We are back. The NFL season starts Aug. 4 with the Cowboys taking on the reigning Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles.
With the NFL season starting, this also means the beginning of fantasy football. Managers face several challenges in Week 1.
There is overall a lack of data to back up any sort of start/sit decision, as well as a sample size of zero games.
Everybody is focused on the offensive players when it comes to fantasy, but defenses can have big weeks, too.
Identifying favorable matchups as the season goes on gets easier. However, here are our Week 1 D/ST rankings, best starts and sleepers, and some matchups to avoid.
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Fantasy Football Defense Rankings Week 1: Who to start, sit at D/ST
| Rk | Team Defense | OPP |
| 1 | Denver Broncos | TEN |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | @NO |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | @NYJ |
| 4 | New York Jets | PIT |
| 5 | Washington Commanders | NYG |
| 6 | Chicago Bears | MIN |
| 7 | Minnesota Vikings | @CHI |
| 8 | New England Patriots | LV |
| 9 | San Francisco 49ers | @SEA |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | @CLE |
| 11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | @ATL |
| 12 | Detroit Lions | @GB |
| 13 | Kansas City Chiefs | vs. LAC |
| 14 | Houston Texans | @LAR |
| 15 | Green Bay Packers | DET |
| 16 | Philadelphia Eagles | DAL |
| 17 | Seattle Seahawks | SF |
| 18 | Los Angeles Rams | HOU |
| 19 | Los Angeles Chargers | KC |
| 20 | Miami Dolphins | @IND |
| 21 | Jacksonville Jaguars | CAR |
| 22 | Las Vegas Raiders | @NE |
| 23 | Carolina Panthers | @JAX |
| 24 | Atlanta Falcons | TB |
| 25 | New Orleans Saints | ARI |
| 26 | Cleveland Browns | CIN |
| 27 | Indianapolis Colts | MIA |
| 28 | Baltimore Ravens | @BUF |
| 29 | Buffalo Bills | BAL |
| 30 | Tennessee Titans | @DEN |
| 31 | New York Giants | @WAS |
| 32 | Dallas Cowboys | @PHI |
Go here for our full group of fantasy football weekly rankings.
Who are the best fantasy defenses in Week 1?
The only thing we can base our defensive projections on is last season. We can target poor offenses from last year, but there is a good chance it's still just a guess.
A great thing to look at for Week 1 is who is starting at QB with the opposition. There are a few archetypes to target, such as young or inexperienced QBs. These QBs will be figuring things out, and there are bound to be mistakes along the way.
With this in mind, some of the D/STs that stand out in Week 1 are the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
- The Broncos face Cam Ward, who could be great once he adjusts, but balling Week 1 as a rookie QB is a tough ask. Not to mention, Denver is the best defense in the NFL.
- The Bucs get Michael Penix, and the Cardinals get Spencer Rattler -- both second-year QBs with not a lot of experience.
Read our Week 1 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for more D/ST fantasy lineup tips.
Who are the best fantasy defense sleepers in Week 1?
For some sleepers, D/STs that take a QB with more than enough experience, but are in a new system, can provide solid production as well. Just like the younger QBs and rookies, these vets will be working through some mistakes, trying to figure out their new coaches and schemes.
Names like Geno Smith, Aaron Rodgers, and Daniel Jones immediately come to mind. The New England Patriots, who face the Raiders, and the New York Jets, who face the Steelers, could be viable starts in Week 1.
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Defenses to avoid in Week 1 of fantasy football
It's best to avoid those games that could get out of hand offensively. Even if the defenses as a whole are solid units, if each team has dynamic offenses, the game can quickly turn into a shootout.
These matchups include the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills vs. the Baltimore Ravens, and the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Dallas Cowboys.
This is not to say these defenses can't provide value throughout the season, but in general, it's best to start a D/ST in fantasy on a week-to-week basis.