It turned out to be another tough week for some fantasy football managers, with multiple important injuries. And James Cook became a superstar. Now it’s time to look forward, and here are the fantasy football defense and special teams rankings for Week 9 of the 2025 season.
There’s no doubt which defense to target this week. The Los Angeles Chargers have to travel, but they get to play the struggling offense of the Tennessee Titans. They are dead last in the NFL with 248.8 yards per game. And they are prone to mistakes with rookie quarterback Cam Ward throwing an interception in six straight games.
Fantasy Football standouts
The Chargers are coming off a tremendous defensive performance against the Vikings. They ruled the Thursday night game, and have a chance to make it back to back.
Having Khalil Mack back in the game makes a difference. And he said he wants to be on the field more often, according to ocregister.com.
“I love football, I want to play first down, second down, third down, fourth down – all the downs,” Mack said of playing more snaps in more situations Thursday against the Vikings, especially in light of the Chargers’ defensive struggles.. “At this point, we’ve got to be smart about where I’m at. Just trying to be as smart as possible, but I want to win. I want to win football games.”
That should happen this week, and the Chargers should be good for four-plus sacks, one pick, and two turnovers.
Plus, the Chargers are simply playing good football right now, according to chargers.com.
“Love that drive that our team has,” Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “So really happy, really pleased with the way the team responded, the way they played, and it was together when it needed to be. That was something we keep building on. It's not perfect yet, but keep chipping away at it.”
Another good choice is the Los Angeles Rams. They get the Saints at home, and with the way they gave the ball away to the Buccaneers, it could be a fun day for the Rams.
Plus, the Saints may turn to rookie Tyler Shough after Spencer Rattler’s bad performance last week. That could open the door for pick-sixes, strip sacks, and more.
Other standouts
It’s not a bad idea to check out the Lions this week. First, Detroit’s defense has gotten better. They can pressure the quarterback and make plays. Now, add in the fact that they get the shaky Vikings with J.J. McCarthy back behind center.
In his first two games, McCarthy threw 41 passes, and three were picked off with only two touchdown tosses. This may not be a smash spot for the Lions, but opportunities will be there. The Vikings have allowed 28 sacks, third most in the NFL.
Plus, the Lions have a cranked-up Aidan Hutchinson ready to rock, according to Pro Football Focus via lionswire.com.
“To cross-check, Pro Football Focus also has Hutchinson leading the league with 48 total pressures through Week 7,” Jeff Risdon wrote. “In PFF's metrics, Hutchinson is tied for fifth in Pass Rushing Productivity.”
Also, it’s safe to run with the Packers. They have a good matchup at home against the Panthers.
Fantasy Football sleepers
It may be a good week to roll with the 49ers. They get the Giants, who were already short-handed on offense, and now they have to go without Cam Skattebo. This offense still has some bite with Jaxson Dart behind center, but mistakes could be more frequent if he tries to do too much.
Still, Tom Brady likes Dart, according to themirror.com.
“He’s got all those QB1 traits I look for. And I think what I like is all the things that come out of his mouth,” Brady said on FOX NFL Sunday. “I always look at quarterbacks and go, ‘how would I answer that question?’. When I hear Jaxson Dart, especially after last week’s loss at Denver, it was the same way. Taking accountability for mistakes, he also is this competitive kid. He said to me on the call this week, ‘Tom, I’m not into moral victories. So I’ve gotta make better plays, the team’s counting on me.'
But he’s a rookie with limited help. So the 49ers might be able to make things happen.
Depending on your level of risk, the Jaguars could be in play. They get the Raiders, who have struggled to find offensive consistency this season. However, it’s a true sleeper.
Fantasy Football Week 9 Defense Rankings
1. Los Angeles Chargers (LAC) at TEN
2. Los Angeles Rams (LAR) vs. NO
3. Detroit Lions (DET) vs. MIN
4. Green Bay Packers (GB) vs. CAR
5. Denver Broncos (DEN) at HOU
6. San Francisco 49ers (SF) at NYG
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (JAC) at LV
8. New England Patriots (NE) vs. ATL
9. Seattle Seahawks (SEA) at WAS
10. Indianapolis Colts (IND) at PIT
11. New York Giants (NYG) vs. SF
12. Baltimore Ravens (BAL) at MIA
13. Houston Texans (HOU) vs. DEN
14. Chicago Bears (CHI) at CIN
15. Atlanta Falcons (ATL) at NE
