The Arizona Cardinals hired former Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks as their new head coach, and he's bringing Panthers linebackers coach Al Holcomb along as his defensive coordinator. Neither are big names, but they've worked together in Carolina for the last five years, and they look like a plus for Arizona's defense -- certainly its fantasy defense.
Entering 2017, only two teams had top-12 fantasy defenses five years running, using a scoring system awarding 1 point for sacks, 2 points for turnovers and 6 for touchdowns. One was Denver, and the other was Arizona. But both of those teams slipped out of the top 15 last season. Now there's only one team that's had a top-12 fantasy defense in each of the last five seasons: Carolina, where Wilks and Holcomb plied their trade.
There's a lot more to do for Wilks to be considered a successful hire for the Cardinals. They've got to find a quarterback, and get the offense on track. But it's a promising situation for the Cardinals fantasy defense to sneak back up into at least being an above-average group.
FANTASY DEFENSE RANKINGS, 2013-2017 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | '13 | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 |
Arizona | 6 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 18t |
Atlanta | 27 | 24 | 28 | 10t | 24t |
Baltimore | 19t | 17 | 24t | 12 | 2 |
Buffalo | 7 | 3 | 23 | 13 | 15 |
Carolina | 5 | 12t | 2 | 7 | 11 |
Chicago | 8t | 22 | 30 | 21t | 9 |
Cincinnati | 4 | 26 | 15 | 26t | 23 |
Cleveland | 16t | 14t | 24t | 31 | 31 |
Dallas | 10 | 14t | 31 | 24t | 17 |
Denver | 12 | 11 | 3 | 5t | 18t |
Detroit | 19t | 12t | 21 | 24t | 4 |
Green Bay | 19t | 4 | 17t | 16 | 16 |
Houston | 32 | 2 | 12 | 21t | 21 |
Indianapolis | 16t | 18t | 10 | 21t | 29 |
Jacksonville | 28 | 18t | 20 | 30 | 1 |
Kansas City | 1 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 12 |
LA Chargers | 31 | 28 | 29 | 4 | 8 |
LA Rams | 3 | 5t | 9 | 29 | 3 |
Miami | 24t | 9 | 27 | 9 | 26 |
Minnesota | 19t | 14t | 7 | 2 | 24t |
New England | 11 | 5t | 14 | 18 | 22 |
New Orleans | 29 | 31 | 22 | 28 | 7 |
NY Giants | 18 | 18t | 11 | 10t | 27 |
NY Jets | 30 | 30 | 17t | 32 | 30 |
Oakland | 19t | 32 | 19 | 15 | 32 |
Philadelphia | 15 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 5 |
Pittsburgh | 26 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 10 |
San Francisco | 8t | 10 | 32 | 26t | 28 |
Seattle | 2 | 18t | 13 | 17 | 6 |
Tampa Bay | 14 | 23 | 16 | 5t | 14 |
Tennessee | 24t | 27 | 24t | 20 | 18t |
Washington | 13 | 29 | 8 | 19 | 13 |
--Andy Richardson