Those looking for fantasy defenses in TD-only scoring systems may have a difficult time pinpointing reliable options. There's a lot of year-to-year variance, and few steady performers.
The following table shows points by fantasy Defense/Special Teams units over the past three years; touchdowns and safeties. Only one team, the St. Louis Rams, finished in the top 10 in each of the last three seasons. Only five other teams finished in the top 10 twice in those three years.
So 26 of the league's 32 defenses finished outside the top 10 in TD-only scoring in at least two of the past three years. If this is how your league scores defenses, it's pretty tough to find a desirable option.
Top-10 rankings in the last three years are indicated in bold.
FANTASY DEFENSES, TD-ONLY SCORING (2012-2014) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D/ST | '14 Pts | '13 Pts | '12 Pts | '14 Rk | '13 Rk | '12 Rk | Top 10s |
St. Louis | 30 | 38 | 32 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
Chicago | 12 | 42 | 60 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Denver | 20 | 30 | 52 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
New England | 30 | 18 | 44 | 5 | 18 | 5 | 2 |
Arizona | 30 | 34 | 24 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 2 |
Houston | 38 | 14 | 32 | 3 | 28 | 8 | 2 |
Kansas City | 18 | 66 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 27 | 1 |
Philadelphia | 66 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 26 | 28 | 1 |
Tennessee | 12 | 18 | 56 | 23 | 18 | 2 | 1 |
Minnesota | 30 | 24 | 30 | 5 | 14 | 11 | 1 |
Seattle | 20 | 28 | 36 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 1 |
San Diego | 20 | 6 | 56 | 11 | 31 | 2 | 1 |
Green Bay | 38 | 18 | 24 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 1 |
Dallas | 18 | 36 | 24 | 16 | 5 | 15 | 1 |
Cincinnati | 12 | 42 | 24 | 23 | 2 | 15 | 1 |
Pittsburgh | 44 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 28 | 1 |
Buffalo | 26 | 18 | 26 | 9 | 18 | 14 | 1 |
San Francisco | 18 | 32 | 20 | 16 | 7 | 21 | 1 |
Cleveland | 20 | 30 | 18 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 1 |
Indianapolis | 12 | 16 | 36 | 23 | 26 | 6 | 1 |
Miami | 24 | 14 | 18 | 10 | 28 | 23 | 1 |
Washington | 0 | 30 | 24 | 32 | 8 | 15 | 1 |
NY Jets | 2 | 14 | 32 | 31 | 28 | 8 | 1 |
Tampa Bay | 12 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 17 | 15 | 0 |
Carolina | 18 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 21 | 0 |
Baltimore | 14 | 18 | 30 | 21 | 18 | 11 | 0 |
Atlanta | 18 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 26 | 0 |
Jacksonville | 20 | 18 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 28 | 0 |
Detroit | 14 | 28 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 31 | 0 |
NY Giants | 6 | 18 | 18 | 29 | 18 | 23 | 0 |
Oakland | 12 | 24 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 32 | 0 |
New Orleans | 4 | 0 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 11 | 0 |
--Andy Richardson