There was nothing particularly surprising about the defenses’ fantasy performances in Week 2. As always, targeting Bryce Young and the Panthers’ offense is a top-notch streaming strategy. It was unusual for Tua Tagovailoa to throw three interceptions to the Bills’ defense (before leaving the field with a concussion), but Buffalo’s 18 fantasy points are nothing special.

A defense that has been consistently dominant in both games this season. The Pittsburgh Steelers held the Falcons to just 10 points in Week 1 and had Bo Nix in a tight spot in Week 2. They seem to be one of the few defenses that can be relied upon week in and week out in fantasy football.

What we learned from the first two weeks of the season was instrumental in developing our Week 3 rankings. Whether you stream a defense every week or play with a unit like the Steelers on an ongoing basis, we’ll have rankings for all 32 defenses for you as we head into Week 3.

WEEK 3 FANTASY PPR RANKINGS
Kickers

Fantasy Football Defense Rankings Week 3: Who should start, who will sit at D/ST?

These rankings are updated throughout the week, so check back often.

Who are the best fantasy defenses in Week 3?

After all the discussion about the Steelers, it’s not exactly surprising to see them as our No. 3 option this week. The Steelers are loaded on defense with talent like TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joey Porter Jr., Cam Heyward and Patrick Queen. They’ll be locked in a battle in the trenches with the Chargers’ offensive line next week. We expect the Steelers to come out on top.

The other big trend from Weeks 1 and 2 carries over to our rankings for Week 3. After a tough game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, the Las Vegas Raiders should be on the waiver list in most leagues. The Raiders will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 3, making them a top streaming option that should be widely available.

The Green Bay Packers have proven that it is possible to contain Anthony Richardson and the Colts offense by preventing the Colts wide receivers from getting free downfield. The Packers defensive backs kept Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell in front of them and held Indianapolis to just 10 points. The Bears face the Colts in Week 3. The Bears have a top-notch cornerback duo in Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson who should be able to keep Richardson’s arm in check.

Waiver Wire Tip: The best new signings for Week 3 at a glance

Who are the best fantasy defense sleepers in Week 3?

The New England Patriots may not have great prospects as a team, but Patriots fans should be happy with the state of their defense. In the first two games of the year, they were able to limit two strong offenses, the Bengals and the Seahawks, to modest results. Aaron Rodgers and the Jets’ slow, methodical offense looked questionable at times and could easily stumble against New England.

As we transition from an offense led by the league’s most experienced quarterback to one led by a quarterback in his second year, we’ll look to target Will Levis this week. The Green Bay Packers have the privilege of playing the Tennessee Titans this week. Tennessee has yet to score 20 points this season and Will Levis looks like a quarterback who could be benched at any time. The Titans are quickly becoming a target for managers tightening up defenses.