We’re nearing the midway point of the NFL season, and the Minnesota Vikings (at Chicago) remain at the top. Nothing to see here. Other teams at the top include the usual suspects: Denver (vs. San Diego), Seattle (at New Orleans), New England (at Buffalo), etc.
Fantasy football rankings, 2016: Defense/special teams for Week 8
The SB Nation fantasy team reveals which defense/special teams rank in the top 25 heading into Week 8.
Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
The No. 1 streaming option this week has to be, just like seemingly every other week, the team playing the Cleveland Browns. This week? It’s the New York Jets. Did you know that in ESPN standard scoring leagues, D/STs going up against the Browns have scored double-digit points in all but two weeks? The two weeks they didn’t? Last week (Cincinnati) and in Week 3 (Miami) — the Bengals and Dolphins both scored nine points in those matchups.
From there out, there’s Houston — who somehow continue to be a solid D/ST without JJ Watt — going up against Detroit at home, Cincinnati hosting Washington and Dallas welcoming Philadelphia to Jerry World.
The next sleeper option is Tennessee, who you better pick up early, as it hosts the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football. Jacksonville, like the Browns, have allowed double-digit points in all but two games to opposing D/STs this season. The two exceptions were Green Bay in Week 1 (nine points) and Indianapolis in Week 4 (six points).
Other sleeper options for deeper leagues include Cleveland (yeah, I know) playing the worst defense in fantasy (New York Jets), Washington — who is an average D/ST facing an average road matchup (Cincinnati) — and Chicago (vs. Minnesota) for very, very deep leagues.
Defense/special teams, Week 8
(ZS: Zach Senvisky, JM: Jason Marcum, SK: Scott Kaliska, JG: Jeff Goldberg, KB: Kyle Bennett, DG: Derek Gordon)
| Rk | Consensus | Opp. | ZS | JM | SK | JG | KB | DG |
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings | @ CHI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Denver Broncos | vs. SD | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | New England Patriots | @ BUF | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | New York Jets | @ CLE | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 13 |
| 5 | Tennessee Titans | vs. JAC | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | Seattle Seahawks | @ NO | 12 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 5 |
| 7 | Houston Texans | vs. DET | 13 | 5 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | Cincinnati Bengals | vs. WAS | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 4 |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | @ IND | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
| 10 | Dallas Cowboys | vs. PHI | 10 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 11 | Arizona Cardinals | @ CAR | 8 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 9 |
| 12 | Philadelphia Eagles | @ DAL | 7 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 11 |
| 13 | Jacksonville Jaguars | @ TEN | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 |
| 14 | Carolina Panthers | vs. ARI | 11 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 12 | 18 |
| 15 | Detroit Lions | @ HOU | 18 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | Green Bay Packers | @ ATL | 20 | 16 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| 17 | Atlanta Falcons | vs. GB | 22 | 17 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 17 |
| 18 | Cleveland Browns | vs. NYJ | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 |
| 19 | Oakland Raiders | @ TB | 14 | 22 | 14 | 22 | 20 | 22 |
| 20 | Chicago Bears | vs. MIN | -- | 14 | -- | 14 | 23 | 14 |
| 21 | Buffalo Bills | vs. NE | 24 | 19 | 24 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
| 22 | Washington | @ CIN | 16 | 24 | 16 | 23 | 22 | 24 |
| 23 | Indianapolis Colts | vs. KC | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| 24 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | vs. OAK | 17 | 25 | 17 | -- | -- | 25 |
| 25 | San Diego Chargers | @ DEN | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| 26 | New Orleans Saints | vs. SEA | 25 | -- | 25 | 25 | 25 | -- |
