Editor’s update: We got a defensive stand-off on Thursday Night Football. It featured six sacks between the two teams, and a low scoring affair. With TNF in our rear view mirror, we have struck through the Bengals and Texans to clear up the rankings for you a little bit.
Fantasy football rankings, 2017: Defense/Special Teams for Week 2
Check out our rankings for the top fantasy defenses and special teams for Week 2.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Now that the first full week of NFL football has passed, we can better gauge just how good each team’s defense is.
It may just be one game, but the Oakland Raiders were very impressive going into Tennessee and coming away with a 26-16 win. Their offense gets most of the attention, but it was the defense that stifled the Titans’ potent offense in their own building. That’s a far cry from last year, when Oakland had trouble stopping anyone, finishing with the 10th-worst fantasy defense.
Another defense that had a good road performance was that of the Philadelphia Eagles. They made Washington look like a shell of the top-10 unit they’ve been under Jay Gruden. They scored just 10 offensive points against the Eagles, who scored a defensive touchdown and finished as one of the top fantasy defenses of Week 1.
Who will step up in Week 2? Our rankings for the top 25 defenses and special teams in Week 2 will hopefully answer your questions.
Defense/Special Teams, Week 2
(SK: Scott Kaliska; JG: Jeff Goldberg; DG: Derek Gordon; KB: Kyle Bennett; ZS: Zach Senvisky; JM: Jason Marcum)
D/ST rankings, Week 2
Rk | Consensus | Opp | SK | JG | DG | AW | ZS | JM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | vs. SF | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | @ IND | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Baltimore Ravens | vs. CLE | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Oakland Raiders | vs. NYJ | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 6 | Minnesota Vikings | @ PIT | 17 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 6 |
| 7 | Denver Broncos | vs. DAL | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| 8 | Los Angeles Rams | vs. WAS | 11 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 5 |
| 9 | Jacksonville Jaguars | vs. TEN | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 9 |
| 10 | Carolina Panthers | vs. BUF | 7 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
| 11 | Kansas City Chiefs | vs. PHI | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
| 12 | New York Giants | vs. DET | 8 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 14 | New England Patriots | @ NO | 23 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 13 |
| 15 | Philadelphia Eagles | @ KC | 19 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 14 |
| 16 | Dallas Cowboys | @ DEN | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 6 | 19 |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | @ NYG | 21 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 17 |
| 18 | Atlanta Falcons | vs. GB | 25 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | vs. CHI | 15 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 |
| 20 | Pittsburgh Steelers | vs. MIN | 13 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 20 |
| 21 | Los Angeles Chargers | vs. MIA | 14 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 18 |
| 22 | Buffalo Bills | @ CAR | 22 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 23 |
| 23 | Tennessee Titans | @ JAC | 16 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 22 |
| 24 | Green Bay Packers | @ ATL | -- | 20 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 24 |
| 25 | Miami Dolphins | @ LAC | 24 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 |
| -- | Washington | @ LAR | 20 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
