Fantasy Football 2011: Ranking the Top 10 Defenses on Draft Day

Before you read these rankings for the top 10 team defenses in 2011, I need to make something clear. Defense wins championships in the NFL, but defense wastes draft picks in fantasy.  Success will come on a week to week basis, you’re better off waiting until one of the last two rounds to fill the position.

Draft a solid team with fair matchups through the first few weeks and ride the wave until it breaks. When your team starts to falter, or if they’re set to face a string of offensive powerhouses, replace them via waiver wire.

So with that being said, I’ve ranked the top 10. If everyone in your league follows the same strategy as I just provided, this list will be of great value.

Or, if you think you need a solid defense to win and that I’m less intelligent than Samaki Walker, enjoy.

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10. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are a wild and aggressive group with a lot of talent. They have playmakers at every position, but they’ve had a lot of trouble coming together as a group. Jerry Jones and the Dallas front office is hoping Rob Ryan is the answer. I think he is. Expect a more disciplined group this season who should find success despite playing in one of the toughest divisions in football.

These guys will make plays and score enough defensive TDs to stay in the top 10.

9. San Diego Chargers

Greg Manusky is an excellent defensive coordinator, so there won’t too much of a decline following the departure of Ron Rivera. The Chargers do have a lot of problems holding onto leads and making stops when they really count, but luckily, that doesn’t matter in fantasy football. Teams will be playing catch up against the Phillip Rivers and his offense so expect opponents to force the ball into the hands of this improving defense.

The Chargers aren’t a terrible team to lean on, especially if the Broncos and Raiders falter in 2011.

8. New York Giants

With Mathius Kiwanuka moving to LB and Jason Pierre-Paul moving sliding into a starting DE position, the Giants defense will improve in 2011.  Fans of Big Blue are questioning GM  Jerry Reese’s faith in his barely legal  linebackers , and rightfully so.  Opposing offenses will be looking at the TE and at the slot WRs to make plays, as the Giants’ most glaring deficiency will be coverage in the flats. To counter this anomaly, their pass rush and secondary will need to pick up the slack. 

If Tuck, Pierre-Paul, and Osi Umeniyora (don’t count on it) all show up to play in 2011, the Giants could have the best pass-rushing D-Line in the NFC. The secondary is young and improving, and whenever Prince Amakumura returns, they could finally have the shut-down, man-to-man coverage corner they’ve been lacking since ... well... forever (Jason Seahorn doesn’t count).

The Giants face a tough schedule in 2011 but they won’t kill you. Expect a lot of mediocre weeks but at least they’ll be consistent. Sometimes that’s all you really want in a fantasy defense...

7. New England Patriots

After getting run-on for most of 2010, the Patriots are switching to a 4-3. The addition of “Fat Albert” Haynesworth has Pats fans hungry for their first Super Bowl title since 2005. If Haynesworth follows in the footsteps of guys like Randy Moss and Corey Dillon, he and Vince Wilfork would create a mess up the middle for opposing defenses (both physically and aesthetically).  Devin McCourty is emerging as one of the elite young corners in the league, and guys like Brandon Spikes and Patrick Chung have Haynesworth sized potential.

A Belichick defense is never much of a risk, and it helps that the Pats share a division with the Dolphins and Bills. 

6. Chicago Bears

The Bears have been fueled by their defense for years. Brian Urlacher is a motor, Julius Peppers is arguably the best pass rusher in all of football,  and Jennings and Tillman are excellent corners. When it gets cold in Chicago, these guys keep warm by swarming opposing offenses and dominating in the trenches. They deal with Green Bay twice a year, and they play them tighter than anyone else. There’s something to be said about how well the Bears play against the defending champs.

If you are going to take a flier on a team defense, you could do a lot worse than Chicago.

5. Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have been a fantasy staple for a decade. With one of the smartest line backing corps in the league, the Ravens make few mistakes. Their athleticism has been on a slight decline as guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are aging, but they’re still better at their respective positions than most younger guys in the league.

The Ravens won’t do you wrong. They keep games close and they keep the score low. Their big play potential isn’t what it used to be, but eight or 10 points a week (in standard scoring leagues) is always a good thing.

4. Green Bay Packers

The Packers’ defense should remain a force in 2011. The Lions, Bears, and Vikings each boast mediocre offenses, so they’ll have great matchups all year. Aaron Rodgers keeps opposing offenses off of the field, this means few points allowed. The Packers control the tempo of the game and the defense is undoubtedly inspired by one of the best offenses in football.

Matthews and Raji are play-makers and put a lot of pressure on opposing offenses in the backfield. Take a good long look at what the Packers did in 2010 and expect more of the same this season.

3. New York Jets

The Jets missed out on Asomugha , but they’re still among the league’s elite. Fumble recoveries, sacks and INTs show that Rex Ryan’s super aggressive play calling is the type of thing that fantasy owners should covet. There is no question that Revis remains the best corner in the league, thus forcing opponents to shy away from their best receiving options. Ryan will have his guys taking risks.

The Jets tend to get burnt for a game or two, and their schedule isn’t easy. However, they'll put up top five numbers at the position.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers defense boasts a swagger of which no other defense in the league can compare.  Led by James Harrison, the steel curtain has placed a Roger Goodell-sized chip on their shoulder. A chip they’ll use as motivation in 2011. Every year, the Steelers put up for their fantasy owners. They finished second in fantasy points in 2011 as they led the league with 48 sacks. Interceptions and fumble recoveries tend to be a much more sporadic statistic then sacks, thus coining the Steelers as the highest value at the position.

They get the Browns and Bengals twice each. That alone makes them a hot commodity.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. These guys take away the deep ball and force teams to look toward their running game. With such a strong secondary, the Eagles will stack the box and force teams to pass against them. As long as these corners play up to their full potential then they’ll have no problem shutting down even elite offensive attacks.

Teams are going to force the ball into coverage. Defensive TDs will be as common as cheese steaks in Philly this season.

Follow me on twitter: @Nick_Marro