NFL Defense vs Position Rankings 2025-26

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

Completed 2025-26 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 Denver Broncos 17.2 FPA
#31 Jacksonville Jaguars 18.4 FPA
#30 Seattle Seahawks 18.7 FPA

Toughest RB Matchups (Fewest Points Allowed)

#1 Cincinnati Bengals 29.4 FPA
#2 New York Jets 28.7 FPA
#3 Arizona Cardinals 27.0 FPA
Rank Team DK FPA FD FPA vs Avg 2024-25/G 2025-26/G L4 Rush Yds Rush TD Targets Rec Rec Yds Trend
1
Cincinnati BengalsCIN
29.4
 26.0
+6.8
24.8 29.4 21.3 119.2 0.76 5.9 4.6 41.8
2
New York JetsNYJ
28.7
 26.0
+6.1
20.3 28.7 33.9 109.8 1.00 4.6 3.6 33.2
3
Arizona CardinalsARI
27.0
 24.1
+4.4
24.7 27.0 32.1 113.3 1.00 5.5 4.3 34.1
4
Washington CommandersWAS
26.8
 23.8
+4.2
23.4 26.8 28.4 115.5 0.94 4.9 3.4 33.7
5
New York GiantsNYG
26.7
 23.5
+4.1
26.9 26.7 17.2 116.5 0.88 5.5 4.5 29.9
6
Dallas CowboysDAL
26.0
 22.4
+3.4
25.1 26.0 25.9 95.2 0.88 5.8 4.9 43.2
7
Miami DolphinsMIA
25.5
 22.0
+2.9
21.0 25.5 35.9 106.3 0.71 5.4 4.8 35.8
8
Buffalo BillsBUF
24.9
 22.0
+2.3
26.4 24.9 21.3 107.3 1.06 5.2 3.9 24.9
9
Carolina PanthersCAR
24.8
 21.8
+2.2
31.2 24.8 23.1 105.6 0.94 5.5 4.4 28.3
10
San Francisco 49ersSF
24.0
 20.7
+1.4
26.0 24.0 27.7 93.1 0.71 6.6 5.5 35.9
11
Philadelphia EaglesPHI
23.8
 21.1
+1.2
17.0 23.8 19.2 96.1 0.76 5.1 3.7 37.5
12
Baltimore RavensBAL
23.4
 20.4
+0.8
20.2 23.4 21.1 82.1 0.71 6.8 5.5 42.6
13
Las Vegas RaidersLV
23.1
 20.7
+0.5
24.7 23.1 20.0 97.7 0.94 5.4 4.4 26.5
14
Tampa Bay BuccaneersTB
23.0
 20.0
+0.4
20.5 23.0 18.1 78.6 0.59 5.6 4.7 51.5
15
Cleveland BrownsCLE
22.2
 19.5
-0.4
18.2 22.2 27.2 96.4 0.71 5.2 4.0 26.3
16
Atlanta FalconsATL
22.0
 19.6
-0.6
22.1 22.0 16.5 101.7 0.53 5.4 3.9 30.0
17
Green Bay PackersGB
22.0
 19.2
-0.6
23.1 22.0 27.5 100.5 0.71 5.6 4.5 26.6
18
Tennessee TitansTEN
22.0
 20.0
-0.6
24.2 22.0 15.8 91.4 1.00 4.2 3.2 26.5
19
Chicago BearsCHI
21.8
 19.2
-0.8
25.7 21.8 20.9 104.2 0.53 5.1 3.9 26.8
20
New Orleans SaintsNO
21.5
 19.1
-1.1
25.5 21.5 14.7 102.7 0.65 4.1 3.3 23.3
21
Los Angeles RamsLA
20.8
 17.9
-1.8
22.1 20.8 32.1 88.6 0.35 6.2 4.6 36.5
22
Indianapolis ColtsIND
20.5
 18.0
-2.1
24.7 20.5 18.1 86.8 0.71 5.5 3.9 24.8
23
Minnesota VikingsMIN
20.4
 17.9
-2.2
18.0 20.4 18.1 104.6 0.71 4.2 3.2 19.5
24
Pittsburgh SteelersPIT
20.2
 16.8
-2.4
21.1 20.2 17.9 96.4 0.29 5.6 4.4 30.7
25
Houston TexansHOU
19.9
 17.5
-2.7
20.2 19.9 21.7 73.4 0.71 5.2 4.1 31.5
26
Detroit LionsDET
19.7
 17.6
-2.9
18.1 19.7 30.1 89.1 0.71 4.6 3.5 24.6
27
New England PatriotsNE
19.6
 16.4
-3.0
25.0 19.6 27.5 77.1 0.47 5.8 4.8 29.9
28
Kansas City ChiefsKC
19.4
 17.0
-3.2
15.5 19.4 20.8 83.1 0.47 4.8 3.9 27.8
29
Los Angeles ChargersLAC
19.1
 16.8
-3.5
20.1 19.1 11.0 84.8 0.71 4.9 3.4 24.0
30
Seattle SeahawksSEA
18.7
 15.7
-3.9
21.5 18.7 18.3 72.9 0.29 7.2 5.5 35.4
31
Jacksonville JaguarsJAX
18.4
 16.0
-4.2
27.3 18.4 21.2 67.7 0.47 6.0 4.6 32.6
32
Denver BroncosDEN
17.2
 15.5
-5.4
22.2 17.2 17.3 71.8 0.47 4.2 2.8 21.2

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 2025-26 season: every column is that season's real per-game average, with no blending or projection.

Moving Averages

The 2024-25/G, 2025-26/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 (22.6 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 2025-26 matchups for QBs: Minnesota Vikings (12.0 FPA), Los Angeles Chargers (13.7 FPA), Cleveland Browns (14.0 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to running backs?

Softest 2025-26 matchups for RBs: Denver Broncos (17.2 FPA), Jacksonville Jaguars (18.4 FPA), Seattle Seahawks (18.7 FPA).

Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to wide receivers?

Softest 2025-26 matchups for WRs: Minnesota Vikings (24.5 FPA), Cincinnati Bengals (25.8 FPA), Cleveland Browns (26.3 FPA).

How is this different early in the season?

This is the completed 2025-26 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.