Injuries have dominated the fantasy football scene in the 2026 season. And the impacts at the quarterback position have been felt by many teams. But some NFL defenses are finding their footing. And here are the defense and special teams rankings for Week 4 of the 2026 season.
The defensive surprise of the season has been the Raiders. The Vikings and Steelers have also put together quality efforts. The Panthers and Bengals have been up and down, but overall strong.
But who has the best chance of fantasy success for Week 4?
Fantasy Football standouts
There’s no doubt here. No need to quibble. The Vikings have the best matchup. They are at home against the Dolphins, who no longer have star running back Devon Achane because of an ACL injury.
The Vikings already have 14 sacks in the young season. That leads the NFL. If the offense catches up, this team could really soar. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said he believes that is coming, according to wral.com.
“We’re going to ascend as an offense,” O’Connell said. “I do believe that. (And) I believe in our guys. I believe in where we can get to as a team, and I just love the fact that collectively we’re able to come together and find a way to win football games during a time that I didn’t expect early on in the season.”
The Vikings’ defense is thriving with aggressive pressure. They are blitzing like nobody’s business, according to Vikings.com.
“I tell our guys all the time, if we're going to go down, we're going to go down a certain way,” Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores said. “We're going to go down blitzing people.”
It’s just an aggressive mindset for Flores, according to a post on X by Kevin Seifert.
“Brian Flores on his 73.6% blitz rate: “I certainly want to be aggressive. I've said that many times. And that's our play style. We'll throw a changeup every now and again. Our fastball is: try to be aggressive and be physical, play with the fundamentals. I know there's a lot out there about blitz percentages. (And) I think that's our play style. I tell our guys all the time: If we're going to go down, we're going to go down a certain way.”
Another good team to consider in Week 4 is the Ravens. It’s not about what they have done thus far. But they have a defensive-minded head coach, and their opponent, the Titans, is struggling mightily on offense. In three games, the Titans have scored 10, 20, and 7 points.
Plus, the Ravens are upset with how they’ve played defense. They need a statement game. Safety Kyle Hamilton laid it out succinctly, according to baltimoreravens.com.
“Guys had their moments on defense, but it is unacceptable for us to keep putting ourselves in this position in the fourth quarter,” Hamilton said. “They should not have to go out there and score 30 points for us to win.
“It is unacceptable to be saying we are a ‘Ravens defense' or whatever that means at this point and be going out there and doing that. Obviously, we have a new staff in, so it is on the players. We have to get it fixed as players and do right by these guys to put us in better positions.”
Other standouts
It’s good to chase fantasy defenses who go up against the Dolphins and Titans. But maybe the Browns are getting a little more dangerous thanks to marginally decent play from Deshaun Watson.
Article Continues BelowHowever, they may find things very tough against the Steelers defense this Week 4. It won't be a week-winning performance for the Steelers, but they have a very high floor.
Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon is looking like a force, and he came up with a big play in the win over the Bengals. His strip sack of Joe Burrow clinched the victory, according to Sports Illustrated.
“Just reading my keys, of course, it's two-minute, so you're thinking pass,” he said. “Seeing that right tackle with his foot all the way back, and I just knew it was going to be a kick-step, and I just went.”
The young standout is making a big difference.
Also, the Seahawks should bounce back against the Chargers, who have been very disappointing on offense this season. With Justin Herbert failing on basically every throw of distance, the Chargers fail to put fear into defenses.
The Seahawks are coming in angry after a pitiful performance against the Commanders in a 33-31 loss, according to seahawks.com.
“The feeling right now, we're disappointed,” linebacker Ernest Jones IV said. “We didn't execute. Hat's off to them. They executed. They made the plays when the plays needed to be made. But on our side, we just didn't execute. It was sloppy play from the beginning to the end, all three levels. We're not down. We've been here before. We've lost games. We'll be good.”
Fantasy sleepers
With the way Patriots QB Drake Maye is playing and the Bills having the ability to get pressure on the quarterback, this could be a good week to use the Bills. It’s perhaps a little risky, but only if Maye suddenly finds his 2025 rhythm. One reason for using the Bills is the possibility of a big play on a Maye interception or fumble.
It also might take nerves of steel to use the Packers after their performance against the Falcons. But the Buccaneers will have an undrafted free agent at quarterback in his first NFL start. The chances for a defensive touchdown are high for the Packers.
Fantasy Football Week 4 Defense Rankings
1. Minnesota Vikings (MIN) vs. MIA
2. Baltimore Ravens (BAL) vs. TEN
3. Buffalo Bills (BUF) vs. NE
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT) at CLE
5. Kansas City Chiefs (KC) at LV
6. Seattle Seahawks (SEA) vs. LAC
7. Green Bay Packers (GB) at TB
8. New York Jets (NYJ) at CHI
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (JAC) at CIN
10. Los Angeles Rams (LAR) at PHI
11. San Francisco 49ers (SF) vs. DEN
12. Houston Texans (HOU) vs. DAL
13. Cleveland Browns (CLE) vs. PIT
14. Denver Broncos (DEN) at SF
15. Dallas Cowboys (DAL) at HOU