Cleveland Browns and 2 Other Must-Start Defenses in Week 14 Fantasy Football

We feature some surprising defenses that have tremendous upside in Week 14 Fantasy Football.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during the second half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sept. 7, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Let's never forget about defenses. In Fantasy Football, they can provide tremendous value to your roster. It will depend on your league's scoring format, but many leading defenses of the week can exceed 20 total points. Any position can win you the week and you never truly know who it will be. Today, we will explore the defense position. These are three must-start units.

Cleveland Browns (Vs Titans)

The Browns may be 3-9, but they are a lethal defensive unit. They are 3rd in Total Defense, although 14th in Points Allowed (We will blame their offense for this). The Browns are 2nd in Sacks per Game and 11th in Takeaways per Game. In fact, Myles Garrett has (6.0) more sacks than any other player in the NFL.

As for the Titans, they have the worst offense in the NFL. The are 32 in Total Offense and 32nd in Points per Game. They are also 32nd in Sacks Allowed and 23rd in Giveaways. It might be a long day for Cam Ward.

Pittsburgh Steelers (@ Ravens)

This is not a pick that many of you might expect. However, the metrics are what they are, and they suggest that Pittsburgh is a must-start.

Most sacks in team's first 12 games of a season
(since sacks became official in 1982)

2025 Myles Garrett 19.0
1984 Mark Gastineau 18.5 pic.twitter.com/qpxl6lelHI

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 30, 2025

The Steelers are 6th in Sacks per Game and 2nd in Takeaways. On the flip side, the Ravens are 25th in Sacks Allowed and 27th in Giveaways. Despite being 28th in Total Defense, the Steelers are allowing the 20th most Points per Game, proving that are efficient when needed.

The Ravens offense has struggled, even with Lamar Jackson back in the mix. They are 20th in Total Offense and 28th in Passing.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Vs Saints)

This is a week where many defenses have weird matchups that suggest deep-sleeper to thrive at the defensive position. The Buccaneers are another one of those teams.

Tampa Bay is 14th in Sacks per Game and 6th in Takeaways. They oppose a Saints offense that is 21st in Sacks Allowed and 30th in Giveaways. The Saints are 26th in Total Offense and 30th in Points Allowed.

The Buccaneers are far-strongest with their run-stop where they allow the 6th lowest Rushing Yards per Game. They will have Tyler Shough forced to pass the ball, which could work, but should not work very well.