Fantasy Football Rankings Week 1: Defense

The 2024 NFL season kicks off this week, and with that, fantasy football managers will be tasked with setting their lineups for the very first time! Love them or hate them, fantasy defenses are a part of the equation in most leagues.

Week 1 is always a particularly intriguing opportunity for fantasy managers to scout defenses around the league. Year over year, roster turnover, coaching changes and more can provide fantasy managers with several sleeper options that emerge as valuable D/ST streamers, and the beginning of that reveal starts now.

[Week 1 Half-PPR Fantasy Rankings: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | FLEX | D/ST | Kickers]

The Cincinnati Bengals D/ST might just end up being a top option to open up the season, with a matchup against the New England Patriots — projected for just four wins this season as they move forward in the post-Bill Belichick era with Jacoby Brissett as their starter. Bengals-Patriots is tied for one of the lowest point totals on the week (40.5), with the Bengals favored by a whopping nine points.

Even if you didn’t manage to snag the Bengals for that juicy Week 1 matchup, there are plenty of options available. Here, our team ranks their top Week 1 defenses, including several streaming options that might just be available on your league’s waiver wire:

Who will you start at D/ST in Week 1?