NFL Fantasy Football Week 11: Defense Rankings

Defenses are of growing importance in fantasy football as they can add crucial points to your lineup. So who are the best units ahead of Week 11?

Week 10 had the NFL-leading New England Patriots defense on a bye week. However, Bill Belichick’s team will be back in action in Week 11 and remain the highest-scoring fantasy defense. Interception specialists will be in operation in Buffalo and Philadelphia in Week 11. Both teams are due to play and they lead the league in picks.

When deciding on which defense to select in Week 11, you need to take individual talent into account. Matchups aren’t everything. A dominant player like Trevon Diggs, who leads the Dallas Cowboys in interceptions, can earn you key fantasy points on their own.

Who are the best available fantasy football defenses in Week 11?

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

Devin McCourty has led the Patriots to having the leading fantasy football defense

The New England Patriots’ defense has been fantastic. Whilst the team’s offense still lacks any real star quality, the defensive line has punished teams. Patriots fans looking forward to a playoff appearance are being given these hopes almost exclusively due to the play of the team’s defense.

Devin McCourty has been an exceptionally productive presence in the backfield. In nine games, he has two interceptions and five successful pass defenses. It’s incredibly difficult to target a receiver through the center with McCourty marshaling this area of the field.

The Pats D has 102 fantasy football points through Week 10, and they lead the league average with 11.3 fantasy points per game. Coming against a New York Jets O-Line that failed to stop the Patriots back in October, there is an expectation that sacks will come on Sunday. In that earlier encounter, there were also three INTs for the Patriots. You’d be smart to select the New England defense in Week 11.

Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings

Dallas Cowboys v New York Giants

Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs have been two of the outstanding performers on the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in 2022. Dallas are just short of the Patriots in terms of fantasy points per game, averaging 10.8. However, this is still an exceptional number.

Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings have been brilliant in 2022. Furthermore, their offensive line has allowed 20 sacks. This is one of the better records in the NFL. Where the Vikings tend to struggle is throwing the ball accurately. Minnesota have already thrown eight interceptions in nine games, and this will excite Diggs.

He has played sensational cover defense and has 12 successful pass defenses to go with his three picks. Diggs led the NFL with 11 defensive interceptions in 2021 and is one of the primary pick artists in the game. Minnesota give teams too many chances to pick the ball off and this will be a factor in Week 11.

Buffalo Bills vs. Cleveland Browns

Von Miller needs to get the Buffalo Bills' defense back on track

To say the wheels have fallen off the Buffalo Bills’ season would be an overreaction. Yet, Sunday’s overtime defeat to the Minnesota Vikings made it two defeats in two weeks. In their previous game, it was the New York Jets who upset the Super Bowl favorites.

What has been especially alarming is the number of points the Bills defense have started to concede. Fantasy football GMs will be acutely aware that for the first stage of the season, Buffalo’s defense was the best.

However, in their last two matches they have allowed a total of 53 points. For context, in the three games prior to that against the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, they only allowed a total of 40 points.

The Cleveland Browns present a match-up that is difficult to analyze from a fantasy perspective. Cleveland haven’t had a good season. Their offense doesn’t produce nearly enough. Yet, they don’t turn the ball over a lot either. Defense has been the problem for the Browns through Week 10. It isn’t as if the Buffalo Bills are going to be able to steam in and bully their opponents and force turnovers.

Von Miller can do that, but the Browns are resilient. It might be wise to avoid picking the Buffalo D in Week 11 simply because their match-up doesn’t throw up any concrete signs of fantasy scoring.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Indianapolis Colts

C.J. Gardner-Johnson won't want to taste defeat for a second time in a week

Week 10 finally saw the Philadelphia Eagles’ undefeated streak end as they slipped to a stunning defeat to the Washington Commanders. For a rare time in 2022, their defense scored below their average of 9.7 fantasy points per game.

The Commanders were able to rack up 32 points in Monday Night Football, the second highest number of points the Eagles have conceded all season. Is the Philly defense on the slide? No. Should Monday’s result influence your pick? Perhaps.

Indianapolis have had a disappointing season. Their Jeff Saturday-inspired victory in Week 10 may be a launching pad for their playoff run. However, you can’t escape statistics. The Colts have thrown 10 interceptions through Week 10, which is the joint second most in the NFL. Philadelphia’s defense leads the NFL in interceptions. This is a deadly combination that could see the Eagles bring you huge fantasy football points in Week 11.

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers

Isaiah Simmons and the Cardinals' defense are reliable rather than spectacular

The Arizona Cardinals have risen up the defensive rankings without doing anything spectacular. They only have seven interceptions and 19 sacks, but the bulk of their fantasy points have come through a league-leading five defensive touchdowns. If you make a mistake against Arizona’s backfield, you can be sure you’ll be punished.

This is exactly what the San Francisco 49ers will be trying to avoid in Week 11. If you can play a tight game against their defense, they won’t score many fantasy points.

The Niners have thrown only six interceptions all year, which makes Week 11 an unwise point to select the Cards’ defense. Even though they are the fifth-ranked available defensive line. Steer clear.

Top 15 Fantasy Football Defenses in Week 11

This list is ranked by fantasy points scored. An * indicates a bye week for that team.

1. New England Patriots – 102 points

2. Dallas Cowboys – 97 points

3. Buffalo Bills – 88 points

4. Philadelphia Eagles – 87 points

5. Arizona Cardinals – 80 points

6. Seattle Seahawks* – 80 points

7. New York Jets – 76 points

8. Minnesota Vikings – 75 points

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers* – 75 points

10. San Francisco 49ers – 75 points

11. Baltimore Ravens – 73 points

12. Tennessee Titans – 72 points

13. Jacksonville Jaguars* – 66 points

14. Carolina Panthers – 65 points

15. Denver Broncos – 64 points