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If you made it to the fantasy football championship round, you have likely gotten solid production out of your D/ST spot. However, defenses are largely matchup-dependent, so use our NFL team's Week 17 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings to identify the top available option for the specific slate. Let's go win that title!
With the critical Week 17 slate ahead, let's waste no more time digging into the rankings to find out where the Colts, Packers, Raiders, Chargers, and Eagles stop unit stand, among others.
Our Week 17 defense (DST) fantasy football rankings are put together by Nick Mariano, Brandon Murchison, Andersen Pickard, and Scott Engel. In addition to our staff rankings, below you will find a summary of this week's important fantasy football injury news.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings (redraft)
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
- 2025 NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
- Best ball fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
Week 17 Defense (D/ST) Fantasy Football News
- Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams Questionable For The Jets Defense
- Marshon Lattimore Ruled Out For Week 17
- Jaycee Horn Doubtful For Panthers Defense
- Dre Greenlaw Won't Play Again In 2024
- Harrison Smith Returns To Practice
- Browns Place Shelby Harris On Injured Reserve
- Bradley Chubb Won't Return This Year
Week 17 Fantasy Football Defense (D/ST) Rankings
Be sure to bookmark our weekly PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, Standard rankings.
| D/ST Tier | D/ST Rank | D/ST Name | Position |
| 1 | 1 | Indianapolis Colts | DST |
| 1 | 2 | Miami Dolphins | DST |
| 1 | 3 | Philadelphia Eagles | DST |
| 1 | 4 | Los Angeles Chargers | DST |
| 2 | 5 | Cleveland Browns | DST |
| 2 | 6 | Buffalo Bills | DST |
| 3 | 7 | Las Vegas Raiders | DST |
| 3 | 8 | Seattle Seahawks | DST |
| 3 | 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | DST |
| 3 | 10 | Tennessee Titans | DST |
| 4 | 11 | Baltimore Ravens | DST |
| 4 | 12 | Jacksonville Jaguars | DST |
| 4 | 13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | DST |
| 4 | 14 | Minnesota Vikings | DST |
| 4 | 15 | Detroit Lions | DST |
| 5 | 16 | New Orleans Saints | DST |
| 5 | 17 | Washington Commanders | DST |
| 5 | 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | DST |
| 5 | 19 | Los Angeles Rams | DST |
| 5 | 20 | Green Bay Packers | DST |
| 5 | 21 | Cincinnati Bengals | DST |
| 6 | 22 | Denver Broncos | DST |
| 6 | 23 | Chicago Bears | DST |
| 6 | 24 | New York Giants | DST |
| 6 | 25 | Arizona Cardinals | DST |
| 6 | 26 | Atlanta Falcons | DST |
| 6 | 27 | New England Patriots | DST |
| 6 | 28 | Dallas Cowboys | DST |
| 6 | 29 | Carolina Panthers | DST |
| 6 | 30 | Houston Texans | DST |
| 6 | 31 | New York Jets | DST |
| 6 | 32 | San Francisco 49ers | DST |
Week 17 Defense Outlooks for Fantasy Football
New Orleans Saints DST - Fantasy Football Outlook
The New Orleans D/ST has offered little fantasy value for the majority of the season. The unit had a decent start to 2024, averaging 11 fantasy points per game over the first three weeks of the season but then didn't have another double-digit effort until Week 14 against the New York Giants. Another weak opponent in Week 17 could make them relevant once again, as the Saints will be facing the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders are scoring just 17.2 points per game this year and have offered up the third-most turnovers and second-most points off of turnovers. Fantasy managers vying for a championship can consider the Saints if they need options at D/ST. Those out of contention can keep them in mind for their consolatory DFS lineups.
- Dan Stephens, RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers DST - Fantasy Football Outlook
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense is coming off a lackluster performance against the Dallas Cowboys last week. This defensive unit allowed backup quarterback Cooper Rush to carve them up for nearly 300 passing yards. The Cowboys put up 26 points as the Bucs secondary really had no answers all night long. The hope is that things get better against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17.
However, the Panthers have been clicking lately on offense and put up 23 points during their last meeting in Week 12. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect an elite performance from this defense. There's certainly worse options for a defense in Week 17, so the Bucs should be ranked as middle of the pack.
- Andy Webb, RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins DST - Fantasy Football Outlook
The Miami Dolphins D/ST has been up and down throughout the 2024 season. At times, they have played down to lower competition but have risen to the occasion against better teams. Regarding fantasy points, they rank as one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They haven't scored more than 10 fantasy points in three weeks.
However, Week 17 presents a matchup with the Cleveland Browns, projected to have rain and heavy winds. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will be the starter, which could mean opportunities for turnovers in the messy conditions. They are a solid start if you want a streaming option for your fantasy football championship. They are the number two defense in the Week 17 RotoBaller rankings.
- Jake Walker, RotoBaller
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