Best defense is patience
A cliché becomes a cliché because, at some point in time, it likely was true. But that doesn’t make it true forever. And the old “defense wins championships” mantra never has been true in fantasy — never. And for you IDP (individual defensive player league) fantasy players, yes, it still is untrue, only not quite as decidedly.
That is not to say the defense/special teams position (DEF/ST, abbreviated heretofore as just DEF because, well, as little fantasy impact the DEF has, the ST has even less) in fantasy football does not have an impact, it does — from week to week. But over the season as a whole, the scoring disparity of the top DEFs is not large enough to justify a middle- or even a late-middleround draft pick. Take, for example, the
Panthers DEF, often the first one off the board. With an average draft position (ADP) of 97.8 in 12-team standard-scoring leagues, that costs you a pick in the round 8-9 range. That is right about the time you probably want to be searching for a quarterback, or maybe a tight end, or that fourth wide receiver or running back. Virtually anything but a DEF or kicker.
Here’s a list of things the Madman advises you do before taking a DEF:
1. Draft at least four WRs and four RBs.
2. Draft at least one TE or QB.
3. Probably draft whatever you didn’t draft when given the previous TE/QB option. 4. Clip your toenails. 5. Wash your hands. 6. Have a snack (NOTE: Do not complete Step 6 without first completing Step 5).
Wait until you have stockpiled depth at RB and WR and at least tried to address the other impact positions of TE and QB — though, if you choose to bypass a QB until the late rounds, we understand.
The first thing you want in a good DEF is sacks. Turnovers are great, but
they often are unpredictable. If a DEF has good pass rushers, that unit stands a better chance of creating turnovers. Also, it helps if the offense is strong. This means other teams will have to score a lot to keep up, which can lead to more risky play, which can lead to … you guessed it … turnovers. And finally, as sort of a tiebreaker when choosing between DEFs of similar fantasy value, then put weight on the ST portion of the DEF/ST. Because the Panthers, Seahawks (107.9), Bron
cos (110.5), Chiefs (135.1) and Bengals (139.3) likely will be gone before we decide to draft a DEF, here are some of the Madman’s favorite targets: the Raiders (150.9), Jets (152.6),
Vikings (180.8) and Patriots (183.3). If you wait too long and ultimately land a DEF you are not enamored with, don’t be afraid to stream (rotating DEF each week based on the best available waiver options). When you land on one that gets hot, or has a schedule loaded with bad opposing offenses, then you can sit tight for a while.
Just remember: The best defense for not getting sacked in your draft is to wait before drafting a DEF.