Maybe you’ve had to deal with disappointments like Ashton Jeanty this season. Or perhaps you had the Packers defense, and now you don’t know what to do because of the Micah Parsons injury. Not to worry! Here are the fantasy football defense and special teams rankings for Week 16 of the 2025 season.
There’s a big dog at the top this week. And there are also some scary propositions. But hey, you have to start a defense. So let’s see where the least offensive ones land.
Top Fantasy Football picks
It happens all of the time in fantasy football. A defense has a dream matchup against a shaky offense, and what happens? The struggling offense suddenly discovers itself, protects the football, and the powerful defense comes up lacking.
And while that could happen this week to the Texans, it’s hard not to like this game at home against the Raiders as the No. 1 matchup on the Week 16 slate. The Texans are No. 1 in yards allowed per game (269.2), No. 4 versus the pass (176.5), and rank fourth against the run (92.7). Oh, and points? They’re No. 1, of course, at 16.3 per game.
Now, let’s look at the Raiders. Dead last in total yards, No. 28 in passing, by far the worst rushing attack in the NFL, and they score a paltry 14 points per game. Plus, they are coming off a 31-0 debacle loss to the Eagles.
How could this go wrong? The main way would be if the Texans take the Raiders for granted. However, the Texans are fighting for a playoff berth. They should be locked in early in the game, aiming to build an early lead so they can control the game's narrative.
Houston is a huge 14.5-point favorite, further solidifying its strong standing for this game.
So, where is the possible flaw? Ah, it’s the tight end position. The Texans seemed clueless against Trey McBride in Sunday’s game. It kept the contest closer than it should have been. And while Brock Bowers of the Raiders isn’t as good as McBride, he’s in the neighborhood.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans said he wasn’t pleased overall with the defense, according to houstonchronicle.com.
“Defensively, that game was not up to our standard,” Ryans said on Monday. “There are a ton of things that we can improve on, a ton of things that we need to get better at.”
Eagles are another good bet
Coming off a complete shutdown of the Raiders, the Eagles can wrap up the NFC East with a win. You know the Eagles don’t want to play around with it, so look for them to be aggressive and strong against the Commanders.
However, the Commanders can get some things done on offense. That’s true even with Marcus Mariota running the show. Therefore, the Eagles will have to play as well as they did against the Raiders.
The Eagles wanted to make a statement against the Raiders, and they did, according to nbcsportsphiladelphia.com.
“We knew we had the shutout working, but I think it was more trying to hold them under 100 yards,” defensive back Cooper DeJean said. “I think this is what we were talking about on the sideline. And we did that.”
The Eagles held the Raiders to 75 total yards. And while they won’t slow the Commanders like that, they might be able to hit a big play by picking off a pass. Or by getting a strip sack and a fumble recovery.
Other standouts
It may feel a little risky, but the Saints have played better of late and may be worth a look. They draw a New York Jets team that just isn’t very good on either side of the football. Look for the Saints to possess the football, which will create pressure on the Jets to rush things when they have the ball. It’s not a lock-solid pick, but the Saints could be a streaming option.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been eliminated from the playoffs, which moves them from a good pick to a more risky option. However, they get the Titans this week. That means they at least have a chance to score some defensive points. And remember, this is an organization that has a lot of pride. They won’t be willing to fade into the woodwork as the season winds down.
Fantasy Football sleepers
The 49ers haven’t been all that predictable on defense, but they get 44-year-old grandpa Philip Rivers on the other side of the ball this week. There’s a solid chance for a pick-six in this game.
The last time the Rams faced Sam Darnold, they picked him off four times. Could they have a repeat performance, this time on the road? It’s a little bit risky, but there aren’t a lot of good options this week.
Fantasy Football Week 16 Defense Rankings
1. Houston Texans (HOU) vs. LV
2. Philadelphia Eagles (PHI) at WAS
3. New Orleans Saints (NO) vs. NYJ
4. Buffalo Bills (BUF) at CLE
5. Kansas City Chiefs (KC) at TEN
6. Denver Broncos (DEN) vs. JAC
7. San Francisco 49ers at IND
8. Seattle Seahawks (SEA) vs. LAR
9. Los Angeles Rams (LAR) at SEA
10. Minnesota Vikings (MIN) at NYG
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (JAC) at DEN
12. Green Bay Packers (GB) at CHI
13. New England Patriots (NE) at BAL
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB) at CAR
15. Detroit Lions (DET) vs. PIT
