2026 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings For Seasonal Leagues

Updated ranks: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Top 200 | Rookies | Mock draft

Defense and special teams units are usually one of the final starting positions taken in most fantasy football drafts, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be valuable in a manager’s quest for a league championship. Last season, the Seattle defense was the most productive unit in fantasy leagues, scoring 179 points (over 200 in some scoring systems). The Texans, Jaguars, Broncos and Rams were also among the top five defenses based on points.

Managers who are unable to grab an elite defense, however, should wait to fill the position and play the matchups on a weekly basis. For example, taking the Raiders defense for a Week 1 matchup against what will be a lowly Miami offense makes a lot of sense. On the flip side, you might want to avoid taking the 49ers defense, as it will face the high-powered Rams offense.

With that said, here are my 2026 fantasy football defense rankings …now with auction values! I’ll be updating these often throughout the offseason, so keep checking back.

Note: Auction values are based on a $200 budget.

2026 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Bye
1	Texans	DST1	HOU	8
2	Rams	DST2	LAR	11
3	Seahawks	DST3	SEA	8
4	Broncos	DST4	DEN	10
5	Patriots	DST5	NE	11
6	Eagles	DST6	PHI	10
7	Jaguars	DST7	JAC	7
8	Vikings	DST8	MIN	6
9	Steelers	DST9	PIT	9
10	Ravens	DST10	BAL	13
11	Bills	DST11	BUF	7
12	Lions	DST12	DET	6
13	Chargers	DST13	LAC	7
14	Chiefs	DST14	KC	5
15	Packers	DST15	GB	11
16	Browns	DST16	CLE	11
17	Bears	DST17	CHI	10
18	Saints	DST18	NO	8
19	Falcons	DST19	ATL	11
20	49ers	DST20	SF	9
21	Colts	DST21	IND	13
22	Panthers	DST22	CAR	5
23	Cowboys	DST23	DAL	14
24	Giants	DST24	NYG	8
25	Buccaneers	DST25	TB	10
26	Bengals	DST26	CIN	6
27	Titans	DST27	TEN	9
28	Commanders	DST28	WAS	7
29	Dolphins	DST29	MIA	6
30	Jets	DST30	NYJ	13
31	Cardinals	DST31	ARI	14
32	Raiders	DST32	LV	13

More Fantasy Football from Sports Illustrated

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