Full Fantasy Football Defense/Special Teams Rankings 2026: Seahawks, Texans Stay Atop

Fantasy football displays high variance at the DST position, but value is still yet to be found.

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) is introduced before playing against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are two positions in fantasy football where owners will wait until the final round(s) to make their selection. That is, kickers and defense/special teams. While they are deemed of lower value, they are still important. Knowing the best options may be key to winning your league. You never know. Click here to view our kicker rankings, and read below to see our DST rankings.

Tier A DST's

1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Houston Texans
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. Denver Broncos

These are the four defensive units that are expected to remain among the NFL's elite. The highest-upside unit of them all is the Rams. The team added Myles Garrett and is heavily rumored to get Aaron Donald out of retirement. That literally could be among the best defensive line duos in NFL history.

In 2025, the Seahawks were the far-and-away best unit, 23 points ahead of the 2nd-ranked Texans defense. According to the power index, they are the NFL's best defense entering Week 1.

Tier B DST's

5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
8. Minnesota Vikings

These units aren't quite as dominant as Tier A, but they are still darn good. The Vikings, led by Brian Flores, were fantasy football's 5th-best unit in 2025. The Eagles fell to 9th, but on skill, they are the FPI 4th-best defense.

The Jaguars were fantasy football's 3rd-best unit, and the Chargers, while finishing 2025 outside the top 5, were the FPI's 3rd-best unit.

Tier C DST's

9. Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Kansas City Chiefs
11. Baltimore Ravens
12. New England Patriots
13. Chicago Bears

I am really excited to see what Jesse Minter can do with this Ravens defense. It is a unit that is top-10 on talent, no doubt about it. They have recently struggled with Zach Orr, but the Minter mentality may bring Baltimore back to Super Bowl contention.

With better offense, the Chiefs shall improve all-around. They are the FPI's 9th-best defense. The Patriots and Bears also creep as upcoming, fringe top-10 units. They are of a higher floor than many.

The Steelers have TJ Watt, so that is good. They are mediocre per the FPI, but ranked as a top-10 fantasy football defense in 2025.

Benchwarmers

14. Buffalo Bills
15. Detroit Lions
16. San Francisco 49ers
17. Green Bay Packers
18. Tennessee Titans
19. New York Giants

There is not much to be said here. These units fall outside of draftable range in most 10-12 team leagues. They are units relying upon their upside. The Giants have that with a stellar pass rush, despite losing Dexter Lawrence. The always-dominant 49ers have upside amid the return of Fred Warner. The Titans and Packers have it with renowned defensive coaches leading the way: Robert Saleh and Jonathan Gannon.

Look the Other Way...

20. New Orleans Saints
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
23. Carolina Panthers
24. Dallas Cowboys
25. Washington Commanders
26. Atlanta Falcons
27. New York Jets
28. Las Vegas Raiders
29. Indianapolis Colts
30. Cleveland Browns
31. Arizona Cardinals
32. Miami Dolphins

No team here is to be desired. Surely, one or two of these units will prevail and end up being quite good. To predict it confidently is rash. Defenses have high variance, depending on factors that include sack and turnover generation, which hinges on coaching and a bit of luck.