Before doing anything else, make sure you hit that register button for a FREE account here at fantasy team advice. You can then log in to our forums and discuss which defense you should add, drop, start, or sit for the upcoming week 2.
These are the team defense/special team rankings heading into week 2 of fantasy football 2012.
Be sure to check the news and notes after the rankings before you start ranting in the forums.
| Rank | Defense | % Owned (Yahoo) |
Pts Allow |
Sack | Sfty | Int | Fum Rec |
Def
TD |
Blk Kick |
SpTm
TD |
Pts
YTD |
Week 2 |
| 1 | Cleveland | 8% | 17 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | at CIN |
| 2 | New York (Jets) | 82% | 28 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 | at PIT |
| 3 | Baltimore | 99% | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | at PHI |
| 4 | New England | 85% | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | vs ARI |
| 5 | Houston | 97% | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | at JAX |
| 6 | Chicago | 98% | 15 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | at GB |
| 7 | Denver | 25% | 19 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | at ATL |
| 8 | Philadelphia | 97% | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | vs BAL |
| 9 | St. Louis | 2% | 27 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | vs WAS |
| 10 | Tampa Bay | 3% | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | at NYG |
| 11 | Arizona | 21% | 16 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | at NE |
| 12 | Atlanta | 17% | 24 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | vs DEN |
| 13 | Green Bay | 93% | 30 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | vs CHI |
| 14 | San Diego | 9% | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | vs TEN |
| 15 | Washington | 8% | 32 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | at STL |
| 16 | Miami | 5% | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | vs OAK |
| 17 | Seattle | 76% | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | vs DAL |
| 18 | Minnesota | 9% | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | at IND |
| 19 | Dallas | 38% | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | at SEA |
| 20 | New Orleans | 10% | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | at CAR |
| 21 | Indianapolis | 1% | 41 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | vs MIN |
| 22 | Detroit | 70% | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | at SF |
| 23 | San Francisco | 99% | 22 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | vs DET |
| 24 | Jacksonville | 3% | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | vs HOU |
| 25 | New York (Giants) | 82% | 24 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | vs TB |
| 26 | Pittsburgh | 96% | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | vs NYJ |
| 27 | Carolina | 1% | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | vs NO |
| 28 | Oakland | 15% | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | at MIA |
| 29 | Tennessee | 8% | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | at SD |
| 30 | Cincinnati | 34% | 38 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | vs CLE |
| 31 | Buffalo | 43% | 42 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | vs KC |
| 32 | Kansas City | 7% | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | at BUF |
News and Notes
- These rankings are purely based on the fantasy points that each team defense/ special teams unit have accrued, and not on any projections for the upcoming scoring period.
- As I tried to explain in multiple pre-draft articles, the team defense should be the last spot filled on your roster. There is no need to go for the 49ers in the 9th round (which I saw at both of my big money drafts). The 49ers finished week 1 in 23rd (with just 5 fantasy points). While I understand that San Francisco will finish higher in the rankings than 23rd, it certainly isn’t a given that they will finish in the top 5, as proven by the fact that the #1 defense in terms of fantasy scoring for 2010 was the Arizona Cardinals.
- A team that is owned in just 8% of leagues was the #1 overall team defense in week 1. Why? Because Michael Vick threw to the Browns defenders almost as often as he threw to his own receivers. A large part of team scoring is INT’s and pick 6′s, which is mostly up to the opposing QB.
- If you are looking for a defense to pick up, the Browns should be at the TOP of your list, as they are here. They get to face Andy Dalton in week 2, which could provide for the Browns defense with more INT’s + they have Josh Cribbs returning punts and he always has a shot at breaking one.
- These defensive rankings will change week to week based on scoring, but as the year progresses you will be able to get a clear understanding of who the best fantasy scoring defensive teams are, and pick them up for your fantasy league.
That is it for this week’s article, be sure to register for a free account and log in to the forums to chat with the community about your fantasy football team.
BALTIMORE – OCTOBER 30: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens is introduced before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at M&T Bank Stadium on October 30. 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Cardinals 30-27. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
