Fab's Top Five Fantasy Football Defenses to Draft in 2025

Michael Fabiano | Aug 21, 2025

The Eagles defense will be one of the first five defensive units selected in most 2025 fantasy football drafts. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Defenses are the only position in fantasy football that includes a group of players instead of an individual player. For some reason, many leagues have actually eliminated them from starting lineups.

For those of you who remain more traditional and have kept defenses (which you should), you probably know that a great one can actually be a real asset … and you’ll be able to get one late in drafts.

Let’s take a look at my top-five fantasy defenses for 2025, and what you can expect from them heading into the new fantasy football season.

Top 5 Fantasy Football DST

1. Broncos (ADP – 155.0): The Broncos had the best defense in fantasy football last year, and another top-five finish is in the cards for 2025. They feature one of the league’s best cornerbacks in Patrick Surtain, who helped the team record 15 interceptions a season ago. Denver also led the league in sacks with the trio of Nik Bonitto (13.5), Jonathon Cooper (10.5), and Zach Allen (8.5), making this unit very valuable.

2. Eagles (ADP – 157.0): The Eagles had a top-10 fantasy defense last season, but it did lose players like Darius Slay, Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham in the offseason. Still, Philadelphia has a ton of good, young talent to both rush the quarterback and defend the pass, most notably cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. I’d expect the defending Super Bowl champs to remain among the top defenses.

3. Steelers (ADP – 170.0): The Steelers boasted a top-five fantasy defense last season, and that’s not a surprise when you have a stud pass rusher in T.J. Watt. He’s posted 108 sacks in 121 regular-season games. Their defense also fields a top cornerback in Joey Porter Jr., and it added both Slay and All-Pro Jalen Ramsey during the offseason. Clearly, this defense has all the talent to be in the top five at the position once again.

4. Texans (ADP – 189.0): The Texans had a top-five fantasy defense last season based on their ferocious pass rush. The team finished fourth in sacks with DE Will Anderson and DE Danielle Hunter leading the way. Houston also ranked second in interceptions, led by DBs Derek Stingley Jr. and Calen Bullock, so it’s a well-rounded unit and valuable in fantasy leagues. Look for the Texans to be a top-10 defense at worst.

5. Bills (ADP – 199.0): The Bills had a top-10 fantasy defense last year, forcing a combined 32 turnovers (third most in the league). They recorded just 39 sacks, but that’s a category this unit should improve on with the addition of pass rusher Joey Bosa. He’ll join DL Greg Rousseau in order to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They should get LB Matt Milano back at 100 percent, which is great news.