Fantasy Football Week 17 best defenses: Texans, Jaguars & Bears in the spotlight as expectations rise for Rams

Modified Dec 25, 2023 09:59 GMT

Fantasy Football Week 17 best defenses: Texans, Jaguars & Bears in the spotlight as expectations rise for Rams

With Fantasy Football about to enter Week 17, some lucky managers can look ahead at the next slate of games. If you are one of those lucky few who are confident in your position on Christmas Day, you will know the importance of choosing the right defense.

If you have either the Cleveland Browns or San Francisco 49ers defense, you should start them in Week 17 of fantasy football. Both have favorable matchups (New York Jets & Washington Commanders, respectively) and are must-starts.

Other than these two, however, there are not many defenses you can start without question, or at least looking to see if there is anything better around. Looking at the projections for Week 17 of fantasy football, some teams look like traps in championship week.

The Houston Texans have been ranked seventh for protections in Week 17, which seems generous given their most recent result. The Texans had a nightmare of a game on Sunday and their defense had no answer for Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper.

Cooper finished the game with a new Browns record of 265 yards on 11 receptions, to go along with 2 TDs. This totaled 46.00 points in HPPR leagues and Cooper was benched by 44% of his owners, who will have watched that game with abject horror.

While the absence of QB C.J. Stroud doubtless hurt the team, their defense was subjected to torment by the Browns and was almost constantly on the field. Trusting the Texans' defense in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans is a bold call and realistically there are better defenses around.

Similarly vexing are the Jacksonville Jaguars. While the overall form of the team has been concerning, the defensive unit has suffered greatly and hasn't broken 10 points in fantasy football since Week 8 against Pittsburgh.

Week 17 sees them face the Carolina Panthers, which could be a favorable matchup, however, the Panthers just put 30 points up on the Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been conceding points at an alarming rate, but the Jaguars have not looked good either. After allowing 30-plus-points in three of their last four, the Jaguars defense is a needless risk.

The Chicago Bears have stepped up as a team in recent weeks and while that may be too late for this season, a bright future could be one good draft away. Their defense has been solid and apart from Sunday (3), had put up three decent scores in a row (14, 14,17). They face the confusing Atlanta Falcons, and you can't really be sure which Atlanta team will show up on matchday.

The Bears are projected to be the fifth-best defense in Week 17 and are a potentially brilliant pick. Unless you already have a defense that faces a low-quality offense, Chicago is as good a gamble as anyone.

Fantasy football Week 17 defenses - LA Rams

This week's best-projected defense belongs to the LA Rams. The Rams have 32 sacks, 9 INTs, 4 fumble recoveries and 2 safeties on the season, totaling 67.00 points. They have broken 10 points once thus far, which was in Week 6 versus the Arizona Cardinals. Looking at this, starting the Rams D seems questionable at best.

However, they face the New York Giants, who have been chased by fantasy football managers all year. There's been a pattern of people racing for whichever defense the Giants face, which is a damning statement about their offense.

Given what the experts are all saying, getting too cute here could be a mistake and the Rams defense is the best defensive waiver pickup around. Conveniently, they are only rostered in 8.9% of fantasy football leagues.

Below are the rankings for every defense in Week 17 of fantasy football, sorted by projected points: