After months of work, trials, and tribulations, we have reached Week 15 of the fantasy season, which means only one thing — the start of the fantasy football playoffs. Roster decisions will have significant implications this week, and defense is no different. Let’s go through the rankings and identify some defense streamers for Week 15.
Make sure to check out the rest of our fantasy football rankings for Week 15: Wide Receiver | Running Back | Tight End | Superflex | Flex | IDP | Kicker
Defense Rankings for Week 15 | 1-16
1. Buffalo Bills vs. CAR
2. Arizona Cardinals @ DET
3. Miami Dolphins vs. NYJ
4. Dallas Cowboys @ NYG
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. NO
6. Green Bay Packers @ BAL
7. New England Patriots @ IND
8. San Francisco 49ers vs ATL
9. Philadelphia Eagles vs. WAS
10. Indianapolis Colts vs. NE
11. Minnesota Vikings @ CHI
12. Cincinnati Bengals @ DEN
13. Los Angeles Rams vs. SEA
14. Kansas City Chiefs @ LAC
15. Denver Broncos vs. CIN
16. Seattle Seahawks @ LAR
Defense Rankings for Week 15 | 17-32
17. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. TEN
18. Tennessee Titans @ PIT
19. Los Angeles Chargers vs. KC
20. Carolina Panthers @ BUF
21. Baltimore Ravens vs. GB
22. Houston Texans @ JAX
23. Cleveland Browns vs. LV
24. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. HOU
25. New Orleans Saints @ TB
26. New York Giants vs. DAL
27. Las Vegas Raiders @ CLE
28. Chicago Bears vs. MIN
29. New York Jets @ MIA
30. Atlanta Falcons @ SF
31. Washington Football Team @ PHI
32. Detroit Lions vs. ARI
Week 15 D/ST Streaming Options
If you’re looking to stream a defense this week for the first round of the playoffs, here are three options to consider with a lot of upside.
Miami Dolphins (vs. NYJ)
When a good defense gets a bad offense dealing with injuries, it’s a no-brainer. The Miami Dolphins are exactly that, lining up opposite Zach Wilson and his interception-throwing ways.
So far in his rookie season, Wilson has thrown 6 TDs, 11 INTs, and is completing only 56.1% of his passes. He’s a defense’s dream.
The Dolphins D/ST has scored double-digit points in four of its last five games, forcing 8 interceptions, scoring 2 defensive touchdowns, recording 18 sacks, and allowing just 11 points a game in the process.
I’ll take a defense that has not allowed over 17 points in a game since Week 8 going against Wilson and the Jets. They are not only a streaming option this week but a top-tier option capable of a huge day.
Philadelphia Eagles (vs. WAS)
Early in the week, it looked as though the Washington Football Team might be without quarterback Taylor Heinicke and wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Now, it’s looking possible that they’ll have both. I still don’t care, and I still like the Eagles’ defense.
No team has allowed more fantasy points per game to opposing defenses than Washington this year. Not only that, but Washington currently has a whopping 21 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, almost all of which are on the defensive side of the ball.
That list includes Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, Matt Ioannidis, Kendall Fuller, and others. If the Eagles are able to get out to an early lead and Washington has to play catchup, I like the chances of Philadelphia’s defense creating problems for Heinicke.
I like the Eagles’ defense as a strong streaming candidate this week.
Indianapolis Colts (vs. NE)
Who is the No. 1 defense in turnovers through 14 weeks? The Indianapolis Colts (29). Of those turnovers, 15 have been interceptions. They also lead the NFL with 1.1 recovered fumbles per game. Moreover, the Colts have allowed 17 or fewer points in three of their last four outings. Their defense, to put it lightly, is good.
The Patriots’ offense is also good, and this is a Bill Belichick-coached team that we’re talking about. However, Indianapolis has the best running back in football in Jonathan Taylor. He can help keep the Patriots off the field, and the Colts have an opportunistic and staunch defense that should be able to come away with some turnovers. It’s a tough matchup, but the Colts are an option worth considering in Week 15.