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As Week 8 arrives, fantasy football managers face the third week of the season with four teams on bye: the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Houston Texans. None of their team defenses are considered high-end options for the week.
This week's rankings highlight some risers, including the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars defenses. There are also a few streaming options based on matchups; for all the details, check out the Start 'Em, Sit 'Em column.
Week 8 Fantasy Defense Rankings
- 1. Los Angeles Rams (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)
- 2. New England Patriots (at Miami Dolphins)
- 3. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Cleveland Browns)
- 4. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Tennessee Titans)
- 5. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Indianapolis Colts)
- 6. Kansas City Chiefs (at Denver Broncos)
- 7. Seattle Seahawks (vs. Chicago Bears)
- 8. Las Vegas Raiders (at New York Jets)
- 9. Minnesota Vikings (at Detroit Lions)
- 10. Atlanta Falcons (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- 11. Washington Commanders (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)
- 12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Atlanta Falcons)
- 13. Green Bay Packers (vs. Carolina Panthers)
- 14. Chicago Bears (at Seattle Seahawks)
- 15. New York Jets (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)
- 16. Detroit Lions (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
- 17. Buffalo Bills (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
- 18. Philadelphia Eagles (at Washington Commanders)
- 19. Cleveland Browns (at Pittsburgh Steelers)
- 20. Denver Broncos (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
- 21. Dallas Cowboys (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
- 22. Carolina Panthers (at Green Bay Packers)
- 23. Baltimore Ravens (at Buffalo Bills)
- 24. Indianapolis Colts (at Jacksonville Jaguars)
- 25. Miami Dolphins (vs. New England Patriots)
- 26. Los Angeles Chargers (at Los Angeles Rams)
- 27. Arizona Cardinals (at Dallas Cowboys)
- 28. Tennessee Titans (at Cincinnati Bengals)
Fantasy managers are advised to check back regularly for updates, especially after the final team injury reports are released later in the week.
Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are essential reading for fantasy players. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network, and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio and the Locked on Dynasty Podcast. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame. Follow him on Twitter at Michael_Fabiano.