Week 16 Defense (DEF) Streamers and Starts - 2024 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

December 17, 2024

Dave Ventresca analyzes all 2024 fantasy football Week 16 defenses (DEF) -- streamers, sits/starts, and D/ST waiver wire pickups to add. His Week 16 rankings and tiers for all of the NFL defenses.

Welcome back to our Week 16 fantasy football defense streamers and D/ST rankings for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, we go through the best and worst fantasy defenses. Since, for most gamers, this week of action will determine a spot in their championship match, we will tier and rank every D/ST.

With the semi-finals here, starting the right defense is critical to success. Picking the right D/ST can really bail you out if some of your regular starters bust. With that said, let's take a look at some of this week's best and worst D/ST options. 

Make sure you follow RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Here are the top DST options for Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season.

Tier 1 Defenses – Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 16

1. Green Bay Packers D/ST vs. NO 

GB favored by 13.5, Total ~42

Green Bay takes the top spot following a strong showing on Sunday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. They will take on a New Orleans Saints team that could once again be starting a backup quarterback and could be without star running back Alvin Kamara. Whether it's Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener under center, New Orleans' offense shouldn't give Green Bay's defense too many fits. Yes, Rattler nearly led the Saints to a last-second victory over the Washington Commanders, but this Packers defense is a very different unit compared to Washington's. Should Derek Carr return this week, we would drop the Saints in our rankings a few spots, but they would still be one of the better D/ST plays this week.

2. Atlanta Falcons D/ST vs. NYG

ATL favored by 10, Total ~42.5

Atlanta's pass rush has picked up in recent weeks. Now they get a tasty matchup against the hapless New York Giants. Tommy DeVito was injured last week. That means New York could be forced to start Tim Boyle at quarterback. That alone is reason enough to want a piece of the Falcons defense this week. They should post a respectable score against the Giants' offense with upside for more depending on your league's scoring.

3. Minnesota Vikings D/ST at SEA

MIN favored by 4.5, Total ~41.5

With Geno Smith's status up in the air, Minnesota becomes a very intriguing D/ST play. If Smith can't suit up, that would mean Sam Howell would be in line to start. Howell looked awful Sunday night after taking over for Smith. He has a penchant for taking sacks and turning the football over.

Sam Howell is up to 22 interceptions since the start of 2023, tied for 4th most among quarterbacks.

But Howell hasn't started a game in 2024...pic.twitter.com/pveaXfOs6H

— Scott Spratt (@Scott_Spratt) December 16, 2024

That seems like a bad combination when going up against an aggressive, blitzing Brian Flores defense. If Howell does get the nod, Minnesota's D/ST is likely to put up a crooked number that could carry gamers into their championship game.

4. Buffalo Bills D/ST vs. NE

BUF favored by 14, Total ~46.5

Despite having a few holes, Buffalo's defense still ranks fifth in the league in total takeaways. They are towards the middle of the league in sacks, but Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has been sacked nearly three times per game since taking over as starter. This game does have some shootout potential that could hurt Buffalo's D/ST, but this is a good spot to deploy them against a rookie quarterback. Look for Buffalo to get after Maye and force the rookie into a few mistakes.

5. Philadelphia Eagles D/ST at WAS

PHI favored by 3.5, Total ~46

The Eagles draw a road date with their division rival. They previously faced Washington earlier this year and sacked rookie Jayden Daniels three times and forced an interception. The Commanders have a lot of talent on offense, and that might make this seem like a scary spot to deploy Philadelphia. However, the Eagles boast arguably the best defense in the league and have earned the benefit of the doubt to start them here.

Reed Blankenship! Potential game-sealing interception for the Eagles. pic.twitter.com/RcoA3MQlM6

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) November 15, 2024

Tier 2 Defenses – Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 16

6. Arizona Cardinals D/ST at CAR

ARI favored by 4.5, Total ~46.5

The Cardinals D/ST had previously been identified as one to target during the fantasy playoffs by some of my RotoBaller colleagues, and this is a great spot to start them. Carolina's offense has shown more fight as of late, but they experienced a big setback last week against the Dallas Cowboys and still rank just 29th in offensive DVOA per FTN Fantasy. Arizona's defense has had its own struggles throughout the season, but they are worthy of a start this week if you've been streaming D/STs.

7. Kansas City Chiefs D/ST vs. Houston

KC favored by 3, Total ~41.5

The Chiefs are coming off a 21-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns where they forced six turnovers and sacked Cleveland quarterbacks six times. It was a performance that many fantasy owners appreciated. Kansas City has a tougher draw this week as they go against C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans, but it's still not overly-intimidating. Stroud has not played well as of late, and has generally been a disappointment for fantasy managers in 2024 -- he has only scored more than 20 fantasy points three times this year, and only one time since Week 6. This projects to be a lower-scoring game which is generally a good thing for DSTs -- and while Kansas City might not have the same success as last week in Cleveland, the Chiefs are one of the better DST options to roll with in Week 16.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST at DAL

TB favored by 4.5, Total ~49

Cooper Rush has played better for the Cowboys the last few weeks, but he still doesn't pose a huge risk to opposing defenses. Tampa Bay's defense did a fantastic job limiting Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense this past Sunday. They sacked Herbert three times and forced an interception as well. This unit is picking up steam at the right time, and they should have success against Rush and a questionable Cowboys offensive line.

9. Cincinnati Bengals D/ST vs. CLE

CIN favored by 7, Total ~49.5

This game has one of the highest projected totals on the Week 16 card and given the play of Cincinnati's defense, it's easy to see why. However, the Browns will either be starting turnover machine Jameis Winston again at quarterback or seeing what they have in Dorian Thompson-Robinson. It's a risky proposition to trust the Bengals' defense, but this is a good spot to take a shot on them scoring a few turnovers with either quarterback starting for the Browns. Winston would be better for the Browns offense and would probably force this game into a shootout, but we all know he is good for a pick-six or two. That alone makes the Bengals' D/ST worth a start.

Tier 3 Defenses – Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 16

10. Houston Texans D/ST at KC

HOU favored by 2.5, Total ~40

Normally, it's not a good idea to play a defense going against the Chiefs, but will Patrick Mahomes be playing in this game? Houston is currently second in the league in sacks. Carson Wentz would start for Kansas City if Mahomes can't go, and Wentz is known for holding onto the football too long and taking unnecessary sacks. If Mahomes does play, then Houston will drop in our rankings, but if Wentz is under center, then Houston could rack up some points by taking down the former North Dakota State Bison multiple times.

11. Denver Broncos D/ST at LAC

LAC favored by 3, Total ~42.5

This is not the best spot to deploy Denver's defense as they go up against Justin Herbert and the Chargers. However, Denver has been one of the best defenses in the league and has consistently found a way to score fantasy points. They lead the league in sacks and are sixth in takeaways. It's not the best matchup, but it's also hard to completely move away from Denver's D/ST when they keep delivering for owners.

12. Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN

IND favored by 3.5, Total ~42.5

Mason Rudolph is expected to start for the Titans, following last week's benching of Will Levis. Either way, the Colts could rack up a few takeaways in Week 16. Indianapolis has had at least two sacks in every game this season (except last week), and has had four sacks in five different games. The Colts also had three interceptions last week, and are now facing a team that has given up the most fantasy points to opposing team defenses. It's debatable how much of an upgrade Rudolph is over Levis, so Indianapolis should have success against him as well. All of that might make Indianapolis your best bet for a D/ST if you miss out on other options above.

13. Los Angeles Rams D/ST at NYJ

LAR favored by 4.5, Total ~46.5

The Rams' defense hasn't been among the best in the league and has really struggled at times. However, they go against a Jets offense that has had its own share of troubles this year. New York found a way to score 32 points last week, but that was against a Jaguars defense that ranks last in the league in several defensive categories. This could be another spot where the New York offense has success, but Rams rookie Jared Verse could make life difficult for Aaron Rodgers and crew. If you're in a tough spot at D/ST, the Rams might be worth a flier.

14. Detroit Lions D/ST at CHI

DET favored by 7, Total ~ 46.5

The Lions would be higher on our list, but they continue to take heavy casualties on defense. It feels like injuries could begin to take their toll on this unit. They are still worthy of a start here against Caleb Williams and the lowly Bears offense, but Detroit's D/ST may have sneaky bust potential in this game if they can't consistently pressure Williams.

Tier 4 Defenses – Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 16

Most of these D/STs should be avoided. However, if you're in a pinch, the Chargers are a good fallback option. Los Angeles is coming off a terrible performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will look to bounce back against the Broncos on Thursday night. Bo Nix has thrown five interceptions in his last two games, including three last week versus the Colts, and has cooled off considerably following a white-hot streak. His struggles the last few weeks could give the Chargers a chance to get some takeaways.

Tier 5 and 6 Defenses – Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 16

Fantasy gamers should try their best to avoid starting defenses in Tiers 5 and 6. There are some good units in here, but they have bad matchups. The Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST might stand out on paper, but T.J. Watt's status for this week is completely up in the air. If he doesn't play, it could be very difficult for Pittsburgh to slow down Baltimore's high-powered offense. If you're forced to start one of these defenses to earn a spot in your title game, let's just say you will probably need others on your roster to pick up the slack.

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