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

Bill Dubiel breaks down all 2019 fantasy football Week 9 defenses (DEF) -- draft targets, streamers, sits/starts, and D/ST waiver wire pickups to add. His Week 9 rankings and tiers for all of the NFL defenses.

Whereas last week was troublesome because there were so many usable DSTs, this week I did a lot of juggling because many of the typical top options have horrendous matchups.

Below are RotoBaller's Week 9 defense tiers and rankings, or which defenses to stream, start and target off the waiver wire for Week 9 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 9. 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 9 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 9 pickup or add. Good luck in Week 9 RotoBallers!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Week 9 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: Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals

 

Tier 1 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
1 1 San Francisco 49ers Defense @ ARI 10.55
2 1 Buffalo Bills Defense vs. WAS 9.7
3 1 Philadelphia Eagles Defense vs. CHI 9.45

Nick Bosa is a monster. The 49ers have allowed just 21 total points in their last four games. They are the best defense in the NFC, and it's not particularly close for me. The Cardinals on Thursday night without David Johnson OR Chase Edmonds aren't much of a threat. Kenyan Drake can't possibly learn the offense in four days, and even if he does--it's the 49ers.

The Eagles have struggled to keep points off the board this year, but they did step up last week against the Bills with a nice four-sack outing. This week they'll get the miserable Bears offense at home, who are averaging just 18.3 points per game. Mitch Trubisky has been declared the starter for Week 9 already, and between his ineptitude and Matt Nagy's brutal play-calling, that can only be a good thing for the Eagles. David Montgomery is the only real threat here, but the Eagles interior defense should be able to keep him from running wild. High floor for the Eagles this week.

 

Tier 2 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
4 2 New England Patriots Defense @ BAL 8.9
5 2 Carolina Panthers Defense vs. TEN 8.65
6 2 Cleveland Browns Defense @ DEN 8.1
7 2 Denver Broncos Defense vs. CLE 7.75
8 2 Chicago Bears Defense @ PHI 7.25
9 2 Minnesota Vikings Defense @ KC 7.1

I don't think I need to go into too much detail about the historic season the Patriots DST is posting. They are undoubtedly a top defense every week until someone stops them. With that said, it's difficult for me to put them in Tier 1 when they take on Lamar Jackson and the #2 scoring offense (30.6 points per game). They can't possibly keep scoring defensive touchdowns, right? Right? Guys?

The Browns have been a disappointment for many reasons this season, and the defense is high on the list. Fortunately for them, they'll draw Brandon Allen at quarterback, in for the injured Joe Flacco. The Broncos offense was bottom-five to begin with, but with Allen under center they're even less intimidating. The Browns are tied for ninth in sacks (22) so there is some fantasy scoring upside on top of the nice floor they're walking into.

I'm not sure what to make of the Chiefs offense right now, and therefore I struggled to rank the Vikings defense this week. Matt Moore has played much better than anyone expected in Patrick Mahomes' stead, and he should be locked in for at least one more start with a full, healthy contingent of weapons. Even a game-managing Moore can do plenty of damage with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce at his disposal, and LeSean McCoy has effectively ousted Damien Williams from the starting RB gig. The Vikings have at least one INT and two sacks in each of their last four games, and ultimately I think they're a startable option with some upside--just not a top-flight option due to the Chiefs offense's potency.

 

Middle and Lower Tier Defenses

Tier 3 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
10 3 Washington Redskins Defense @ BUF 6.5
11 3 Dallas Cowboys Defense @ NYG 6.35
12 3 Jacksonville Jaguars Defense vs. HOU 5.9
13 3 Green Bay Packers Defense @ LAC 5.6
14 3 New York Jets Defense @ MIA 5.15

The Cowboys defense trounced the Eagles in Week 7, and now they'll draw the Giants coming off the bye. The big concern here is Daniel Jones finally getting a healthy corps of weapons around him--Saquon Barkley is back and lethal as ever, Sterling Shepard looks like he's about to return, Golden Tate is back, and Evan Engram is back to 100%. I think this game has some slight shootout potential, and with just three total INTs on the season the Cowboys will need to rely on Daniel Jones mistakes to come up with turnovers. They're still a streamable option, but this one has me wary.

The Jaguars have bounced back in a big way after a small rough patch in October. They've held each of their last three opponents to 17 points or fewer while tallying seven turnovers and 13 sacks in that time frame. This week they'll be tasked with stopping Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense, which is still a top-six scoring offense in the NFL. The Texans offensive line has still been leaky, as they've allowed 24 sacks already, so that provides the Jags with a decent little floor before turnovers and points allowed. Ultimately it's tough to rank them any higher than the third tier going up against Watson and DeAndre Hopkins (even if Hopkins hasn't been as explosive as in years past) but they'll definitely still be a startable option in 12+ team leagues.

 

Tier 4 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
15 4 Tennessee Titans Defense @ CAR 4.9
16 4 Seattle Seahawks Defense vs. TB 4.45
17 4 Indianapolis Colts Defense @ PIT 4.1
18 4 Detroit Lions Defense @ OAK 3.8
19 4 Pittsburgh Steelers Defense vs. IND 3.5
20 4 Houston Texans Defense @ JAC 2.7

The Titans are the most interesting option in this group as they draw Kyle Allen and the Panthers, who are coming off an absolute whooping at the hands of the 49ers. The Titans are NOT the 49ers. However, that was clearly Kyle Allen's worst start of the year, and I'm interested to see how he bounces back after a three-interception performance. The Titans are quietly top-10 in the NFL in yards allowed per game, tied for 10th in sacks and top-10 in turnovers, so I think there is a pretty decent floor here. The key will, of course, be stopping Christian McCaffrey.

I was ready to move the Colts defense up after the Steelers' first half on Monday night, but Mason Rudolph and the entire Steelers offense rebounded in the second half and played to the potential they're capable of. James Conner's status looks uncertain, but Jaylen Samuels should be able to step in and not bring down the offense much, if at all. Ultimately the ranking here is based on the away matchup and the Colts lack of excellence in any category--they're 22nd in interceptions, 16th in sacks, 15th in yards allowed, and tied for ninth in points allowed. They're probably fine as a start in 12+ team leagues, but there's very limited fantasy upside here.

 

Tier 5 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
21 5 Miami Dolphins Defense vs. NYJ 2.3
22 5 Los Angeles Chargers Defense vs. GB 2.1
23 5 Baltimore Ravens Defense vs. NE 1.8
24 5 Kansas City Chiefs Defense vs. MIN 1.25
25 5 New York Giants 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

A.J. Brown

Says He'll Be Active For Season Opener
Luis Garcia

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Max Scherzer

Exits Due to Back Tightness
Taylor Ward

Exits Early After Collison
Braelon Allen

Says He Has a Lot Left to Prove
Sal Stewart

Reds Promoting Sal Stewart to Majors
Daniel Suarez

is A DFS Risk for Darlington Lineups?
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Noah Gragson

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Noah Gragson for Darlington?
Ty Dillon

is an Excellent Punt Option for Darlington DFS Lineups
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic to Miss the Rest of EuroBasket
Denny Hamlin

Picking Up Where He Left Off At Darlington
Kyle Larson

The Sky Is The Limit for Kyle Larson at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

a Strong DFS Play at Darlington This Weekend
Tyler Reddick

Shouldn't Be Overlooked at Darlington This Weekend
Alex Bowman

An Easy Place-Differential Play in DFS This Weekend
Ty Gibbs

Could Be Strong at Darlington This Weekend
Erik Jones

Has Best Darlington Qualifying Effort Since Last Win
Zane Smith

Hopeful For Another Solid Run At Darlington
AJ Allmendinger

Still Seeking First Top-10 Finish at Darlington
Chase Elliott

Likely Won't Factor for the Win at Darlington
Joey Logano

Might Focus More on Playoff Races
Chris Buescher

Missing Playoffs Allows Chris Buescher to Potentially Go All Out at Darlington
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Qualifies Too Well for DFS Consideration
Austin Dillon

Earns Best Qualifying Result at Darlington
Kyle Busch

Downturn in Speed This Year Makes Him a Worse DFS Option
Carson Hocevar

Should Run Better at Darlington Than the Numbers Predict
Ryan Preece

a Low-key Strong DFS Option at Darlington After His Speed in the Spring
Michael McDowell

Don't Expect Much From Michael McDowell
Aroldis Chapman

Agrees to Contract Extension
Juan Soto

Homers Twice in Loss
Nick Kurtz

Avoids Serious Injury
MacKenzie Gore

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Reaches 25-Homer, 25-Steal Milestone
Chris Sale

Activated on Saturday
Dansby Swanson

Homers Twice, Drives in Six in Win
Nick Kurtz

Leaves Game With Oblique Soreness
Joe Burrow

Bengals Feel Joe Burrow Just had "the Best Training Camp of his Career"
Randy Rodríguez

Tommy John Surgery Recommended for Randy Rodriguez
Corey Seager

Placed on Injured List
Jackson Chourio

to Return From Injured List on Saturday
Jordan Lawlar

Diamondbacks Set to Promote Jordan Lawlar
Dallas Mavericks

Olivier-Maxence Prosper Waived by the Mavs
Lauri Markkanen

Dominant in Win Over Great Britain
Xander Bogaerts

Suffers Foot Fracture, Set to Hit Injured List
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Leads Serbia to a Win
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Shines Versus Portugal
De'Von Achane

Should be Ready for Week 1
Jose Alvarado

"Good" After Recent Fall
Alec Burleson

Lands on Injured List With Wrist Inflammation
Emmanuel Clase

Luis L. Ortiz to Remain On Leave for Rest of Season
Kyle Schwarber

has Historic Performance in Rout of Braves
Green Bay Packers

Packers Acquire Micah Parsons, Sign him to Four-Year Extension
Jauan Jennings

Remains Sidelined at Practice
Chris Godwin

to Miss First Month of Season, Possibly More
Quinshon Judkins

Not Considering Return to College
A.J. Brown

Returns to Practice, Expected to Play in Week 1
Jaylen Wright

Undergoes Surgery, Could be Back "Septemberish"
Tyreek Hill

on Track to Play in Week 1
Kyren Williams

to See Reduced Workload?
Jayden Reed

Dealing with Jones Fracture in Left Foot
Lauri Markkanen

Torches Sweden
Neemias Queta

Dominates in EuroBasket Opener
Kawhi Leonard

Clippers Not Allowing Kawhi Leonard to Play Back-to-Backs
Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks Looking to Trade Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Tyrese Haliburton

Expects to Return in 15 Months
Malik Nabers

Expected to be Full-Go for Week 1
Travis Hunter

Back at Practice, Will be Ready for Week 1
De'Von Achane

Not Practicing on Wednesday
Rashee Rice

Accepting Six-Game Suspension to Begin the Year
Kyle Hamilton

Ravens, Kyle Hamilton Finalizing Four-Year Extension
Rashee Rice

NFL Aiming to Place Six-Game Suspension on Rashee Rice
De'Von Achane

Dolphins GM Says De'Von Achane Will be Ready for Week 1
Joe Mixon

Texans GM: "We'll See" if Joe Mixon Plays in 2025
Terance Mann

Confident About Having a Big Year in Brooklyn
Zaccharie Risacher

Aims to Improve Ball-Handling Skills
NBA

Pistons And Timberwolves Join Race for Malik Beasley
John Tonje

Signs Two-Way Deal With Jazz
Max Strus

to Miss 3-4 Months After Surgery
Nikola Jović

Heat Have High Hopes for Nikola Jovic
Golden State Warriors

Cody Martin Drawing Interest From Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves Interested in Reunion With Bones Hyland
Kylor Kelley

Joins Lakers
Colin Castleton

Links Up With Magic

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP