When the Minnesota Vikings host the New Orleans Saints this afternoon, they'll go to battle with the league's best defense during the season on their side. No team allowed fewer yards last year, and no team allowed fewer points. But that performance highlights the difference between the NFL and fantasy football. In many fantasy realms, Minnesota had a defense that could barely be used.
If yards and points allowed are important to your fantasy scoring system, then yes, Minnesota was a viable option. But if your league depended on sacks, turnovers and special teams and defensive touchdowns, Minnesota could sit out on the waiver wire and not be missed.
The Saints were much better in all of those areas. New Orleans ranked in the top 10 in points (defensive touchdowns and safeties), sacks and takeaways. They had the league's 7th-ranked fantasy defense (1 point for sacks, 2 for takeaways, 6 for touchdowns).
Minnesota? They ranked outside the top 20 in nearly all of those fantasy areas. Their highest ranking was 17th, in sacks. They had the league's 24th-ranked fantasy defense in that scoring system. Unusable.
Maybe that won't matter in today's matchup. Minnesota won more games during the season. But if it comes down to sacks and turnovers and special teams plays, the Saints look a lot better.
| DEFENSIVE FANTASY PRODUCTION, 2017 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Pts | Rk | Sack | Rk | Take | Rk | FFPts | Rk |
| Jacksonville | 50 | 1 | 55 | 2 | 33 | 2 | 10.7 | 1 |
| Baltimore | 42 | 2-3 | 41 | 11-12 | 34 | 1 | 9.4 | 2 |
| LA Rams | 40 | 4 | 48 | 4 | 28 | 5 | 9.0 | 3 |
| Detroit | 42 | 2-3 | 35 | 20 | 32 | 3 | 8.8 | 4 |
| Philadelphia | 30 | 7-8 | 38 | 15-16 | 31 | 4 | 8.1 | 5 |
| Seattle | 34 | 5 | 39 | 13-14 | 25 | 9-11 | 7.7 | 6 |
| New Orleans | 30 | 7-8 | 42 | 7-10 | 25 | 9-11 | 7.6 | 7 |
| LA Chargers | 24 | 10-13 | 43 | 5-6 | 27 | 6 | 7.6 | 8 |
| Chicago | 32 | 6 | 42 | 7-10 | 22 | 13-15 | 7.4 | 9 |
| Pittsburgh | 14 | 18-19 | 56 | 1 | 22 | 13-15 | 7.1 | 10 |
| Carolina | 18 | 15-17 | 50 | 3 | 21 | 16-19 | 6.9 | 11 |
| Kansas City | 24 | 10-13 | 31 | 24-25 | 26 | 7-8 | 6.7 | 12 |
| Washington | 12 | 20-24 | 42 | 7-10 | 23 | 12 | 6.3 | 13 |
| Tampa Bay | 24 | 10-13 | 22 | 32 | 26 | 7-8 | 6.1 | 14 |
| Buffalo | 18 | 15-17 | 27 | 29-30 | 25 | 9-11 | 5.9 | 15 |
| Green Bay | 12 | 20-24 | 37 | 17-19 | 22 | 13-15 | 5.8 | 16 |
| Dallas | 12 | 20-24 | 38 | 15-16 | 21 | 16-19 | 5.8 | 17 |
| Arizona | 12 | 20-24 | 37 | 17-19 | 21 | 16-19 | 5.7 | 18-20 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 28-30 | 43 | 5-6 | 21 | 16-19 | 5.7 | 18-20 |
| Denver | 24 | 10-13 | 33 | 22 | 17 | 26 | 5.7 | 18-20 |
| Houston | 26 | 9 | 32 | 23 | 16 | 27-28 | 5.6 | 21 |
| New England | 10 | 25-26 | 42 | 7-10 | 18 | 25 | 5.5 | 22 |
| Cincinnati | 18 | 15-17 | 41 | 11-12 | 14 | 30-31 | 5.4 | 23 |
| Minnesota | 8 | 27 | 37 | 17-19 | 19 | 23-24 | 5.2 | 24-25 |
| Atlanta | 12 | 20-24 | 39 | 13-14 | 16 | 27-28 | 5.2 | 24-25 |
| Miami | 22 | 14 | 30 | 26-27 | 15 | 29 | 5.1 | 26 |
| NY Giants | 14 | 18-19 | 27 | 29-30 | 19 | 23-24 | 4.9 | 27 |
| San Francisco | 6 | 28-30 | 30 | 26-27 | 20 | 20-22 | 4.8 | 28 |
| Indianapolis | 10 | 25-26 | 25 | 31 | 20 | 20-22 | 4.7 | 29 |
| NY Jets | 0 | 31-32 | 28 | 28 | 20 | 20-22 | 4.3 | 30 |
| Cleveland | 6 | 28-30 | 34 | 21 | 13 | 32 | 4.1 | 31 |
| Oakland | 0 | 31-32 | 31 | 24-25 | 14 | 30-31 | 3.7 | 32 |
--Andy Richardson