Defensive lines across the NFL were torn last week. Four different defenses had at least five sacks on the week; this was highlighted by the Houston Texans’ 8-sack performance on Thursday Night Football. Trey Hendrickson also had a stellar individual performance, accounting for four of the Bengals’ five sacks.

The Los Angeles Chargers were among the teams with five sacks last week. They had a dominant day as an overall defensive unit, scoring 10+ fantasy points for the fourth time this season. Jim Harbaugh’s men are playing at a high level and will look to get them ready for their matchup against the Titans.

The Chargers aren’t the only team fantasy managers should consider making a move in Week 10. There are several teams starting each week and a handful of broadcast options featuring our top 12 defenses this week.

WEEK 10 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | kickers

Fantasy Football Defensive Rankings Week 10: Who will start, sit on D/ST

These rankings will be updated throughout the week, so check back often.

Who are the best fantasy defenses of Week 10?

The Chargers have dominated defensively this season and have yet to allow a team to score more than 20 points. That streak should stay alive in Week 10 against Mason Rudolph (or Will Levis) and the Titans. Tennessee’s offense ranks in the bottom five in both total and scoring offense this season. The Chargers need to be able to keep them in check this week.

The Chicago Bears are another talented linebacker in a positive matchup. The Patriots’ offense has improved with Drake Maye at center, but this is still a below-average NFL offense. This isn’t a team that’s going to push for 30 points, especially against a defense with a talented secondary like the Bears. If Chicago can force Maye to make a few bad decisions, he’ll have a top fantasy week.

Although Minnesota’s defense has struggled in recent weeks, this is a great spot for them to return to their dominant form. The Jacksonville offense has been average on its best days and has “made it” on the Colts, who have one of the worst defenses in the league. Brian Flores’ defense should be up for the challenge in this one and constantly hurt Trevor Lawrence.

Who are the D/STs in the bye in Week 10?

Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and their team form one of the best defensive units in the league. Cleveland has the ability to shut down any offense, but they are not worth a roster spot at the bye. Instead, look for a defensive publisher.

Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders have one of the best defenses in the league. They had a few strong outings and also had games where they scored more than 30 points. As is often the case, this defense should not be deployed while idle.

Green Bay Packers: Green Bay’s defense has made its mark this season by committing too many turnovers. Their 19 takeaways lead all defenses this season. Still, their 9.8 fantasy points per game doesn’t put them in the defensive category worthy of rostering during the bye week.

Seattle Seahawks: It’s been an up-and-down season for the Seattle defense. In addition to games with two points or less, they also have games with double digit points. They fell into a match-based startup category. Considering Seattle doesn’t have a starter every week, they shouldn’t be on the roster going into this week’s bye.

Who are the top fantasy defensive sleepers of Week 10?

Finding a strong defense publisher is really quite simple. It’s all about attacking offenses that are either struggling with injuries or just plain bad. The Carolina offense falls into the latter category. Other than two inexplicable plays by Andy Dalton, this was an offense that threatened less than 200 yards on any given week. Carolina’s offensive struggles catapulted the Giants’ defense into the top 12 this week. Their talented defensive line should start against Bryce Young and create sacks that will lead to a strong fantasy performance.

The Commanders’ defense has done a complete 180 this season. They started the year with quite a struggle, especially through the air. They have since become one of the league’s better defensive units. Since Week 5, Washington’s defense ranks 4th in EPA per play and has only allowed one team to score more than 20 points. They are in a good spot to continue their hot streak against Russell Wilson and the Steelers this week.