NFL Fantasy Football Week 14: Defense Rankings

Fantasy Football relies on small margins being taken advantage of, and there is no better way to do that ahead of Week 14 than by picking the right defense.

The Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots lead the way again, yet the San Francisco 49ers have enjoyed a phenomenal fortnight that has placed them right back into the upper tier of fantasy defenses.

Micah Parsons continues to play at a Pro-Bowl level, whilst Fred Warner is leading the Niners’ defense like a seasoned professional.

Week 14 is the final round of the regular season that features bye weeks.

Who are the best available fantasy football defenses in Week 14?

Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Texans

Micah Parsons has dominated for the fantasy football leading Dallas Cowboys defense

Dallas continue to have the standout defense in the NFL. The line is playing so consistently well that fans are genuinely starting to believe that 2022 may well be their year.

Micah Parsons is so naturally gifted it’s almost scary. Rarely do you get a defensive player who generates production from both the edge and a linebacker position. The word generational is used a lot within NFL circles, especially near draft time, but Parsons is exactly that. He is playing at an MVP level, which is often overlooked by voters due to him not playing on offense.

The Cowboys have amassed 137 fantasy points through Week 13 and lead the NFL in sacks.

Dallas’ defensive line has registered 48 sacks, a mammoth six more than the next highest-ranked defense in that category.

This is where matchups make fantasy decisions for you. The Cowboys are set to face the lowly Houston Texans in Week 14.

Houston have allowed the eighth-most sacks on offense in the 2022 season. In total, their quarterback has been grounded 33 times, and this is going to put dollar signs in Parsons' eyes.

Dallas’ defense is going to have a free-for-all against a poor Texans O-Line, and you can expect the points to rack up. If you can get your hands on the Cowboys defense for Week 14, do it!

New England Patriots @ Arizona Cardinals

Jonathan Jones has three interceptions through Week 13

Following closely behind with a season total of 125 fantasy football points, the New England Patriots have been incredibly consistent through Week 13.

Bill Belichick doesn’t yet have an offense that can manage games the way he desires, so a reliance on a strong, well-disciplined defensive line has emerged.

New England have registered 39 sacks and 12 interceptions. Only the Cowboys and Eagles have made more sacks in 2022, an interesting point ahead of their clash with the Arizona Cardinals.

Kyler Murray is arguably the most athletic and agile quarterback in the entire league, but he, too, has been failed by an underperforming offensive line. The Cardinals have allowed 31 sacks this season, which will tempt Belichick to throw a lot of blitz action Arizona’s way.

Murray is so gifted that a breakout performance is always a possibility, so this isn’t as much of a lock-pick as the Dallas D, but if you can get your hands on the Patriots defense for Week 14, you will get a good number of points.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Nick Bosa is an injury doubt for Week 14 after missing Thursday practice

San Francisco’s defense are the comeback kids of the NFL after another exceptional display in Week 13. While the offense has been blitzed by injuries, especially at the quarterback position, DeMeco Ryans’ defense has really stepped up.

A few lean weeks came to a sensational end in Week 12 when the Niners totally shut out the New Orleans Saints. Their 13-0 victory was the first time in 20 years that the Louisiana franchise had failed to score a point. It was the longest active streak in the NFL, stretching a staggering 332 games without failing to score.

Fred Warner has led the defense well at the linebacker slot. He’s the emotional leader of the defense, well supported by the freak of nature that is Nick Bosa. With 12 interceptions this season mixed with 36 total sacks, the Niners defense can stop you from anywhere.

They don’t have a glaring weakness, and Tom Brady’s Buccaneers will have their work cut out in Week 14.

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles fans hope Suh and Cox can become twin pillars on their defense

Philadelphia continue to outperform many pre-season predictions. They lead the league in interceptions and have amassed 110 fantasy football points through Week 13.

Target them in the air at your peril. However, the rush-reliant offense of the New York Giants could actually make this a troubling matchup for the Eagles' defensive line.

With 42 sacks ranking Philly as the second-best defense in terms of hitting the quarterback, the Giants need to keep the ball out of Daniel Jones’ hands as much as possible.

Saquon Barkley has been fantastic in 2022 and could cause Philadelphia problems.

The Eagles have allowed 1,415 rushing yards through Week 13, which places them in the midfield of defenses in this category.

It won’t be a game where the Giants play into the expectant hands of the Eagles defense, and fantasy points may not be as free-flowing for them in Week 14.

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

Fantasy Football GMs be aware: Von Miller is out for the rest of the 2022 season

Buffalo are still one of the best-balanced teams in the NFL, even if their defensive performances have dropped since the start of the season. With a total of 106 fantasy football points, Buffalo hold the fifth-best defense heading into Week 14, although their return of 31 sacks isn’t as explosive as it should be given their personnel.

Von Miller is out for the season with an ACL injury, and that is a catastrophic blow to their hopes of getting sacks.

The New York Jets are readjusting after a change at quarterback, but generally, their offensive line has been good, allowing only 27 sacks through Week 13.

New York have the potential to carve teams open when they get it right on offense. The fact that Buffalo don't necessarily excel on any one specific aspect of defensive play only serves to make their Week 14 match even more challenging.

If you’re looking for a big-scoring defensive display in Week 14, maybe avoid the Buffalo Bills.

Top 15 Fantasy Football Defenses in Week 14

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

1. Dallas Cowboys – 137 points

2. New England Patriots – 125 points

3. San Francisco 49ers – 119 points

4. Philadelphia Eagles – 110 points

5. Buffalo Bills – 106 points

6. Baltimore Ravens – 101 points

7. New York Jets – 96 points

8. Washington Commanders* – 92 points

9. Seattle Seahawks – 89 points

10. Minnesota Vikings – 85 points

11. Carolina Panthers – 85 points

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 84 points

13. Tennessee Titans – 82 points

14. Arizona Cardinals – 80 points

15. Denver Broncos – 79 points