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Factoid

Denver Broncos

Tough to argue with league's most consistent pass rush

Drafting a fantasy defense is a tricky proposition. Coaching staffs and players come and go, and schemes change. But when it comes to pass rush, no defense has been more consistent in recent years than Denver.

Over the last five years, the Broncos have 228 sacks -- 11 more than every team but Carolina (230, helped by an outlier 60-sack season in 2013). They're one of just three teams with at least 40 sacks in all five years, and reached 50 sacks in two of those years (the other teams, Green Bay and Minnesota, didn't reach 50 in any of them and combined for just one season over 45).

Denver parted ways with Wade Phillips in the offseason, which is a concern. But note that Phillips was the defensive coordinator in just the last two seasons of Denver's run; not 2012 through 2014, when the Broncos were 5th, 9th and 13th in sacks. The common element in all five seasons wasn't Phillips but Von Miller (double-digit sacks in each of his six seasons but 2013, when he missed seven games).

The Broncos will figure prominently in our preseason defensive rankings again.

NFL SACKS, 2012-2016
Team'12'13'14'15'16Total
Carolina3960404447230
Denver5241415242228
LA Rams5253404131217
Green Bay4744414340215
Minnesota4441414341210
New England3748404934208
Buffalo3657542139207
Arizona3847353648204
Seattle3644373742196
Kansas City2747464728195
Baltimore3740493731194
Tennessee3936393940193
Pittsburgh3734334838190
Houston4432384531190
Cincinnati5143204233189
Philadelphia3037493734187
Miami4242393133187
Chicago4131393537183
Indianapolis3242413533183
NY Jets3041453927182
Washington3236373838181
Detroit3433424226177
Tampa Bay2735363838174
New Orleans3049343130174
San Francisco3838362833173
NY Giants3334472335172
San Diego3835263235166
Jacksonville2031453633165
Cleveland3840312926164
Dallas3434283136163
Oakland2538223825148
Atlanta2932221934136

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index