Fantasy football rankings, Week 3: Defense/Special Teams

Basically, if Indianapolis plays Cincinnati, run away screaming, while if Carolina plays Jacksonville, plant your flag in that one for all that you have.

Seattle’s defense entered the season as everybody’s No. 1 unit, and it wasn’t very close. Through two games, though, the Seahawks have a combined 9 fantasy points out of the unit (10 in Week 1, minus-1 Sunday). Of course, they have played two good offenses so far -- Green Bay and San Diego -- and they get another one in Denver in Week 3. After the team’s Week 4 bye, Seattle goes on to play Washington (maybe a good offense) and Dallas (should be a good offense). The Seahawks don’t go against an obviously bad offense until St. Louis in Week 7, and that’s a road game; their first home game/bad offense mix is Oakland in Week 9. That’s November.

The Seahawks are still the No. 1 D/ST if you’re looking at the rest of the season. At worst, if you really believe in Carolina, they’re No. 2, and even that would feel reactionary. It’s not selling time by any means. But week-to-week, if you drafted Seattle as your defense, burning that relatively early pick, it’s not been great so far, and it might not get great for a bit of time yet.