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As Week 9 of the fantasy football season arrives, managers are reminded that time flies when the games are exciting—or frustrating, as last week may have been. Only two teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans, are on bye this week, leaving fantasy rosters without Pittsburgh's defense, a top unit that must be replaced via streaming.
The NFL's international series continues this week, with the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons meeting at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday.
This week's rankings feature upward movement for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans defenses. Conversely, the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are declining due to recent inconsistent production or unfavorable matchups. Managers should be able to find viable streaming options to replace them; detailed recommendations will be available in the Start 'Em, Sit 'Em column later in the week.
Below are the fantasy team defense rankings for Week 9. Check back regularly for updates, especially after final injury reports are released late in the week.
Week 9 Fantasy Defense Rankings
- 1. Jacksonville Jaguars (at BAL)
- 2. Seattle Seahawks (vs. ARI)
- 3. Houston Texans (at LAC)
- 4. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NYJ)
- 5. Chicago Bears (vs. TB)
- 6. New Orleans Saints (vs. CLE)
- 7. Detroit Lions (at MIA)
- 8. Cincinnati Bengals (at ATL)
- 9. Los Angeles Rams (at WAS)
- 10. Cleveland Browns (at NO)
- 11. Denver Broncos (at CAR)
- 12. New York Giants (at PHI)
- 13. Dallas Cowboys (at IND)
- 14. New England Patriots (vs. GB)
- 15. Green Bay Packers (at NE)
- 16. Buffalo Bills (at MIN)
- 17. Minnesota Vikings (vs. BUF)
- 18. San Francisco 49ers (vs. LV)
- 19. Carolina Panthers (vs. DEN)
- 20. Arizona Cardinals (at SEA)
- 21. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. NYG)
- 22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at CHI)
- 23. Atlanta Falcons (vs. CIN)
- 24. Washington Commanders (vs. LAR)
- 25. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. HOU)
- 26. Indianapolis Colts (vs. DAL)
- 27. Las Vegas Raiders (at SF)
- 28. Baltimore Ravens (vs. JAC)
- 29. New York Jets (at KC)
- 30. Miami Dolphins (vs. DET)
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.