With fantasy football season underway, Pro Football Network will have weekly Defense/Special Teams (D/ST) rankings for the 2020 season. We continue with our fantasy defense rankings for Week 11. While singular offensive players dominate fantasy football, the other side of the ball sees players work together as a unit. These rankings can be especially useful if you are streaming your defense on a weekly basis. This week’s top-ranked Pittsburgh Steelers defense is likely already rostered in your fantasy league, but below are more options for your needs in Week 11.
When ranking a fantasy defense and special teams, the general scoring includes points for fumbles, interceptions, sacks, safeties, and restricting offensive yards and points. Special teams scoring incorporates any kickoff or punt return touchdowns, blocked punts, and blocked field goal attempts.
For the defensive side, the most commonly used strategy by analysts is streaming defenses. This concept involves examining weekly matchups for weaker or outmatched offensive opponents and looking for defenses on your league’s waiver wire to maximize your production from this roster spot. If you’re taking that approach, these 2020 fantasy defenses and special teams rankings will be a place you visit often.
Week 11 Fantasy D/ST Ranking Highlights
Los Angeles Chargers
The fantasy defense and special team rankings find a familiar friend in Week 11 with the New York Jets back on the field. The Los Angeles Chargers defense needs to get right, and the best way to do that is facing the woeful Adam Gase offense. Without Sam Darnold in Weeks 5, 6, and 9, the Jets offense put up 162, 148, and 257 passing yards, respectively.
That last number is actually the highest single-game total the Jets have had this season and more than anything else may well point to Bill Belichick trying to throw a game so the Jets’ potential of landing Trevor Lawrence would be reduced. With Joey Bosa out again, the sack numbers won’t be prolific. Still, nothing is quite so good for a fantasy defense as facing the Jets.
Minnesota Vikings
Coming off their best performance of the year after putting up 12 standard fantasy points against the Chicago Bears, the Minnesota Vikings are in an interesting spot in the fantasy defense rankings in Week 11. Andy Dalton will be returning under center this week, and it’s possible that there’s a bit of rust after missing weeks with the team due to a combination of injury and illness.
The offensive line in Dallas is unstable and has had a hard time opening up running lanes. While the Vikings are allowing the third-most offensive yards, a team that has had trouble remaining consistent through a variety of injuries could yield good results for fantasy managers looking to play things a little risky.
Cleveland Browns
When talking risky plays for fantasy in the Week 11 defense rankings, it doesn’t get more risk/reward than the Cleveland Browns. With potential Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, set to miss this affair, there could be diminished expectations for sacks. However, the Philadelphia Eagles have been hit incredibly hard by injuries on their offensive line. Add on top of that Carson Wentz has been mistake-prone, throwing multiple interceptions in 55% of games played this year, and we have numbers to work with, giving the Browns a nice boost in our Week 11 fantasy D/ST rankings.
Some may be worried the Eagles are getting Zach Ertz back. Yet on the most recent episode of Moneyline & Wine, PFN’s own Anita Marks relayed information from a source that those in the building believe the team will, “work him in slowly.” Those in deeper leagues in need of a play this week should be able to add the Browns.
Week 11: Defense and Special Teams Fantasy Rankings
If you need to search for specific teams for your fantasy defense rankings in Week 11, you can do so using our filters below. Don’t forget to reset them to clear your board and start from the beginning. A negative percentage of defensive DVOA indicates a unit that is performing well. On offense, a negative score indicates poor performance. As injuries and news come in, we will be updating our D/ST rankings to make sure you are covered and know which teams are our top streaming defenses of the week.
Please note: On mobile devices, these rankings view best in landscape mode.