2017 Fantasy Football Defense and Special Teams Projections

2017 NFL Fantasy Football DST Point Projections

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2017 NFL Week 4 Picks and Predictions

**POINT PROJECTIONS ARE VIA ESPN

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2016 Stats: 368.5 YAPG | 19.4 PAPG | 33 takeaways

2016 Fantasy Points: 140 (No. 4 DST)

2017 Projected Fantasy Points: 96.2

While the Chiefs DST isn’t projected to produce the most points this upcoming season compared to the other DSTs on this list, it does possess the highest upside given its opportunistic ways. Last season, Kansas City had the most forced turnovers behind an NFL-best 15 fumble recoveries and a tie with the Chargers and Ravens for the most interceptions with 18.

The biggest X-factor for the Chiefs, however, is their return game. Adding to their already NFL-best 16 defensive touchdowns, kick returner/wide receiver Tyreek Hill was a speed demon that torched opposing special teams who added two more TDs to the Chiefs DST’s credit. Most of the big names are still intact for KC’s D as well; the tandem of Eric Berry and Marcus Peters make for one of the most exciting secondary pairings in the league, while Justin Houston, Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali are still around to headline a stout front seven.

2. Denver Broncos

2016 Stats: 316.1 YAPG | 18.6 PAPG | 27 takeaways

2016 Fantasy Points: 147 (No. 2 DST)

2017 Projected Fantasy Points: 101.4

A middling offense was what prevented Denver from making the playoffs last season and certainly not its defense, as it was also that same D that virtually carried the team to a Super Bowl title two years ago. While the Broncos lost some key pieces in the wake of their championship-winning run, their lynchpins remained in place to have their defense still finish second overall in fantasy points in 2016.

Much of the attention on Denver’s defense goes to standout linebacker Von Miller, but it’s the team’s secondary that’s really its most valuable asset. The trio of Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and T.J. Ward was greatly responsible for the Broncos ending up as best team against the pass, being the only ones to allow less than 3,000 passing yards to the opposition for the entire regular season.

3. Seattle Seahawks

2016 Stats: 318.7 YAPG | 18.3 PAPG | 19 takeaways

2016 Fantasy Points: 113 (No. 9 DST)

2017 Projected Fantasy Points: 109.5

Year in and year out, the Seahawks DST can be counted on as a top-five DST pick. This unit has finished with the least amount of points allowed to opponents in four of the last five seasons, with last year’s run as the only exception (third, which is still superb).

The mid-season loss of stalwart safety Earl Thomas played a huge role in Seattle’s slight decline, but the D still finished within the top 10 in terms of fantasy production at that. There’s also been some unrest coming from star corner Richard Sherman about the Seahawks’ recent play in general. But if you ask us, it’s this competitive fire like Sherman’s that’s really going to keep Seattle’s DST as a solid option regardless and without you having to worry about streaming defenses on a weekly basis at that.

4. Houston Texans

2016 Stats: 301.3 YAPG | 20.5 PAPG | 17 takeaways

2016 Fantasy Points: 102 (No. 12 DST)

2017 Projected Fantasy Points: 101.7

Even with three-time Defensive Player of Year J.J. Watt seeing only three games of action last year before getting injured, the Texans still had one of the more imposing defenses in the NFL. Their D allowed the fewest yards to their opposition last season, in huge part due to the emergence of rookie cornerback A.J. Bouye providing a much-needed boost as well as the improved play of the team’s former first-overall pick in defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

While the departure of Bouye to Jacksonville is quite a blow, the return of a healthy Watt is more than enough of a reason to believe that the Texans DST will regain its dominant form once more this upcoming campaign.

5. Minnesota Vikings

2016 Stats: 314.9 YAPG | 19.2 PAPG | 27 takeaways

2016 Fantasy Points: 157 (No. 1 DST)

2017 Projected Fantasy Points: 103.2

The Vikings jumped out of last season’s gates with a sizzling five-game win streak before sputtering to a mediocre 8-8 record, and they have their defense to thank for their hot start.

Minnesota’s defense held every opponent to under 20 points scored for the first nine weeks, with four of those games having limited its competition to just 10 points apiece. As a matter of fact, the Vikes only allowed three opponents to put up 20 or more points on them the entire season, with one of those instances even resulting into a 30-24 win over the Cardinals in Week 11.

Contrary to the four defenses found here, Minny’s youth is what makes its own D so special. The core of Xavier Rhodes, Everson Griffen and Eric Kendricks has had one full season of working as a fine-tuned machine, which ultimately gives the Purple and Gold’s DST a ton of promise to further improve this 2017 season.

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