:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/3520027/104328489.jpg)
Team Defenses are very difficult to gauge since there is so much turnover from one year to the next. Every year you see teams reaching for defenses that under-perform. It's a given fact. Tell that to all the owners that over-drafted the Jets D last year, or the Ravens Defense every season. Despite all of this, we at Fake Teams did our very best to rank the 32 teams for you even though you'll only need 12 or so.
Defense Rankings after the jump compiled by the best of the best: TJ Mahoney (mahoney1213), Evan Levine (eklevine),and Scott Kaliskia (dukeallstar). Kenny has been busy with his excellent team-by-team pieces, so he gets a hall pass for these rankings...
|
|
TM |
EL |
SK |
|
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
3 |
Jets |
3 |
5 |
2 |
|
4 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
|
|
5 |
6 |
9 |
4 |
|
|
6 |
Ravens |
10 |
4 |
7 |
|
7 |
5 |
12 |
6 |
|
|
8 |
13 |
6 |
5 |
|
|
9 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
|
|
10 |
14 |
10 |
11 |
|
|
11 |
9 |
20 |
8 |
|
|
12 |
12 |
13 |
12 |
|
|
13 |
8 |
16 |
15 |
|
|
14 |
16 |
11 |
13 |
|
|
15 |
19 |
7 |
20 |
|
|
16 |
20 |
14 |
16 |
|
|
17 |
18 |
15 |
23 |
|
|
18 |
Bucs |
22 |
22 |
15 |
|
19 |
15 |
27 |
18 |
|
|
20 |
23 |
18 |
21 |
|
|
21 |
11 |
21 |
32 |
|
|
22 |
28 |
17 |
19 |
|
|
23 |
17 |
25 |
25 |
|
|
24 |
21 |
30 |
17 |
|
|
25 |
24 |
23 |
26 |
|
|
26 |
27 |
19 |
30 |
|
|
27 |
25 |
28 |
27 |
|
|
28 |
29 |
31 |
22 |
|
|
29 |
32 |
26 |
24 |
|
|
30 |
26 |
29 |
28 |
|
|
31 |
31 |
24 |
29 |
|
|
32 |
30 |
32 |
31 |
The Super Bowl Champions and their counterparts in the game unsurprisingly went 1-2 in our ranks. The Defensive-minded Jets and new-look Eagles follow at 3 and 4, respectively. The Patriots poor pass D is ignored as they come in at # 5. From then on, it's a mad house; teams are all over the board.
My 2 cents: Play the match-ups. You're best-suited to start off the season with a "winner," and then start playing the match-ups as the season unfolds. Target the bottom-feeders and pick up their opponent. Carolina playing against Arizona? Pick up the Cards D and hope they pick off some balls. Don't over-reach for a defense when there is so much value on the board elsewhere. You don't want to miss the mid-round sleeper running back that can help you win your title.
Love it? Hate it? Let us know in the comments.