Back in the 1960s and 1970s, NFL offenses were terrorized by “The Purple People Eaters,” a defensive front in Minnesota littered with Pro Bowlers and anchored by a pair of Hall of Famers in Alan Page and Carl Eller. That defense helped propel the Vikings to a quartet of Super Bowls.
Now, no one is comparing the 2026 iteration of the Vikings defense to those all-time squads. But five weeks into the season, Minnesota is one of three undefeated teams remaining—and that defense is the reason why.
After holding the Saints to just 142 total yards and 13 points last week in New Orleans, the Vikings are currently third in total defense, third against the pass, fifth against the run and lead the league in scoring defense at just 12.8 points per game.
As good as those numbers are, it’s Brian Flores’ aggressiveness as defensive coordinator that is giving fantasy managers the vapors. In an NFL where no other team is blitzing at a 48 percent clip, Flores is sending an extra pass-rusher over 72 percent of the time. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but that is a staggering number—and it’s working.
Five games in, the Vikings are tied for the third-most sacks in the league with 17. They are one of three NFL teams with double-digit takeaways. And the Vikings are leading all defenses in fantasy points.
They may not be The Purple People Eaters.
But they have become an every-week must-start in fantasy leagues.
THE NO-DOUBTERS
Minnesota Vikings (vs. Indianapolis Colts)
What? You thought I was finished? Never mind all that grape gushing I just did—if the Vikings were even a middling fantasy defense they would be making an appearance in this week’s column. The scheme Minnesota is playing is a nightmare for a team like the Colts than can’t take the top off opposing defenses. With no real threat of being burned over the top, the Vikings are going to stuff the box, blitz like crazy, smother the run game and then tee off on Daniel Jones, who has looked about as agile as a sloth on Valium.
Pittsburgh Steelers (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
In news that should surprise very few people, the Steelers are once again a top-five fantasy defense in 2026. But last week’s effort against the Indianapolis Colts was the team’s worst of the season—a single Cameron Heyward sack and no takeaways. T.J. Watt and the Steelers will get back on track this week in Tampa—last week’s win in Dallas aside, the last time rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels faced an actual NFL defense he struggled mightily, and no team has given up more fantasy points per game to defenses this year than the Buccaneers.
Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Houston Texans—London)
No, the Jaguars aren’t moving across The Pond—at least not yet. But for the second week in a row, the AFC’s highest scoring fantasy defense will “host” a team in London, this time their AFC South rivals. This isn’t about the matchup—the Texans actually rank in the bottom-10 in fantasy points per game allowed to defenses. This about an excellent Jaguars defense that won’t have its routine disrupted this week. Jacksonville may be the AFC’s best team—and their balance is a big reason why.
San Francisco 49ers (vs. Washington Commanders)
If you know how the San Francisco 49ers are still undefeated despite a never-ending onslaught of injuries, explain it to me like I’m five. Despite being down their best edge-rusher in Seattle, the Niners sacked Sam Darnold five times, turned the Seahawks over four times and scored a defensive touchdown. At home? In primetime? Against the floundering Commanders. Top-five numbers. Book it. Wait, being that confident makes me nervous. You know what? Never mind. Double-book it.
Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)
From all indications, the Chiefs are back, and they come out of their bye week with a healthy Patrick Mahomes and a defense that ranks seventh in the league in points allowed. Across the AFC West in Los Angeles, the Chargers have completely imploded—the winless Bolts have no offensive identity, a rattled and beaten quarterback and an offense that is 25th in yards per game, 30th in points per game and second in fantasy points per game surrendered to opposing defenses. Heads roll in L.A. after the Chiefs roll at Arrowhead.
Seattle Seahawks (at Denver Broncos)
The bad news is that the Seahawks have to travel on a short week after a devastating loss to the 49ers at home to face a dangerous Denver Broncos team. But Seattle’s “Dark Side” defense has been consistently productive outside whatever the heck happened in Washington, including three sacks and three takeaways last week against San Francisco. The Broncos are having all kinds of trouble running the ball, and if they are forced to be one-dimensional Bo Nix had best wear comfortable shoes.
STREAMERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!
Baltimore Ravens (at Cleveland Browns)
The Ravens may be 4-1, but the revamped defense bears just enough similarities to last year’s squad to make Baltimore fans uneasy. Still, that defense was OK in Atlanta last week with three sacks and a pick, and it should be far easier sledding in Week 6. Cleveland’s run game is among the NFL’s worst when Quinshon Judkins is healthy, and Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson was dropped eight times a week ago by the dominant pass rush (snicker) of the New York Jets.
Los Angeles Rams (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
Whatever tiny flecks of shine were left on one of the summer’s highest-drafted defenses were surgically removed by Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Monday night—you’d think we’d learn about “Dream Team” situations, and yet we do not even a little because people. But at 2-3 after a truly brutal schedule to start the season, the Rams finally get a break against a Cardinals team that just got smoked at home by the Lions. The Rams need this win—badly. And the Cardinals will pay the price.
New England Patriots (vs. New York Jets)
In the words of Samuel Clemens, it appears that reports of the demise of the New England Patriots have been exaggerated. The Patriots are quietly fifth in the league in yards allowed and fourth in the league in points allowed. Outside a huge outing at home against the Steelers that hasn’t really equated to fantasy points though, which has knocked them into streamer territory—a good place to be ahead of a Week 6 home date with a Jets team that has struggled mightily with offensive consistency this season.
New York Giants (vs. New Orleans Saints)
The Giants are quietly eighth in fantasy points among defenses after five weeks, despite being average in most statistical categories. There hasn’t been one massive week, one OK one and three duds, either—the Giants somehow find a way to at least get fantasy managers something, including five sacks in another bizarre game in D.C. (What is up in that stadium? Inter-dimensional vortex?). Add in a top-10 fantasy matchup for the position with the reeling Saints, and you have the definition of a matchup start.
Indianapolis Colts (vs. Tennessee Titans)
This is one of those “my defense is on bye and every other team in my league has two” type of plays—the Colts just got cooked on the road by the offensive juggernaut that is the Pittsburgh Steelers and have recorded negative fantasy points in two of five games this year in some scoring systems. But the Colts are at home facing a Tennessee Titans offense that is truly offensive—the Titans are the only team in the NFL averaging less than 250 yards of offense and 12 points per game.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.
