Fantasy Football Conference Championship Round Defense Rankings

This deep into the NFL playoffs, there are essentially no good options left for fantasy football defenses. I always say that fantasy defense scoring is much more about the offense you face than anything else, and all four of the remaining offenses are elite. That’s not ideal, but sometimes you have to make do with what’s available. With that in mind, here are my rankings of the four D/ST options for the Conference Championships. 

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Conference Championship Fantasy Football Defense Rankings

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles’ defense is clearly the best option this week … and even they aren’t a great option. Jayden Daniels was incredible at avoiding mistakes this season, not just for a rookie quarterback, but for any quarterback. He ranked third-best among qualified QBs with just a 1.7% turnover-worthy-play rate. However, his 8.9% sack rate was above average, and the Eagles' pass rush is ferocious. 

In fact, the Eagles’ defense was dominant, especially over the second half of the season. They only gave up over 30 points once all season (although that was to these same Commanders) and led the league in EPA per play allowed from Week 10 onward by a massive margin. Their run-heavy offense against Washington’s weak defense should also help Philadelphia’s defense to limit the damage even if they do struggle to contain Daniels. At the end of the day, Washington’s 20.5-point team total is easily the lowest on this slate, and that is enough for the Eagles’ defense to be the top option.

2. Washington Commanders

I’m going against consensus here, as most places have the Commanders’ defense ranked as the worst option of these four. This makes sense, as Washington’s defense is easily the worst unit remaining in the playoffs. Each of the other three teams ranked above-average in EPA per play allowed, while Washington was all the way down at 22nd in the league. 

However, I always stress that defensive fantasy scoring is all about matchup, and Washington’s matchup with the Eagles has more positives than you might expect. Saquon Barkley is a nightmare for any defense, and the Commanders’ run defense is particularly weak. But if (and I know this is a big IF) the Eagles are forced to drop back, things could turn in Washington’s favor. Jalen Hurts leads the quarterbacks remaining in the playoffs in both turnover-worthy-play rate (3.4%) and sack rate (9.5%). That second number isn’t just bad for a Conference Championship QB: It ranked sixth-worst among all qualified QBs for the season. Especially with both Hurts and Cam Jurgens, the Eagles’ Pro Bowl center, banged up, I can at least see a world where Washington racks up some sacks en route to a solid finish this week. 

3. Buffalo Bills

You never want to start a defense against Patrick Mahomes, and that is doubly true in the playoffs. With that said, the Chiefs’ offense was more methodical and consistent than hugely explosive this season. Even if the Bills lose this game, they’re not likely to give up a massive number of points. Buffalo’s defense, although they are now dealing with some injuries, was also a solidly above-average unit this season, ranking 12th-best in both points allowed and EPA per play against. Meanwhile, Mahomes’ 5.8% sack rate is better than the average, but at least it’s not as low as Josh Allen’s pristine 2.8%. That’s at least something we can hang our hats on.  

4. Kansas City Chiefs

There’s absolutely nothing to like about this spot for the Chiefs. Their defense was decent this season but not elite. Although they gave up the fourth-fewest points per game, they ranked just 15th in EPA per play allowed. Meanwhile, no one avoided mistakes better than Josh Allen. His aforementioned sack rate was the second-best among qualified quarterbacks (shoutout to the perenially underrated Derek Carr at No. 1), and he also had the 10th-lowest turnover-worthy-play rate in the league. The Bills’ rushing offense is also much more threatening than the Chiefs’, and their offense as a whole was much more explosive. With that in mind, Kansas City is my least favorite defense for this week, even though they are slightly favored to beat the Bills at home on Sunday.  

Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasySP. Find him on Twitter @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.