Defense/special teams rankings for Wild Card Round fantasy football

The 2025 NFL Playoffs have arrived and the Wild Card round will get things underway for 12 of the 14 teams. The Chiefs and Lions get the week off by virtue of being the No. 1 seeds, but the remaining teams will compete for six spots in the Divisional Round.

Fantasy football does not go away just because the regular season is over. Daily fantasy football will provide options every day of the playoffs, and you can also look into best ball and elimination fantasy options for the length of the playoffs. All will likely require you to pick a defense/special teams unit, and so it’s time to rank out the 12 D/STs playing in the Wild Card round.

The top nine defenses in DVOA reached the playoffs this season, and eight of them will be in action this weekend. The top seven fantasy scoring defenses and ten of the top eleven will all be in action this weekend. The Broncos led all fantasy defenses in scoring this season, but they face a brutal opening round matchup as they travel to face Josh Allen and the Bills. The top three scoring defenses (Broncos, Vikings, Packers) all have to travel on the road. The Texans are the highest scoring team playing at home when they host the Chargers.

You’re unlikely to find clear quality matchups in the playoffs given how good the teams are that have advanced. However, the D/ST position can be one for rolling the dice on either an upset or just an overly poor performance. For example, the Rams are in the bottom half of pricing and face a prolific Vikings offense. While the Rams might give up some big yardage numbers, what about rolling the dice on Sam Darnold turning into a pumpkin?

The Commanders-Buccaneers matchup offers two defenses worth considering if you’re thinking of potential upside. This game could be a shootout, but both quarterbacks could provide some opportunities to their respective opposing defense. Jayden Daniels has done well this season, but he is still a rookie and Kliff Kingsbury isn’t exactly known for long-term success. Maybe Daniels turns the ball over more than he has to date. Baker Mayfield has had a great season, but he can still be turnover prone. If you think the Commanders can spring the upset, it will likely come due in part to a poor performance from Mayfield.