NFL Defense vs Position Rankings 2025-26

Fantasy points allowed to tight ends 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 TE Matchups (Most Points Allowed)

#32 Buffalo Bills 7.6 FPA
#31 Philadelphia Eagles 8.3 FPA
#30 Las Vegas Raiders 10.1 FPA

Toughest TE Matchups (Fewest Points Allowed)

#1 Cincinnati Bengals 21.6 FPA
#2 Arizona Cardinals 17.0 FPA
#3 Pittsburgh Steelers 16.8 FPA
Rank Team DK FPA FD FPA vs Avg 2024-25/G 2025-26/G L4 Targets Rec Rec Yds Rec TD 20+ Rec Trend
1
Cincinnati BengalsCIN
21.6
 17.6
+8.1
16.3 21.6 10.7 9.7 6.8 84.9 0.94 1.18
2
Arizona CardinalsARI
17.0
 13.8
+3.5
9.7 17.0 25.0 8.4 6.3 68.6 0.65 0.82
3
Pittsburgh SteelersPIT
16.8
 13.5
+3.3
13.8 16.8 18.8 8.5 6.2 65.9 0.65 0.71
4
Miami DolphinsMIA
16.7
 13.4
+3.2
13.5 16.7 17.4 8.2 6.4 66.7 0.47 0.94
5
Indianapolis ColtsIND
16.1
 12.6
+2.6
15.3 16.1 14.6 8.7 6.3 71.9 0.35 0.82
6
Washington CommandersWAS
16.1
 13.4
+2.6
11.2 16.1 15.3 6.7 5.1 61.1 0.71 0.76
7
Tampa Bay BuccaneersTB
16.0
 12.9
+2.5
14.0 16.0 25.4 7.7 5.9 57.0 0.71 0.35
8
New York JetsNYJ
15.3
 12.4
+1.8
10.3 15.3 23.0 7.6 5.6 55.8 0.59 0.53
9
San Francisco 49ersSF
15.1
 11.9
+1.6
9.7 15.1 16.9 8.6 5.8 56.9 0.59 0.53
10
Jacksonville JaguarsJAX
15.0
 11.7
+1.5
14.1 15.0 10.0 8.7 6.1 59.1 0.47 0.65
11
Seattle SeahawksSEA
14.9
 11.7
+1.4
11.6 14.9 9.5 8.5 6.2 63.5 0.35 1.00
12
Tennessee TitansTEN
14.3
 11.5
+0.8
9.5 14.3 17.1 7.1 5.4 55.7 0.53 0.65
13
New England PatriotsNE
14.2
 11.0
+0.7
12.3 14.2 12.1 7.9 5.7 57.1 0.35 0.65
14
Denver BroncosDEN
13.8
 10.9
+0.3
12.4 13.8 11.9 8.4 5.6 59.7 0.35 0.59
15
Detroit LionsDET
13.8
 11.1
+0.3
9.2 13.8 19.7 7.7 5.2 54.8 0.47 0.59
16
Carolina PanthersCAR
13.7
 11.2
+0.2
14.3 13.7 12.0 6.8 5.1 59.9 0.41 0.82
17
Chicago BearsCHI
13.1
 10.2
-0.4
13.1 13.1 10.0 7.4 5.8 51.5 0.35 0.65
18
Los Angeles RamsLA
13.1
 10.4
-0.4
14.4 13.1 12.4 7.5 5.4 45.6 0.41 0.41
19
Cleveland BrownsCLE
12.8
 10.2
-0.7
10.5 12.8 13.3 7.1 5.1 52.2 0.29 0.53
20
Houston TexansHOU
12.6
 9.7
-0.9
11.2 12.6 22.2 7.2 5.1 45.6 0.47 0.47
21
New Orleans SaintsNO
12.5
 9.9
-1.0
11.3 12.5 11.7 7.4 5.2 51.1 0.35 0.53
22
Dallas CowboysDAL
12.3
 9.7
-1.2
10.2 12.3 9.7 6.8 5.3 51.7 0.29 0.41
23
Green Bay PackersGB
12.1
 9.3
-1.4
13.4 12.1 8.4 7.5 5.5 44.6 0.35 0.29
24
New York GiantsNYG
11.5
 8.9
-2.0
8.6 11.5 9.8 6.7 4.8 47.5 0.29 0.59
25
Baltimore RavensBAL
11.4
 8.9
-2.1
12.7 11.4 12.4 6.6 4.9 46.7 0.24 0.53
26
Kansas City ChiefsKC
11.2
 8.6
-2.3
15.9 11.2 11.9 6.0 4.8 47.6 0.24 0.65
27
Minnesota VikingsMIN
10.7
 8.5
-2.8
11.4 10.7 2.5 6.5 4.4 42.3 0.35 0.35
28
Los Angeles ChargersLAC
10.5
 8.4
-3.0
9.7 10.5 7.8 5.6 4.1 42.2 0.35 0.35
29
Atlanta FalconsATL
10.3
 8.1
-3.2
10.7 10.3 17.4 6.2 4.2 48.0 0.18 0.65
30
Las Vegas RaidersLV
10.1
 8.0
-3.4
16.0 10.1 14.2 5.7 4.1 38.6 0.35 0.41
31
Philadelphia EaglesPHI
8.3
 6.4
-5.2
9.6 8.3 7.5 6.2 3.9 29.9 0.24 0.24
32
Buffalo BillsBUF
7.6
 6.2
-5.9
12.4 7.6 8.4 4.5 2.7 29.6 0.24 0.41

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 (13.5 FPA for TEs). 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.