Editors Note: Originally, this article incorrectly used seasonal fantasy points instead of per-game numbers. The rankings did not change, but the volume of acceptable committees was inflated. We apologize for the error.
There are a couple of common approaches to addressing the team defense position in fantasy drafts.
- Draft a top defense fairly early.
- Draft two defenses fairly late to stream your way to production that is on par with a top defense.
Well, there is another common approach. Draft a decent defense, drop it when it underproduces, and hate the team defense position all season long.
Let's avoid that third approach.
Going After a Top Defense
Simply put, you're in the wrong place for a top defense. But if that's how you roll, we have multiple avenues for you to take here.
- Use the Draft Dominator. With it, you'll be able to get fully customized rankings. You'll know exactly which top defense you should target.
- Go straight to our Defensive Team rankings. These are customized, but you'll get a general feel for highly-rated defenses.
If you're having trouble deciding on a top defense or you want one with an easy schedule, take a moment to check out our SOS for defenses.
Now, let's find a DTBC.
Starting-Level Defenses
If we have a DTBC, we won't be taking an early defense. And that means we won't start the season with a single starting-level defense (listed with their projected fantasy points).
- Buffalo Bills - 6.6
- Indianapolis Colts - 6.5
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 6.5
- Dallas Cowboys - 6.5
- New Orleans Saints - 6.3
- Los Angeles Rams - 6.3
- Miami Dolphins - 6.3
- New England Patriots - 6.2
- Pittsburgh Steelers - 6.2
- Green Bay Packers - 6.2
- Los Angeles Chargers - 6.1
- Kansas City Chiefs - 6.1
Matching the Dolphins
The goal of creating a DTBC is to compete against starting-level defenses. But if we just want to get into the Top 12, we can just take the Kansas City defense. Instead of just getting by, let's compete toward the top and be in the top half of a 12-team league. So, to get a top-six defense, we need to beat the Dolphins (and Rams and Saints).
Without taking any of the 12 defenses listed above, let's fine 6.4 PPG and beat the Dolphins.
Finding DTBCs
Finding the right committee will be based on three things:
- Bye week compatibility - This seems obvious, but your two defenses can't have the same bye week.
- Projected fantasy points scored - Defenses projected to score more fantasy points this season will generally rank higher in the list of possible committees.
- Strength of schedule - Defenses with easier opponents will generally rank higher in the list of possible committees.
So let's get to it.
Looking through the 169 possibilities, a whopping 63 of them are projected to beat the Dolphins. And 15 of them are projected to beat the Bills.