Alright, guys, so I’ve been getting a ton of questions about how defense scoring works in fantasy football. It seems like a lot of people are confused about it, so I figured I’d break down how I figured it out and how I keep track of it all. I am not a pro, just sharing what I’ve learned!
First, I jumped straight into the rules of my fantasy league. Seriously, every league is a bit different, so you gotta check those specifics. Mine, for example, uses standard scoring, but some use points per reception (PPR) or have crazy bonuses for certain things.
Figuring Out the Basics
I started by looking at the basic ways defenses earn points. There are the big ones that are pretty much universal:
- Sacks: When your defense tackles the other team’s quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. Usually 1 point each.
- Interceptions: When your defense catches a pass meant for the other team. My league gives 2 points for these.
- Fumble Recoveries: When the other team drops the ball and your defense scoops it up. Another 2 points in my league.
- Safeties: When your defense tackles the other team in their own end zone. A cool 2 points.
- Defensive Touchdowns: This is the big money! When your defense gets the ball and runs it into the other team’s end zone (like on an interception return or a fumble return). 6 points! Cha-ching!
Points Allowed is KEY
Then, I realized that the points your defense allows is a HUGE deal. It’s not just about getting sacks and interceptions. The fewer points the other team scores, the better your fantasy defense does. My league has a sliding scale, something like this (but again, check your own league!):
- 0 points allowed: 10 fantasy points
- 1-6 points allowed: 7 fantasy points
- 7-13 points allowed: 4 fantasy points
- 14-20 points allowed: 1 fantasy points
- 21-27 points allowed: 0 fantasy points
- 28-34 points allowed: -1 fantasy points
- 35+ points allowed: -4 fantasy points
I learned quickly, you can actually get negative points from your defense.I picked the Jaguars defense one week, they got crushed, let up 40+ points, and I ended up in the * was terrible.
Putting It All Together
So, to figure out how my defense scored, I basically did these steps each week:
- Watched the game (or at least checked the stats closely online).
- Tallied up the sacks, interceptions, fumble recoveries, safeties, and defensive touchdowns.
- Checked the final score to see how many points the defense allowed.
- Used my league’s scoring rules to calculate the total defensive points.
It sounds like a lot, but after a few weeks, I got the hang of it. It’s all about knowing your league’s rules and paying attention to what your defense is doing on the field (or on the stat sheet). Don’t be afraid to make a simple cheat sheet for your league’s specific scoring rules, either! That’s what I did, and it saved me a lot of headaches.
