17

More Fantasy Football Analysis