NFL Defense vs Position Rankings 2020-21

Fantasy points allowed to running backs by every NFL defense • Final season

Completed 2020-21 season: every column is that season's real per-game average, with no blending or projection.
QB RB WR TE
●Elite Matchup (Target)
●Good Matchup
●Average
●Tough
●Avoid

Best RB Matchups (Most Points Allowed)

#32 New Orleans Saints 16.7 FPA
#31 Washington Commanders 18.1 FPA
#30 Pittsburgh Steelers 19.2 FPA

Toughest RB Matchups (Fewest Points Allowed)

#1 Houston Texans 33.6 FPA
#2 Detroit Lions 32.5 FPA
#3 Jacksonville Jaguars 30.8 FPA
Rank Team DK FPA FD FPA vs Avg 2019-20/G 2020-21/G L4 Rush Yds Rush TD Targets Rec Rec Yds Trend
1
Houston TexansHOU
33.6
 29.3
+9.8
28.3 33.6 35.9 145.6 1.31 6.6 5.0 45.1
2
Detroit LionsDET
32.5
 29.5
+8.7
28.2 32.5 31.0 114.1 1.19 6.4 4.8 45.4
3
Jacksonville JaguarsJAX
30.8
 26.9
+7.0
30.3 30.8 37.7 126.9 1.06 6.6 5.5 43.4
4
Las Vegas RaidersLV
29.2
 25.9
+5.4
— 29.2 31.5 106.2 1.12 7.4 5.4 41.9
5
Minnesota VikingsMIN
27.2
 23.7
+3.4
23.2 27.2 38.6 112.5 1.12 6.4 4.8 30.8
6
Green Bay PackersGB
27.1
 23.5
+3.3
26.9 27.1 18.8 90.0 0.88 6.4 5.2 45.2
7
Tennessee TitansTEN
26.3
 23.1
+2.5
26.0 26.3 27.4 99.5 0.94 6.1 4.7 37.1
8
Carolina PanthersCAR
26.2
 22.1
+2.4
30.6 26.2 25.2 103.4 0.69 7.2 5.9 39.4
9
Cincinnati BengalsCIN
25.5
 22.8
+1.7
26.6 25.5 30.6 125.8 0.69 5.1 3.8 28.1
10
Kansas City ChiefsKC
25.5
 22.2
+1.7
29.2 25.5 30.5 101.1 0.44 7.1 5.5 49.8
11
New York GiantsNYG
24.8
 21.7
+1.0
25.3 24.8 24.4 87.0 0.69 7.7 5.7 46.4
12
Dallas CowboysDAL
24.5
 21.7
+0.7
23.5 24.5 18.0 126.9 0.94 4.7 3.4 20.4
13
Denver BroncosDEN
24.4
 21.3
+0.6
21.8 24.4 25.7 100.2 0.88 6.2 4.6 31.1
14
New York JetsNYJ
24.4
 21.2
+0.6
21.4 24.4 26.0 90.5 0.69 7.7 5.9 42.1
15
Los Angeles ChargersLAC
23.8
 20.5
0.0
26.6 23.8 20.6 95.0 0.56 6.9 5.5 35.4
16
Buffalo BillsBUF
23.7
 20.6
-0.1
23.6 23.7 22.6 96.6 0.88 6.1 4.6 34.9
17
Seattle SeahawksSEA
23.5
 20.3
-0.3
25.2 23.5 19.5 73.8 0.81 7.0 5.4 38.5
18
New England PatriotsNE
23.1
 20.2
-0.7
16.2 23.1 26.5 108.6 0.69 5.6 4.2 27.9
19
Baltimore RavensBAL
22.3
 19.0
-1.5
19.7 22.3 24.5 88.9 0.44 6.6 4.9 36.9
20
Indianapolis ColtsIND
22.3
 19.0
-1.5
22.3 22.3 21.1 72.8 0.62 6.6 5.3 37.1
21
Arizona CardinalsARI
22.0
 19.6
-1.8
24.9 22.0 20.4 94.6 0.62 5.6 3.9 34.6
22
Philadelphia EaglesPHI
21.7
 19.0
-2.1
20.7 21.7 21.9 87.1 0.81 5.6 4.2 30.4
23
Miami DolphinsMIA
21.4
 19.1
-2.4
27.5 21.4 19.8 91.2 0.56 5.6 4.6 36.8
24
Chicago BearsCHI
21.1
 18.5
-2.7
24.6 21.1 21.1 96.6 0.69 5.6 4.1 30.2
25
Cleveland BrownsCLE
20.9
 18.1
-2.9
26.7 20.9 17.9 82.2 0.75 5.2 4.1 31.4
26
Atlanta FalconsATL
20.8
 17.9
-3.0
22.4 20.8 23.7 70.5 0.50 7.2 5.6 38.2
27
San Francisco 49ersSF
20.1
 17.9
-3.7
17.4 20.1 21.4 73.9 0.62 5.8 4.4 35.4
28
Los Angeles RamsLA
19.8
 17.1
-4.0
23.7 19.8 19.5 75.8 0.50 6.8 4.9 34.6
29
Tampa Bay BuccaneersTB
19.4
 16.3
-4.4
16.9 19.4 19.5 59.2 0.50 7.1 5.6 36.6
30
Pittsburgh SteelersPIT
19.2
 17.2
-4.6
19.5 19.2 22.3 85.3 0.69 4.6 3.2 21.4
31
Washington CommandersWAS
18.1
 16.0
-5.7
30.2 18.1 16.3 81.6 0.50 5.1 3.6 21.8
32
New Orleans SaintsNO
16.7
 14.7
-7.1
19.9 16.7 21.0 73.9 0.50 4.7 3.6 21.4

How These 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

This is the completed 2020-21 season: every column is that season's real per-game average, with no blending or projection.

Moving Averages

The 2019-20/G, 2020-21/G, and L4 columns show the raw windows feeding the rating, so you can see exactly why a defense ranks where it does.

vs Average and Trend

vs Avg compares a defense to the league mean for the position (23.8 FPA for RBs). The trend arrow flags defenses drifting softer or tougher over their last four games.

Defense vs Position FAQ

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?

Softest 2020-21 matchups for QBs: Los Angeles Rams (14.8 FPA), Pittsburgh Steelers (15.6 FPA), Green Bay Packers (17.2 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to running backs?

Softest 2020-21 matchups for RBs: New Orleans Saints (16.7 FPA), Washington Commanders (18.1 FPA), Pittsburgh Steelers (19.2 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to wide receivers?

Softest 2020-21 matchups for WRs: Los Angeles Rams (28.3 FPA), Kansas City Chiefs (31.2 FPA), Washington Commanders (32.6 FPA).

How is this different early in the season?

This is the completed 2020-21 season: every column is that season's real per-game average, with no blending or projection.

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.