NFL defense vs position rankings 2026-27

Fantasy points allowed to running backs by every NFL defense · Updated recently

Build NFL lineups against these matchups Best NFL lineup Mon, Oct 19: 173.3 pts on DraftKings by applesauce 281 · Every scored slate
Softest vs RB New Orleans Saints NO 27.5 New York Jets NYJ 27.2 Buffalo Bills BUF 25.8
Toughest Jacksonville Jaguars JAX 17.6 Minnesota Vikings MIN 17.8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB 18.9
●Elite matchup ●Good ●Average ●Tough ●Avoid
Points allowed Windows Per game allowed
Rank Team This week DK FPA FD FPA vs avg 2025-26 2026-27 Last 4 Rush Yds Rush TD Targets Rec Rec Yds Trend
1
Jacksonville JaguarsJAX
 Bye
17.6
 15.0
-4.7
18.4 17.3 17.0 57.1 0.50 6.5 5.1 34.6
2
Minnesota VikingsMIN
vs IND Jonathan Taylor 17.9
17.8
 15.3
-4.5
20.4 15.1 17.2 87.2 0.56 4.4 3.3 19.6
3
Tampa Bay BuccaneersTB
@ CAR Chuba Hubbard 17.2
18.9
 16.1
-3.4
23.0 17.2 16.0 71.2 0.38 5.9 4.8 40.9
4
Kansas City ChiefsKC
@ SEA Emanuel Wilson 11.6
19.5
 17.0
-2.8
19.4 18.7 20.5 74.1 0.58 5.6 4.5 32.8
5
Chicago BearsCHI
vs NE Rhamondre Stevenson 11.8
19.6
 17.3
-2.7
21.8 19.2 17.8 80.8 0.48 4.7 3.9 31.2
6
Cleveland BrownsCLE
@ TEN Tony Pollard 12.4
19.6
 16.9
-2.7
22.2 16.8 16.8 98.3 0.44 5.3 3.9 22.3
7
Detroit LionsDET
vs GB Josh Jacobs 12.8
19.9
 17.3
-2.4
19.7 19.9 18.6 88.9 0.77 4.5 3.4 19.5
8
Pittsburgh SteelersPIT
@ NO Kendre Miller 9.5
19.9
 17.1
-2.4
20.2 21.2 17.4 90.3 0.40 5.8 4.5 31.7
9
Baltimore RavensBAL
vs CIN Chase Brown 16.1
20.0
 17.6
-2.3
23.4 18.7 17.6 80.3 0.73 6.0 4.6 25.5
10
New England PatriotsNE
@ CHI D'Andre Swift 17.1
20.2
 17.6
-2.1
19.6 20.0 20.4 81.8 0.66 5.3 4.4 31.2
11
Houston TexansHOU
vs NYG Cam Skattebo 8.7
20.3
 17.7
-2.0
19.9 19.1 22.4 75.1 0.62 5.6 4.5 27.1
12
Tennessee TitansTEN
vs CLE Quinshon Judkins 11.4
20.3
 18.3
-2.0
22.0 20.6 19.3 92.6 0.72 4.3 3.3 31.2
13
Denver BroncosDEN
@ ARI Tyler Allgeier 10.3
20.4
 18.3
-1.9
17.2 24.3 20.5 88.3 0.67 5.5 3.7 24.3
14
Los Angeles RamsLA
@ LV Ashton Jeanty 16.6
21.5
 18.5
-0.8
20.8 20.3 22.3 93.1 0.41 6.1 4.6 41.8
15
Seattle SeahawksSEA
vs KC Kenneth Walker III 16.9
21.5
 18.7
-0.8
18.7 22.5 25.1 79.1 0.59 6.4 5.3 31.0
16
Indianapolis ColtsIND
@ MIN Aaron Jones Sr. 11.1
22.2
 19.4
-0.1
20.5 25.4 19.6 87.9 0.71 5.0 3.6 35.2
17
Philadelphia EaglesPHI
vs DAL Javonte Williams 15.4
22.4
 19.8
+0.1
23.8 21.0 22.4 101.0 0.71 5.6 3.9 30.0
18
Cincinnati BengalsCIN
@ BAL Derrick Henry 17.6
22.9
 20.0
+0.6
29.4 19.4 18.2 97.3 0.62 4.8 4.0 35.0
19
Los Angeles ChargersLAC
 Bye
23.1
 20.3
+0.8
19.1 24.7 28.7 99.6 0.92 5.2 3.6 25.5
20
New York GiantsNYG
@ HOU Woody Marks 18.0
23.2
 20.7
+0.9
26.7 22.0 20.0 109.9 0.65 4.6 3.8 23.8
21
Atlanta FalconsATL
vs SF Christian McCaffrey 25.5
23.3
 20.2
+1.0
22.0 23.6 27.5 87.0 0.78 6.8 4.8 32.7
22
Washington CommandersWAS
 Bye
23.7
 20.6
+1.4
26.8 19.0 23.5 96.6 0.90 6.2 4.4 33.8
23
San Francisco 49ersSF
@ ATL Bijan Robinson 23.7
24.2
 20.4
+1.9
24.0 23.3 25.3 82.8 0.49 7.6 6.9 42.6
24
Carolina PanthersCAR
vs TB Bucky Irving 14.5
24.3
 21.2
+2.0
24.8 26.6 18.6 98.5 0.96 5.8 4.6 31.1
25
Dallas CowboysDAL
@ PHI Saquon Barkley 14.2
24.4
 21.5
+2.1
26.0 23.8 23.1 98.2 0.90 4.9 4.0 30.4
26
Las Vegas RaidersLV
vs LA Kyren Williams 20.1
25.0
 22.3
+2.7
23.1 24.6 28.4 113.0 0.91 4.9 4.3 34.7
27
Arizona CardinalsARI
vs DEN J.K. Dobbins 11.3
25.1
 22.3
+2.8
27.0 21.4 25.1 111.7 0.83 5.0 3.7 32.1
28
Miami DolphinsMIA
@ NYJ Braelon Allen 15.1
25.5
 22.4
+3.2
25.5 26.9 23.7 99.5 0.69 5.5 4.6 33.9
29
Green Bay PackersGB
@ DET Jahmyr Gibbs 28.5
25.6
 23.0
+3.3
22.0 26.7 28.6 99.8 1.21 5.2 4.1 29.7
30
Buffalo BillsBUF
 Bye
25.8
 23.0
+3.5
24.9 27.3 25.9 91.9 0.99 6.9 4.9 34.5
31
New York JetsNYJ
vs MIA Ollie Gordon II 11.2
27.2
 24.2
+4.9
28.7 22.9 28.1 114.1 0.92 4.9 3.9 30.8
32
New Orleans SaintsNO
vs PIT Jaylen Warren 17.6
27.5
 24.3
+5.2
21.5 31.7 32.1 110.2 1.38 4.1 3.5 26.9
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About these rankings

How the ratings work

FPA (Fantasy Points Allowed)

Every player game is scored with official DraftKings and FanDuel scoring (including DK yardage bonuses), then the position group is totaled per game. Higher FPA means a softer defense to target.

Season Blend

Ratings blend this season's games (season-to-date plus a last-4-games moving average) with the 2025-26 baseline. The current season takes over quickly: after 4 games the blend is 50/50, and by midseason it is mostly 2026-27 data.

Moving Averages

The 2025-26/G, 2026-27/G, and L4 columns show the raw windows feeding the rating, so you can see exactly why a defense ranks where it does.

Who They Faced

Open any row (the arrow at its end, or hover the team name on a desktop) for the defense's last five games against running backs: the opponent, the players who faced them, and the DraftKings and FanDuel points each one scored, from the same box scores the optimizer grades with. The This week column names the next opponent and its top projected RB, linked to that team's props board.

vs Average and Trend

vs Avg compares a defense to the league mean for the position (22.3 FPA for RBs). The trend arrow flags defenses drifting softer or tougher over their last four games.

Questions

What is NFL Defense vs Position (DvP)?

Defense vs Position measures how many fantasy points and raw stats each NFL defense allows to a specific position (QB, RB, WR, TE). It is built from real box scores: every player at that position who faced the defense, summed per game and averaged.

How are fantasy points allowed calculated?

We score every player game with official DraftKings and FanDuel scoring, including DraftKings 100-yard and 300-yard bonuses, then total the position group per game. FPA is the per-game average of those totals.

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to quarterbacks?

Current softest matchups for QBs: Detroit Lions (25.6 FPA), Dallas Cowboys (22.4 FPA), Washington Commanders (22.3 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to running backs?

Current softest matchups for RBs: New Orleans Saints (27.5 FPA), New York Jets (27.2 FPA), Buffalo Bills (25.8 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to wide receivers?

Current softest matchups for WRs: Detroit Lions (39.3 FPA), Dallas Cowboys (39.1 FPA), Atlanta Falcons (38.1 FPA).

How is this different early in the season?

Ratings blend this season's games (season-to-date plus a last-4-games moving average) with the 2025-26 baseline. The current season takes over quickly: after 4 games the blend is 50/50, and by midseason it is mostly 2026-27 data.

Put these matchups to work

Pair the softest defenses with our NFL weekly projections, attack them in the DFS lineup optimizer, or shop the numbers on the player props board. Check the weekly schedule to see who draws each matchup next.