For most fantasy managers who paid up for a so-called “elite” fantasy defense over the summer, through six weeks things have been…not great.
In terms of Average Draft Position, the first three defenses drafted this year were the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos. The Texans have a loaded unit filled with high-end talent at all three levels. The Rams added the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in an offseason trade and got defensive tackle Aaron Donald back. The Broncos led the league in sacks last year.
Well, you see, what had happened was…
The Texans started the season 0-4 in large part because their supposedly loaded defense has been decidedly mediocre most of the season. The Rams are also 2-4 and got all of one game out of Myles Garrett before he landed on injured reserve. Six weeks into the season, both teams rank outside the top-20 defenses in fantasy points.
The Broncos got off to a bumpy start, too. Two weeks into the season, Denver was ranked outside the top-20, too. But Denver has rebounded with three big outings in four weeks, including five sacks and three takeaways last week against the Seattle Seahawks, the Broncos enter Week 7 third at the position in fantasy points.
There’s still a lot of season to go, but consider this a friendly October reminder to file away for next summer.
Don’t pay retail for defenses in drafts.
Just don’t.
Kyle DvorchakTHE NO-DOUBTERS
Minnesota Vikings (vs. Indianapolis Colts)
Despite playing one less game than most teams, the Vikings remain fantasy football’s No. 1 defense—in the admittedly generic scoring I use for this column (cast a wide net), the Vikes are more than three points per game past every other team. Now, Brian Flores’ ultra-aggressive squad takes on an Indianapolis Colts team that just lost at home to the winless Tennessee Titans. The Colts don’t have the speed to make Minnesota back their safeties off. It’s going to be all stacked fronts, blitzes and anaconda meets capybara.
Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. New Orleans Saints—Paris)
The Steelers are the AFC contender no one wants to call a contender despite their 4-2 start, and edge-rusher T.J. Watt and the defense are a big reason why—the latest iteration of “The Steel Curtain” has more fantasy points than any defense in the AFC after logging five sacks and a pair of takeaways in last week’s overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints have moved the ball at times this year and overseas games can get weird, but New Orleans is also third in the league in giveaways this year.
Denver Broncos (at Arizona Cardinals)
As was mentioned in this week’s thrilling, informative and entertaining intro (just how this writer rolls), the Broncos have been rolling the past month—Denver has the No. 1 fantasy defense over the last four weeks. The Cardinals have some weapons on offense and have been a below-average matchup for defenses in fantasy, but if you can heat Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett up the Arizona offense becomes very hit-or-miss. The Broncos will do so and move to 5-2, despite having an offense that is quite offensive—to offense.
San Francisco 49ers (at Atlanta Falcons)
The 49ers are like Thanos—they are inevitable. Six weeks in, the 49ers sit fourth in the NFL in total defense and seventh in the NFL against the pass, while allowing 18.6 points per game—second-fewest in the NFC. The 49ers haven’t pressured opposing quarterbacks consistently, but San Francisco is still second among fantasy defenses over the last three weeks headed into a favorable matchup with a Falcons team giving up the third-most fantasy points per game to defenses this season.
Cleveland Browns (at Tennessee Titans)
Raise you hand if you thought that the Browns would be the clear winners of the Myles Garrett trade six weeks into the season. Now put your hand down—lying is wrong. The Browns have taken a step back from last year’s squad, but it’s a baby step—the Browns are ninth in the league against the pass, seventh in points allowed and have surrendered less than 20 points just twice in six games. Meanwhile, the Titans have scored more than 20 points once this season—last week against the Colts.
Kansas City Chiefs (at Seattle Seahawks)
Steve Spagnuolo’s defense has long been overshadowed by Patrick Mahomes and the offense in Kansas City. But it has played a sizable role in the team’s 5-0 start—the Chiefs are eighth in total defense, sixth against the run and lead the AFC in scoring defense at 16.6 points per game. Taking on the reigning Super Bowl champions in Seattle is no joke, but the past few weeks Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has looked rough—no NFC team has allowed more fantasy points per game to defenses over the past two weeks.
Denny CarterSTREAMERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!
Houston Texans (vs. New York Giants)
Yep. This is where we’re at with the Texans—Houston has legitimately had one decent defensive effort in six games this year, and it wasn’t last week in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. But the Texans are in desperation-mode at home against the Giants this week, New York has major questions at quarterback and running back and the G-Men have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses this year. This week at least, the Texans will look like we thought they would this season.
New York Jets (at Miami Dolphins)
In many respects, this year’s New York Jets team looks a lot last year’s Jets team—in that the losses are piling up again. But the Jets defense has quietly kept the team in games—New York ranks just outside the top-10 in yards allowed per game and possess a top-10 scoring defense, allowing just 20.3 yards per game. At the risk of being accused of October hyperbole, New York’s trip south is a must-win game—and the Dolphins have given up the fourth-most fantasy points per game to defenses this year.
Carolina Panthers (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The Carolina Panthers are in first place in the NFC South and have a top-15 fantasy defense, but the latter is an even bigger mirage than the former—the Panthers are 26th in the league in total defense and most of their fantasy scoring came against a rookie third-string quarterback in Week 2. But six weeks into the 2026 season, there isn’t a team in the league giving up more fantasy points per game to defenses than the Buccaneers, and it’s going to take more than Baker Mayfield’s potential return to change that.
Tennessee Titans (vs. Cleveland Browns)
In this week’s edition of scraping the bottom of the D/ST barrel, we have the suddenly resurgent Tennessee Titans, who just got the Colts’ general manager fired. The Titans were Week 6’s highest scoring defense because nothing matters anymore, logging six sacks, three takeaways and a defensive score. Are the Titans going to do that again? Probably not. But the Browns have allowed a league-high 24 sacks and the sixth-most fantasy points to defenses this season. Just saying.
CAVEAT EMPTOR, FOLKS!
Seattle Seahawks (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
The Seahawks are doing some soul-searching after losing three of their last four games, but the team’s “Dark Side” defense has been solid for fantasy managers—the team is a top-five fantasy defense six weeks into the season. But Seattle’s offense hasn’t been doing the defense any favors over the past month, and this week’s matchup with the Chiefs is nightmare fuel—Kansas City is playing as well as any team in the league offensively, and no squad in the AFC has given up fewer fantasy points per game to defenses this year.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.