Tips for Drafting Top Fantasy Football Defenses
By Brandon of RotoPicks.com
Picking a Team Defense/Special Teams Unit can be maddening. Compared to the other positions, D/STs are heavily unreliable and matchup-driven. The quality of the unit itself is less important than the quality of the opposing offense. Every time an opposing offense scores, a D/ST loses fantasy points (although D/STs always start with 12 points). There are several ways for D/STs to garner positive points which include: sacks, turnovers, TD's and safeties, but these stats are among the hardest to predict in weekly fantasy football.
Basic D/ST Advice
The best D/ST Faces the Worst Offense
Since it's hard to guarantee sacks and turnovers, grab a D/ST that faces a putrid offense; one that struggles to score regardless of it's opponent. There are usually three or four teams each year that are so abysmal that you can count on them to score less than 20 points almost every week. Make note of those teams and search out their opposing D/STs each week. If an offense can't score, you're D/ST's 12 starting points will remain intact. As a bonus, bad offenses have a tendency to turn the ball over and allow sacks.
Beware of Conservative Opposing Offenses
There are two types of "bad" offenses:
1. Offenses that play recklessly, making numerous mistakes.
2. Offenses that stick to short, conservative passes and the running game. Obviously, the no. 1 group feeds D/STs mounds of points, but the no. 2 group may leave your D/ST a little thin. When a team plays it safe, they offer fewer opportunities for turnovers and sacks. The offense may only score a few points, but if they play mistake-free football, it limits your D/ST's upside.
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Start D/STs at Home (If Possible)
Jet lag, crowd noise and unfamiliar territory make things tough on road teams. D/STs usually benefit when facing a visiting offense that just flew across three times zones.
Start D/STs in Bad Weather Conditions
Wet, slippery conditions make for low-scoring contests and mistakes galore. Start D/STs with confidence in bad weather, especially if the opposing offense normally plays indoors.
Make Sure Your D/ST is on a Good Overall Team
Let's say the Browns are playing the Ravens. Let's say the Browns have a great defense, but their offense is woefully inept. You might think the Browns D/ST would make for a good start based on their solid defense, but check the big picture here. The Browns defense may do a solid job at shutting down the Ravens offense, but what if the Browns offense sputters on every possession and goes three-and-out? Or what if the Browns QB keeps turning the ball over? These problems could wear down the Browns defense or set the Ravens up with great field position-leading them to plenty of scoring opportunities. It always helps to start a D/ST that is connected to a responsible, efficient offense.
Start Defenses that Face Inexperienced Backup/Rookie QB's
Nothing says "blood in the water" like a bad signal caller. This automatically translates to mistakes and low point totals for the offense. Just make sure the rookie you're starting a D/ST against isn't playing like a fifth-year veteran.
If You're Stuck Choosing Between Two D/STs, Pick the One With Better Kick/Punt Returners
The Special Teams (ST) component of D/ST only scores via TDs, so it's not something you can count on. However, if find yourself torn between two D/STs, select the one with an electric kick returner and hope you hit the jackpot.
Salary Advice: Spend as Little as Possible
Fantasy football defenses don't typically score much compared to the other positions. Even sure-fire matchups tend to pay out with single-digit fantasy points most of the time. And since most offenses score at least 14 points every week, D/STs have to live off turnovers and sacks. For such reasons, be stingy when it comes to paying for D/STs. Find a cheap, safe D/ST that can force mistakes without surrendering too many scores. As a general rule of thumb, try to pick a fantasy defense that will score you 1.5 fp per $1000 in salary spent.
Snake Draft Advice: Pick a D/ST as Your Last Starter
Since D/STs are unreliable and low scorers, fill up the rest of your starting lineup first. If you have a solid D/ST in mind that's facing a terrible offense, then by all means draft it a round or two earlier. Otherwise, wait until late.
Pick 'em Advice: Don't Pick D/STs
Very rarely will you see a D/ST in a Pick 'em league. When they do appear, they show up in the bottom tier. If this happens, don't get cute. You'd do best to ignore them and sniff out a sleeper QB, RB, or WR.
If you enjoyed this article, you might want to check out another great piece on Choosing a Fantasy Defense.
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