X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

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
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 11 Defense (DEF) Streamers and Starts - 2019 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

Bill Dubiel breaks down all 2019 fantasy football Week 11 defenses (DEF) -- draft targets, streamers, sits/starts, and D/ST waiver wire pickups to add. His Week 11 rankings and tiers for all of the NFL defenses.

Below are RotoBaller's Week 11 defense tiers and rankings, or which defenses to stream, start and target off the waiver wire for Week 11 of the NFL and fantasy football season. In case you missed it, this is our seventh year now writing this weekly column.

Our weekly tiered defense rankings are a guide to making waiver wire pickups to improve your lineups, and to decide which defenses to start, sit, target, avoid or stream for Week 11. Starting the right defense every week can be a difference-maker.

Below we have broken out our defense rankings into tiers with analysis on each matchup. Some of these Week 11 defenses have good matchups and are not widely-owned, representing fantasy scoring opportunities if they are available on your league's waiver wire for a Week 11 pickup or add. Good luck in Week 11 RotoBallers!

Editor's Note: Access RotoBaller’s trusted fantasy football rankings for PPR, Standard, Dynasty, Super Flex, and Best Ball formats. Get tiered cheat sheets, expert analysis, and player outlooks to dominate your draft from every angle.

 

Week 11 Defenses To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings

Typically the top three tiers will be DSTs you should target, with Tier 4 being options in deep leagues and Tier 5 being desperation plays or good defenses in horrendous matchups.

Returning for this year: Confidence Ratings - since every league's DST scoring is different, projections don't always make a ton of sense. The confidence rating is a guideline for how much more I like one team over another instead of a straight point projection. A zero means "do not start," then the confidence rises from there. I take a lot of factors into account here--opponent injuries, home field advantage, weather, etc. We've got four weeks of data to work with now, so we're going to be able to be a bit more precise basing our ratings on hard numbers.

On bye this week: Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks

 

Tier 1 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
1 1 Pittsburgh Steelers Defense @ CLE 11.15
2 1 San Francisco 49ers Defense vs. ARI 10.7
3 1 New England Patriots Defense @ PHI 10.65
4 1 Dallas Cowboys Defense @ DET 10.2

Since their Week 7 bye the Steelers have feasted, with at least four sacks and three turnovers in each game. That's not to say they weren't playing well before then--they've been elite for pretty much the entire season. This week they'll get the Browns, who are coming off a decent game against the Bills in Week 10. Nick Chubb was able to gash the weak Buffalo run defense, and Baker Mayfield connected with Jarvis Landry nine times for nearly 100 yards as well. They will find no such space against Pittsburgh--the Steelers are a slam-dunk this week.

The Cowboys defense has been hit-or-miss all season, posting some big games against bad teams and faltering against elite offenses. Against a fully healthy Lions offense, they'd likely find themselves in Tier 3 at best, but with no healthy running backs and Jeff Driskel under center instead of Matthew Stafford? There is big-time potential here.

 

Tier 2 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
5 2 Los Angeles Rams Defense vs. CHI 9
6 2 Minnesota Vikings Defense vs. DEN 8.55
7 2 Buffalo Bills Defense @ MIA 8.4

The Vikings are coming off two tough matchups, as they yielded 26 and 24 points to the Chiefs and Cowboys, respectively. The Brandon Allen-led Broncos offense is considerably less imposing. The Vikings rank seventh in the NFL with 29 sacks, and they should be able to provide a high floor against the Broncos' 28th-ranked scoring offense. Allen should act as a game manager yet again, a role he filled admirably in Week 9 against the Browns (193 yards, two TDs, 0 INTs).

The Bills still rank third in the NFL in total yards allowed per game (304.2), but they've stumbled a bit in the fantasy scoring area. They have zero interceptions and just a single fumble recovery over their last three games, and they now face a...hot?...Dolphins team. Ryan Fitzpatrick is still perfectly capable of helping out opposing defenses, the Dolphins still have virtually no run game, and the Bills offense should--SHOULD--be able to keep the Dolphins Defense on their heels and create good field position all game.

 

Middle and Lower Tier Defenses

Tier 3 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
8 3 Chicago Bears Defense @ LAR 7.85
9 3 New York Jets Defense @ WAS 7.5
10 3 Indianapolis Colts Defense vs. JAC 6.9
11 3 New Orleans Saints Defense @ TB 6.25
12 3 Carolina Panthers Defense vs. ATL 5.8

The Bears opened the season red-hot, and it looked like we were in for another dominant season. Since their Week 6 bye, they've done a 180. They've managed just two turnovers in the four games since then, along with a very modest eight total sacks. They've got some potential to rebound against Jared Goff and the Rams, who looked completely lost in their Week 10 loss to the Steelers. Jared Goff has proven completely incapable of standing up to any kind of legitimate pass rush, and that's what I expect the Bears to focus on in Week 11.

The Panthers present an interesting case in Week 11. For starters, they've hemorrhaged points to just about everyone they've played--while also leading the league in sacks (36). The Falcons looked like a completely different offense against the Saints this past Sunday, hanging 26 points and allowing just a single sack. Atlanta might be without Devonta Freeman, although I hardly expect that to slow down the offense--they'll be looking to beat Carolina with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. That puts the Panthers just on the fringe of starting territory.

 

Tier 4 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
13 4 Jacksonville Jaguars Defense @ IND 5.2
14 4 Baltimore Ravens Defense vs. HOU 4.5
15 4 Washington Redskins Defense vs. NYJ 4.15
16 4 Oakland Raiders Defense vs. CIN 3.95
17 4 Miami Dolphins Defense vs. BUF 3.6
18 4 Philadelphia Eagles Defense vs. NE 3.25

Note: my ranking of the Jaguars is made under the assumption that Jacoby Brissett is healthy enough to play. If it's Brian Hoyer under center, bump the Jaguars up to the top of Tier 3.

The Ravens are a popular stash candidate for fantasy playoffs, but you might be better off keeping them on the bench until we get there. This week they draw Deshaun Watson and the fourth-ranked Texans offense, which should immediately cap their fantasy potential. While the Texans are in the bottom half of the NFL in terms of sacks allowed (25), they've been much better at keeping Watson upright over their last few games. With at least 10 fantasy points in each of their last three games (two of which were against Seattle and New England) the Ravens DST remains in the conversation as a starting option, but I'll be looking elsewhere if I can help it.

The Raiders DST has been a predictable weak play for most of the season, but with Ryan Finley and the Bengals coming to town this might be the one time you can consider them. The Bengals are 29th in the NFL in points per game with just over 15, and Finley looked exactly as shaky as you'd expect a rookie making his first NFL start to look in the Bengals' Week 10 drubbing at the hands of the Ravens. Oakland's brutal pass defense is what's holding them back in my rankings here, as there is still just enough talent in the Bengals offense (Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, Tyler Eifert in the red zone) to put some points on the board.

 

Tier 5 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
19 5 Cleveland Browns Defense vs. PIT 2.9
20 5 Kansas City Chiefs Defense @ LAC 2.5
21 5 Los Angeles Chargers Defense vs. KC 2.25
22 5 Denver Broncos Defense @ MIN 1.8
23 5 Houston Texans Defense @ BAL 1.3
24 5 Detroit Lions Defense vs. DAL 1.1

More Fantasy Football Analysis


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
NFL

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Toronto Raptors

Sandro Mamukelashvili Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Riley Greene

Homers Twice, Drives in Six on Wednesday
Max Muncy

Exits With Apparent Knee Injury
Christian Moore

Exits Early with Thumb Irritation
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF