NFL Defense vs Position Rankings 2023-24

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

Completed 2023-24 season: every column is that season's real per-game average, with no blending or projection. Covers Weeks 1-17; Week 18 games are not in the archive.
QB RB WR TE
●Elite Matchup (Target)
●Good Matchup
●Average
●Tough
●Avoid

Best RB Matchups (Most Points Allowed)

#32 Detroit Lions 15.4 FPA
#31 Los Angeles Rams 16.6 FPA
#30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17.8 FPA

Toughest RB Matchups (Fewest Points Allowed)

#1 Arizona Cardinals 29.3 FPA
#2 Denver Broncos 28.1 FPA
#3 Seattle Seahawks 27.2 FPA
Rank Team DK FPA FD FPA vs Avg 2022-23/G 2023-24/G L4 Rush Yds Rush TD Targets Rec Rec Yds Trend
1
Arizona CardinalsARI
29.3
 25.4
+7.4
28.4 29.3 26.9 119.6 0.88 5.4 4.6 30.9
2
Denver BroncosDEN
28.1
 24.3
+6.2
24.5 28.1 23.2 114.7 0.75 6.8 5.4 35.9
3
Seattle SeahawksSEA
27.2
 23.8
+5.3
28.0 27.2 30.1 103.0 1.12 6.2 4.8 34.9
4
Indianapolis ColtsIND
27.1
 23.7
+5.2
24.8 27.1 28.9 106.4 0.94 6.8 5.2 44.5
5
Carolina PanthersCAR
26.6
 23.8
+4.7
21.5 26.6 24.2 107.6 1.25 5.9 4.1 20.8
6
Washington CommandersWAS
26.3
 23.2
+4.4
18.4 26.3 36.1 101.1 0.81 7.1 5.3 39.2
7
New York JetsNYJ
25.9
 22.7
+4.0
21.5 25.9 28.1 102.6 0.75 6.8 4.8 36.8
8
New York GiantsNYG
24.6
 22.1
+2.7
22.8 24.6 24.9 112.1 1.00 4.8 3.8 29.8
9
Chicago BearsCHI
24.1
 20.9
+2.2
28.6 24.1 25.9 66.9 0.44 7.6 6.2 60.6
10
Green Bay PackersGB
23.4
 20.3
+1.5
24.5 23.4 19.8 98.8 0.81 5.8 4.4 29.1
11
Las Vegas RaidersLV
23.4
 20.5
+1.5
27.6 23.4 18.2 100.9 0.75 6.1 4.7 31.8
12
Los Angeles ChargersLAC
23.3
 20.1
+1.4
27.1 23.3 23.7 90.8 0.62 7.4 5.8 42.2
13
Pittsburgh SteelersPIT
23.1
 20.4
+1.2
20.8 23.1 24.9 98.2 0.56 5.9 4.1 32.2
14
Cincinnati BengalsCIN
22.7
 19.6
+0.8
20.4 22.7 24.1 95.8 0.75 5.2 4.1 27.3
15
Buffalo BillsBUF
21.8
 18.4
-0.1
20.8 21.8 16.5 80.8 0.50 6.9 5.2 42.6
16
Jacksonville JaguarsJAX
20.7
 17.2
-1.2
23.7 20.7 21.9 70.7 0.44 7.8 6.4 43.9
17
New England PatriotsNE
20.5
 17.7
-1.4
18.3 20.5 22.3 69.4 0.56 6.2 5.1 35.3
18
Minnesota VikingsMIN
20.4
 17.2
-1.5
23.5 20.4 24.9 81.3 0.50 5.8 5.3 31.6
19
Kansas City ChiefsKC
20.2
 17.6
-1.7
22.2 20.2 24.2 90.6 0.38 5.1 4.2 27.2
20
Houston TexansHOU
19.9
 17.3
-2.0
33.0 19.9 17.9 67.8 0.62 6.2 4.9 34.6
21
Baltimore RavensBAL
19.7
 16.4
-2.2
20.7 19.7 22.4 86.4 0.25 5.8 4.6 29.6
22
Philadelphia EaglesPHI
19.5
 16.7
-2.4
22.1 19.5 29.1 80.1 0.44 6.5 4.9 30.9
23
Miami DolphinsMIA
19.4
 17.3
-2.5
21.6 19.4 23.4 77.6 0.62 4.9 3.7 33.2
24
Cleveland BrownsCLE
19.1
 16.6
-2.8
25.3 19.1 20.4 78.9 0.50 6.1 4.4 29.3
25
San Francisco 49ersSF
19.1
 16.2
-2.8
16.1 19.1 23.4 65.0 0.50 7.2 5.6 38.2
26
Tennessee TitansTEN
19.1
 17.1
-2.8
17.6 19.1 20.8 91.0 0.50 4.8 3.4 25.4
27
Atlanta FalconsATL
18.8
 16.2
-3.1
22.1 18.8 25.3 89.2 0.19 4.9 3.8 30.7
28
New Orleans SaintsNO
18.4
 16.4
-3.5
21.0 18.4 19.0 92.9 0.44 5.2 3.6 24.1
29
Dallas CowboysDAL
18.3
 16.5
-3.6
18.7 18.3 24.5 89.1 0.56 4.5 3.0 22.4
30
Tampa Bay BuccaneersTB
17.8
 15.3
-4.1
19.3 17.8 15.9 78.9 0.31 5.0 4.2 26.4
31
Los Angeles RamsLA
16.6
 14.2
-5.3
23.0 16.6 11.0 76.8 0.31 5.4 4.4 20.6
32
Detroit LionsDET
15.4
 13.7
-6.5
19.8 15.4 10.2 58.1 0.56 4.9 3.4 29.3

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 2023-24 season: every column is that season's real per-game average, with no blending or projection.

Moving Averages

The 2022-23/G, 2023-24/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 (21.9 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 2023-24 matchups for QBs: Carolina Panthers (13.7 FPA), Baltimore Ravens (14.1 FPA), New York Jets (14.2 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to running backs?

Softest 2023-24 matchups for RBs: Detroit Lions (15.4 FPA), Los Angeles Rams (16.6 FPA), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17.8 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to wide receivers?

Softest 2023-24 matchups for WRs: New York Jets (23.1 FPA), Cleveland Browns (27.3 FPA), Carolina Panthers (27.9 FPA).

How is this different early in the season?

This is the completed 2023-24 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.