We all have those league mates who draft the top overall defenses way too early. This should never be you, and you're in a good spot if you're looking at this list.
Here are some great defenses lower on the fantasy football rankings that don't require you to use valuable draft capital.
Who are the best defensive team sleepers for 2025?
Arizona Cardinals (ADP: DST 15)
The Cardinals are going to be a much improved defensive unit in 2025. This seemed to be the focal point of the offseason.
They signed free agent pass-rusher Josh Sweat, who had a career-high eight sacks in 2024. The Cardinals also added DE Dalvin Tomlinson, a run-stopping machine. Tomlinson had the best run-stop win rate in 2024 and the second best in 2023, per ESPN.
The Cardinals used six of their seven picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on defensive players, including notable DT Walter Nolen and CB Will Johnson. Johnson, who was ignored in Round 1 due to injury concerns, has been nothing short of sensational in camp so far and could be the steal of the draft:
Will Johnson has been flat-out DOMINATING the Cardinals WR core.
The Cardinals rookie CB might just claim the role of CB1 by the end of training camp 🔒 pic.twitter.com/rRyZbZ6cLQ
Plus, the NFC West might not be as lopsided against the Cards in those six games.
San Francisco 49ers aren't the juggernaut they used to be. Seattle's offensive line could give up a bunch of sacks. And if QB Matthew Stafford (back) has to miss time, the Rams might be vulnerable.
All of this to pair with the 11th-easiest strength of schedule, accordin to Sharp Football Analysis, combines to make the Cardinals an intriguing fantasy defense in 2025.
2025 DRAFT SLEEPERS: QB | RB | WR | TE
New England Patriots (ADP: DST20)
With Mike Vrabel taking over as head coach of the Patriots, there is some buzz around this defense going into 2025.
They already have some key holdovers that include CB Christian Gonzalez, who earned a second-team All-Pro nod last season.
Then you get to their aggressive free-agent additions. New England added four new defensive starters: DT Milton Williams, CB Carlton Davis III, and a pair of linebackers in Robert Spillane and Harold Landry III.
Milton Williams and Carlton Davis III get most of the attention as upgraded talent added to the Patriots D.
But Robert Spillane has ranked third against the run (91.2 per @PFF) since ‘23.
No easy yards against this team this year 🔥 😤
However, the biggest sell on this unit should be them having the second-easiest strength of schedule in the NFL, including four games against shaky AFC East divisional opponents in the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.
Top undervalued D/ST target
Los Angeles Chargers (DST 22)
The current rank for the Chargers defense is a bit surprising. Last season, LAC gave you a top-10 fantasy finish under Jim Harbaugh in his first season as the head coach.
With Jesse Minter entering Year 2 as defensive coordinator, expect things to be smoother unlike last season. 2024 was not perfect for the Chargers defensive unit. They dropped nine total interceptions and had several games where they gave up 30+ points.
They come into this season with the 15th-ranked strength of schedule and should provide plenty of start-worthy weeks.
D/ST fantasy streamers to draft, watch
In many seasons, a late-rounder becomes appealing merely because of a fantastic Week 1 matchup.
Week 1 Defensive Sleeper: Miami Dolphins (DST25)
The Dolphins get to either take on Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones at QB. This could lead to some sacks and turnovers from the Colts offense, so even if scoring gets out of hand, the defensive stat-padding could even things out.
And if your league's penalty for allowing points doesn't dip into negative points, this is even more enticing. (Also, Miami has the ninth-easiest strength of schedule, per )
More Strength-of-Schedule fantasy D/ST plays
- Atlanta Falcons (DST 27): 4th-easiest SOS)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (DST30): 6th-easiest SOS
- Carolina Panthers (DST29): 7th-easiest SOS
The Dolphins, Falcons, Jags, and Panthers all have two things in common. They don't have the greatest overall defensive units, and they're all in the top-ten easiest strength of schedules.
When it comes to starting a defense in fantasy, doing so on a week-to-week basis dependent on good matchups is the best strategy. All four of these teams will have weeks vs lackluster offenses where they are worthy to start.