Fantasy Football Sleepers 2012: 5 Defenses Ready for Big Seasons

While offensive stars are capable of winning fantasy football games, picking an underrated defense will help an owner compete for the championship.

Quarterbacks are the focus in most drafts, with running backs close behind. When defenses start to come off the board, owners are forced to select teams based a gut feeling. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are known for having great defenses, but other teams have talent in that area.

Offense is becoming more and more prominent in the NFL. Defensive players are trying to adjust to the new style of play, but it is difficult to play hard without being at risk for penalties.

The 2012 NFL preseason is underway, and the regular season is quickly approaching. Owners will begin to figure out what defenses and special teams will help them win a title.

Defensive coordinators can lead a team to a great season. A team's young talent and schedule are other reasons to consider selecting any given defense.

*Stats are from NFL.com

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks spent the offseason improving the team's offense, but the defense is ready to make noise.

In 2011, the defense finished No. 9 in the NFL. The team's improved offense will help the defense stay off the field.

Seattle plays in the NFC West, which is one of the league's weakest divisions. No team in the division has a great offense, so the team's defense already looks good. 

Last season, the Seahawks allowed just over 330 yards per game. This year, Seattle is poised for an even better season.

The St. Louis Rams struggle to move the ball, and the Arizona Cardinals do not have a reliable quarterback to throw to their offensive weapons. San Francisco's addition of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and LaMichael James to help Alex Smith makes them a mystery on offense.

The NFC West is matched up with the AFC East and NFC North. The Seahawks play 11 games against teams that were ranked No. 18 or lower in total offense in 2011. Six of those games are against division rivals, so they do not have to worry about facing many explosive teams.

Seattle was one of eight teams to allow fewer than 20 points per game last season, and they will be ready to duplicate that success.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have had one of the league's best defenses for several years, but they have been overshadowed by the other teams in their division.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer led the team to another strong finish last season. The defense finished No. 7 overall in the NFL while dealing with injuries.

Cornerback Leon Hall suffered an Achilles injury in Week 10 against Pittsburgh, and it left the defense moving pieces around to replace him. Nate Clements stepped up to fill the No. 1 spot.

The defensive line is one of the league's best. The team finished last season with 45 sacks, which was good for No. 5 in the NFL. 

Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson are two of the most athletic defensive ends in the league, and they can both get to the quarterback. Domata Peko clogs up the middle of the line and allows Geno Atkins to rush the quarterback.

Zimmer uses different schemes to get the defense to perform well, so the Bengals defense will be a great pick for the 2012 season.

Tennessee Titans

The AFC South battles the NFC West for the weakest division in the NFL. Outside of Houston, no opposing team in the division has a legitimate offense.

Peyton Manning is no longer in Indianapolis, and rookie Andrew Luck will take over the team that finished with the worst record in the NFL a season ago. The Jacksonville Jaguars added Justin Blackmon, but do not have a quarterback to get him the football. 

The Tennessee Titans finished in the middle of the league in total defense last year, but they were one of only eight teams to allow fewer than 20 points per game. 

The defense was on the field more than almost every other team in the league. Only the Arizona Cardinals spent more time on defense, which is why the defense allowed so many yards.

With a more consistent Chris Johnson, the defense will be able to rest more in 2012. 

Indianapolis and Jacksonville will make it easy on the defense, so this team is worth a late pick in a fantasy draft.

Philadelphia Eagles

A season after the nightmare season for the Philadelphia Eagles, the defense will rebound to lead the team to the playoffs.

The defense finished No. 8 overall, but got most of the blame for a disappointing 2011. The Eagles have an explosive offense that can put up points in a hurry.

Asante Samuel is no longer with the team, but they did upgrade their weakest position. Jeff McLane of Philly.com viewed the trade for DeMeco Ryans as filling a huge hole on defense.

Safety Kurt Coleman now has a season of experience, and he will be much improved in 2012. He was thrown into a tough spot as a rookie, but will thrive with a better defense around him.

The linebacker position was improved by adding Ryans, and the rest of the group will learn from him. Brian Rolle will step up even more after a promising rookie season.

While Philadelphia was over-hyped last season, the team will go into this season as a question mark. The defense will determine the team's fate. 

The defense is much improved from a season ago. Although it got a lot of blame for last season's disappointment, it will lead the team and be a wise pickup for any fantasy owner.

Miami Dolphins

In 2011, the Miami Dolphins were very good on defense. They will continue to stop opposing offenses in 2012.

The team will face the NFC West this season, and their defensive numbers will see a nice boost during those four games.

Yeremiah Bell, Kevin Burnett and Karlos Dansby all recorded over 100 tackles last season. Cameron Wake had 8.5 sacks to lead the team.

Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are reliable players, and they have the ability to get interceptions. If the team can force more turnovers this season, it will be one of the best in the league.

Although they play in a division with the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, this defense is worth taking for a fantasy team. It would be smart to have a second defense for those division games, but the rest of the season will feature a dominant defense.