These 2009 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings will be updated often throughout the summer, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out my other 2009 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2009 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other things.
2009 Fantasy Football Rankings – Defenses:
Last Updated: Sept. 7, 2009
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Pittsburgh Steelers. Bye: 8.
SEPT. 4 UPDATE: Two weeks ago, Stefan Logan wowed Steeler fans by averaging 12 yards per punt return and 39 yards per kickoff (four kickoff returns). On Thursday, Logan took a punt 80 yards to the house. With a dangerous return specialist, the Steelers defense should get a boost in your rankings, though someone will probably take them too early in your league.
AUG. 23 UPDATE: One Steeler who looked really great was return specialist Stefan Logan. Logan averaged 12 yards per punt return and a whopping 39 yards per kickoff return (four kickoff returns). Logan didn’t score, but looked like he was capable of going the distance on every opportunity. Upgrade Pittsburgh’s defense slightly.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: It’s almost a given that the Steelers are going to get 50 sacks every year. It’s also pretty much a lock that Troy Polamalu will score at least once. Being able to beat up on the Ohio teams four times a year is an added bonus.
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Baltimore Ravens. Bye: 7. 
Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard are gone, but the Ravens made improvements in their secondary. Last year, Baltimore picked off 26 passes (Ed Reed had nine interceptions) and took five of them back to the house. You can’t beat that.
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New York Giants. Bye: 10.
The Giants had 42 sacks last year – and that was without Osi Umenyiora. Newly signed Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard will help get to the quarterback as well. All of this pressure will help the secondary force a ton of interceptions and pick-sixes.
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Philadelphia Eagles. Bye: 4.
AUG. 4 UPDATE: As if the Eagles defense didn’t have enough problems with the passing of Jim Johnson, middle linebacker Stewart Bradley is out for the year with an ACL tear. Bradley impacts Philadelphia’s ability to stop the run, but the team should still accumulate tons of sacks and a few kick returns. New defensive coordinator Sean McDermott is a disciple of Johnson’s, and will carry on the same scheme. If anything, Johnson’s passing and Bradley’s injury could allow you to grab this defense in the 12th or 13th rounds of your draft.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Arguably the top fantasy defense in 2009. The Eagles will get about 50 sacks and around 15-20 interceptions this year. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin will have a few touchdown returns as well, making that the tie-breaker between Philadelphia and New York’s defense.
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Minnesota Vikings. Bye: 9.
Thanks to Jared Allen, the Vikings will get about 45-50 sacks this year. Their secondary isn’t as talented as Philadelphia’s, so you won’t see as many interceptions. Percy Harvin’s return ability is an added bonus. The one concern here is that the Williams Wall could miss four games.
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San Diego Chargers. Bye: 5.
The Chargers had a huge dropoff in sacks last year in the wake of Shawne Merriman’s injury. Merriman should be back, but even if his knee doesn’t hold up, Larry English will help the pass rush. Darren Sproles adds value as a great return specialist. Having six easy divisional games makes San Diego’s defense even more lucrative.
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New York Jets. Bye: 9.
Despite the fact that Vernon Gholston did nothing last year, the Jets still managed to register 41 sacks. Bart Scott, Lito Sheppard and Jim Leonhard will all make the defense even more potent. And don’t forget about Leon Washington’s return ability.
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Chicago Bears. Bye: 5.
With Jay Cutler at quarterback, the Bears are going to put up more points. With more leads, they’ll be able to improve upon their sack total (28) of 2008. More sacks equate to more turnovers, so combine that with Chicago’s dynamic special teams, and you have one of the top fantasy defenses in 2009.
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New England Patriots. Bye: 8.
SEPT. 7 UPDATE: Richard Seymour is gone, and so are about 6-8 sacks from this defense’s total. New England still plays in a soft division and will be able to create lots of turnovers in blowouts though, so don’t give up on them.
AUG. 7 UPDATE: The Patriots acquired Derrick Burgess from the Raiders. Burgess is past his prime and injury-prone, but he’s definitely an upgrade over what New England had across from Adalius Thomas. The Patriots will get a few more sacks than I originally projected, and should dominate a relatively weak AFC East.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: The Patriots for some reason eschewed drafting a pass-rusher in the 2009 NFL Draft, which was their biggest need. Unless they trade for Julius Peppers or Derrick Burgess, they won’t get more than 35 sacks this year. However, as long as Tom Brady is healthy, they’ll get a lot of turnovers in blowouts.
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Washington Redskins. Bye: 8. 
Albert Haynesworth’s presence inside is going to open up one-on-one matchups for Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo. Washington’s talented secondary will be licking its chops.
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Seattle Seahawks. Bye: 7.
With the trade for Cory Redding, drafting of Aaron Curry, maturation of Lawrence Jackson, and health of Matt Hasselbeck and his receivers, the Seahawks will get a lot of sacks in 2009. They’ll also be ahead a lot, so they’ll create turnovers that way.
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Green Bay Packers. Bye: 5.
I was down on the Packers before the preseason, but it looks like they’ve made a nice transition to the 3-4. They’ll get a good amount of turnovers again.
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Oakland Raiders. Bye: 9.
SEPT. 7 UPDATE: The Raiders have acquired Richard Seymour for a 2011 first-round pick. Oakland doesn’t suddenly have a dominant defense, but it’s good enough to own in fantasy leagues, as the special teams are more than capable of returning a few touchdowns this year. Also remember that the Raiders have four easy games against the Chiefs and Broncos’ sorry offenses. I’m not fully confident Oakland is smart enough to know how to use Seymour, so that’s holding me back a bit.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: The Raiders will get some punt and kick returns from Johnnie Lee Higgins. Trevor Scott has a shot at getting double-digit sacks, which could open up some interceptions for the Raiders. This is a solid defense worth starting in certain spots.
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Dallas Cowboys. Bye: 6.
The Cowboys totaled a grand total of 59 sacks last year. With less leads and tougher divisional opponents, it’ll be tough for them to get 50-plus sacks again. However, Felix Jones has the potential to take at least one kick return to the house.
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Indianapolis Colts. Bye: 6.
You’d love to have Bob Sanders for a full season, but that’s not realistic. I’m not convinced the Colts have fixed their run defense, so being in third-and-short won’t allow them to get too many sacks. Of course, they’ll blow a number of teams out, so they’ll get turnovers that way.
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Tennessee Titans. Bye: 7. 
I have Tennessee’s defense a lot lower than other rankings. Then of course, I’m not underestimating the loss of Albert Haynesworth like the other rankings are. The Titans had 44 sacks, 20 interceptions and three pick-sixes last year, but you’ll see those numbers drop dramatically now that Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse won’t have the luxury of constant one-on-one matchups.
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Houston Texans. Bye: 10.
Very underrated. Mario Williams, Antonio Smith, Connor Barwin and Amobi Okoye are going to wreak havoc upon quarterbacks. Brian Cushing and Cato June add more depth and talent to the linebacking corps. And Houston’s prolific offense will build leads and consequently force turnovers. As an added bonus, Jacoby Jones returned two punts for touchdowns last year.
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Arizona Cardinals. Bye: 4.
Worth using in spot starts against the Rams and other crappy teams. Arizona should be good for about 35 sacks, 15 picks and a return touchdown this year.
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Carolina Panthers. Bye: 4.
AUG. 24 UPDATE: Downgrade Carolina’s defense a bit; stud linebacker Jon Beason suffered a sprained MCL and will be out for about a month. The Panthers are already missing one of their starting defensive tackles, so they’re going to be soft up the middle.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Panthers defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu is out for the year. Carolina was already pretty thin up front, so this really complicates matters. Avoid Carolina’s defense unless you’re in a really deep league.
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New Orleans Saints. Bye: 5.
Reggie Bush is good for a couple punt return touchdowns each season. Charles Grant and Will Smith will have to do a better job of getting to the quarterback in 2009. What helps New Orleans’ fantasy defense is the fact that the Saints will blow a couple of teams out this year. Desperate quarterbacks will throw interceptions and commit fumbles.
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Atlanta Falcons. Bye: 4.
John Abraham had 16 sacks last year, but had no help from anyone else up front. Peria Jerry should help, and maybe Jamaal Anderson finally steps up. Unfortunately, the secondary as a whole is young and unproven, so they won’t be getting too many interceptions.
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Buffalo Bills. Bye: 9.
Buffalo tends to get multiple special teams touchdowns every year. The problem is that the Bills will once again struggle to pressure the quarterback. Aaron Maybin is not ready to be much of a factor in the NFL.
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Miami Dolphins. Bye: 6.
Geriatric rush linebackers Joey Porter and Jason Taylor won’t help Miami improve upon its sack total of 40. Taylor’s pretty much done, while I seriously doubt Porter even comes close to matching last year’s 18 sacks. Without a pass rush, Miami’s turnovers will decrease.
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Jacksonville Jaguars. Bye: 7.
The Jaguars struggled with quarterback pressure last year, but they should be able to get more than 29 sacks in 2009, as Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves will have more experience under their belts. Brian Witherspoon should be able to take one kickoff or punt to the house.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bye: 8.
The Buccaneers will get some sacks from Gaines Adams, and Clifton Smith has proven to be a very good return specialist. However, Tampa Bay’s defense is not nearly as talented as it used to be. It should not be on any fantasy teams.
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Cleveland Browns. Bye: 9.
Josh Cribbs saves this truly pathetic fantasy defense from being at the bottom of the list. Still not worth owning though.
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St. Louis Rams. Bye: 9.
I’m expecting a big year out of Chris Long. Unfortunately, Long doesn’t really have much proven help around him. The Rams will be much better in 2010.
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Detroit Lions. Bye: 7.
Cliff Avril might have a chance at double-digit sacks this year, but the Lions are going to be behind often, which means a limited opportunity for turnovers.
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Cincinnati Bengals. Bye: 8.
As a whole, Cincinnati’s defense is pretty solid. Their downfall is getting pressure on the quarterback, which is huge in fantasy football. Look elsewhere.
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San Francisco 49ers. Bye: 6.
The 49ers have an old secondary and a mediocre pass rush. Allen Rossum will be 34 in October, so the chances that he gets a touchdown on special teams has decreased.
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Kansas City Chiefs. Bye: 8.
Thanks to foolish drafting and offseason moves by Scott Pioli, the Chiefs will once again struggle mightily to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
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Denver Broncos. Bye: 7.
Josh McDaniels ruined Denver’s offense and did nothing to improve its defense. He should be arrested and charged for ineptitude.
More 2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football: Home
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2010 Fantasy Football Playoff Rankings - 1/5 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Week 17 Fantasy Rankings - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 6/6 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 7/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 7/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 7/20 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/10 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/11 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Auction Values - 9/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Linemen - 8/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Linebackers - 8/7 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Backs - 8/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Team-by-Team - 6/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Dynasty Rookie Rankings - 4/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Rookie Rankings - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Traditional - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 PPR - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Touchdown League - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Downloadable Spreadsheets - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: WF.com Free League - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Traditional Draft - 9/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/26 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/18 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Experts PPR Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Experts Mock Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Pros vs. Joes - 7/28 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR Draft with AKA - 7/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Mocking ESPN's Fantasy Mock Draft - 7/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: The Four-Man PPR Fantasy Draft - 7/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 17 - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Start Em, Sit Em - 12/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Add/Drop - 12/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Stock Index - Week 8 - 10/29 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football Buffet: Week 8 - 10/28 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Stock - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: High-Upside Late-Round Sleepers - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Top 12 Players to Avoid - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Undervalued Players - 8/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Buy Low - 8/6 (Walt)
ESPN's 2010 Fantasy Football Magazine Errors - 8/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Defense Strategy - 8/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: My Round-by-Round Strategy - 7/27 (Walt)
Lack of 2010 Fantasy Depth: Blame the 2008 NFL Draft Class - 7/26 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Why You Should Pass on Chris Johnson - 7/14 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Draft Strategies - 7/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Scarcity - 6/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Late-Round) - 6/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Mid-Round) - 6/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Busts - 5/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 5/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks with New Receivers - 5/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Up - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Down - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Up - 4/15 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Down - 4/12 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 4/10 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Dec. 11
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11
NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
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