You’re sitting there in the 14th round, staring at the draft board, and the big names are gone. The elite quarterbacks are long off the board, and the "sleepers" everyone hyped up on Twitter are already on someone else's roster. This is usually when you see that little slot on your roster labeled D/ST in fantasy football and wonder if it actually matters who you click on.
Honestly? It matters way more than most people think, but probably not for the reasons you’re imagining.
If you’re new to this world, D/ST stands for Defense/Special Teams. Unlike your quarterback or wide receiver, you aren’t drafting a single human being here. You’re drafting an entire unit—every guy on the defensive side of the ball for a specific NFL team, plus the guys who return punts and kicks. When the Ravens' defense sacks a quarterback, you get points. When their punt returner takes one to the house, you get points. It’s a package deal.
Most people treat it as an afterthought. They wait until the very last round, grab the team with the coolest logo, and call it a day. But if you want to actually win your league, you’ve got to understand how this weird, volatile position actually works.
The Mechanics: How D/ST Scoring Actually Works
Look, every league is a little different depending on whether you’re playing on ESPN, Yahoo, or Sleeper, but the core remains the same. You start with a base amount of points—usually 10. As the real-life NFL game progresses, that number goes up or down.
If the defense allows 40 points? Your fantasy score is going to plummet, potentially even going into the negatives. If they pitch a shutout? You’re sitting pretty. But the real meat of the scoring comes from "big plays." We’re talking about sacks, interceptions, fumble recoveries, and the holy grail: the touchdown.
Think about it this way. A sack is usually worth one point. An interception is two. If your D/ST gets four sacks and two picks, that’s 8 points right there, regardless of how many yards they gave up. This is why a "bad" real-life defense that takes a lot of risks can sometimes be a better fantasy asset than a "stout" defense that just prevents yards but never creates turnovers.
Special Teams: The "ST" Part of the Equation
People forget the "ST" constantly. It stands for Special Teams. This means if your chosen team’s return specialist (think of guys like Devin Hester back in the day or Keisean Nixon more recently) scores a touchdown on a kickoff or punt, your D/ST gets those six points.
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It also includes blocks. If a linebacker gets a hand on a field goal attempt? That’s usually two points for you. It’s a chaotic, unpredictable way to score, but it’s often the difference between winning your week by a hair and losing because your opponent's defense lucked into a blocked punt.
Why You Should Probably Stop Drafting a "Top" Defense
Here’s the truth that might hurt: drafting the "best" defense from last year is almost always a trap.
In 2023, the Dallas Cowboys were a fantasy juggernaut. They scored touchdowns at a rate that felt statistically impossible. Because of that, in 2024, people drafted them way too early. But defense is notoriously "sticky"—meaning it’s hard to replicate success from year to year. Personnel changes, defensive coordinators take head coaching jobs elsewhere, and, frankly, luck runs out.
When you use an 8th or 9th round pick on a D/ST, you are passing up on a potential breakout running back or a high-upside wide receiver. You’re paying for last year’s production. Most experts, including the folks over at FantasyPros and 4for4, will tell you that the gap between the #1 ranked defense and the #12 ranked defense isn’t wide enough to justify a high pick.
Instead, you want to look for matchups. This brings us to the most important strategy in all of fantasy football.
The Art of Streaming: Playing the Schedule
Streaming is a term you'll hear a lot. It basically means you don't "marry" a defense. You don't draft one team and keep them all year. Instead, you treat the position like a revolving door.
You look at the schedule. You find the worst offense in the league—maybe a team starting a rookie quarterback who is prone to throwing interceptions, or a team with a decimated offensive line. You go to the waiver wire, pick up whatever defense is playing them that week, and then you drop them the next Tuesday.
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It sounds like a lot of work. It kind of is. But it’s the most effective way to manage D/ST in fantasy football.
Imagine the Philadelphia Eagles are a great defense, but they’re playing against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Even a great defense is likely to get shredded by Mahomes. Meanwhile, a mediocre defense like the Indianapolis Colts might be playing against a backup quarterback in a rainstorm. You play the Colts. Every single time.
Scoring Volatility and the "Floor" vs. "Ceiling" Debate
When you’re setting your lineup, you have to decide what you need.
Are you a heavy favorite to win your matchup? Then you want a "high floor" defense. This is a team that might not get five sacks, but they don't give up many points. They’ll get you a solid 6 to 8 points and won't ruin your week.
Are you a massive underdog? You need a "high ceiling." You want a defense that plays aggressively. Maybe they give up 30 points, but they also blitz on every play. They might get you 15 points through pure chaos, or they might get you -2. If you're projected to lose by 20, you take that risk.
The Impact of Betting Lines
If you want to be a pro at this, start looking at Vegas. Seriously. Look at the "Over/Under" for the game. If the total is set at 37 points, that’s a defensive slugfest. You want a piece of that. If the "Point Spread" shows one team is a 14-point favorite, that’s even better.
Why? Because when a team is losing by a lot, they have to throw the ball. When they throw the ball, the clock stops less, and the defense gets more chances for sacks and interceptions. A blowout is a D/ST’s best friend.
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Common Misconceptions That Kill Your Score
A huge mistake people make is thinking that yards allowed is the most important stat. It’s not.
Most modern fantasy scoring systems have moved away from penalizing yards heavily. In many leagues, a defense can give up 400 yards but still have a great fantasy day because they forced three turnovers and a safety. Don't get blinded by the box score. Look at "Havoc Rate"—how often a defense disrupts the play behind the line of scrimmage.
Another one? "I have the star QB, so I shouldn't play the defense he's facing."
This is called "hedging," and it's generally a bad idea. If you have Josh Allen and he throws for 300 yards and 3 TDs, but also has two fumbles that the opposing D/ST recovers, you can still win with both. Play the best players and the best units regardless of who they are playing against on your own roster. The points don't cancel each other out in a way that helps you win.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Draft
Stop looking at the D/ST rankings from last season. They are lying to you. Instead, follow this blueprint to dominate the position without breaking a sweat:
- Wait until the last two rounds. Do not be the person who drafts a defense in the 10th round. Let your league-mates do that while you stack up on backup running backs who might become starters due to injury.
- Look at the first three weeks of the NFL schedule. When you finally do pick a D/ST in the last round, don't pick the "best" team. Pick the team with the easiest Week 1 and Week 2 matchups.
- Monitor the waiver wire for "dropped" elites. Sometimes, a frustrated owner will drop a top-tier defense because they had one bad game or a tough bye week. If you have the bench space, pounce on them.
- Pay attention to the weather. Late-season games in the snow or heavy wind are gold mines for D/ST scoring. Passing becomes difficult, fumbles become common, and scoring goes down.
- Watch the injury reports for Offensive Linemen. A defense is only as good as the pressure it can create. If a team is missing their starting Left Tackle and Center, even a mediocre D/ST becomes an elite play for that week.
By the time the playoffs roll around, you’ll realize that the points you gained by "streaming" defenses were likely more than the difference between your star receiver's good and bad weeks. It’s the "boring" part of fantasy football, but it’s the secret sauce for anyone who actually wants to take home the trophy. Focus on the matchups, ignore the big names, and play the numbers. It’s not about finding the best defense in the NFL; it’s about finding the best defense for this Sunday.