Fantasy Football Defenses: Top 15 To Target In 2015
By Alec Tilson
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Defense. . Green Bay Packers. 14. player. 49. 2014 Stats: 41 Sacks, 18 INTs, 4 defensive TDs
Fantasy Football Defenses Number 14: Green Bay
With Aaron Rodgers virtually always giving your defense a 14 or 21-point lead in the football game – and it’s not unusual for that to be very early in the game – opposing offenses tend to become gamblers.
They turn to the air, take risks they normally wouldn’t and, as a result, they give the Packers’ defense a chance to strike.
The Pack ended last season as a fringe Top-10 fantasy defense. They allowed just 226.4 passing yards per game, and they scored four defensive touchdowns despite allowing almost 120 rush yards per game.
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The Packers lost some key contributors from its 2014 season, but most of the core that has been in place for several years returns: defensive tackle B.J. Raji, linebacker Clay Matthews, safety Morgan Burnett and cornerback Sam Shields. Add in Julius Peppers and the Packers have the makings of a solid defense.
They did lose two longtime staples in cornerback Tramon Williams and linebacker A.J. Hawk, but that should pave the way for some of the young talent GM Ted Thompson has drafted.
They’ll need contributions from defensive end Datone Jones, linebacker Nick Perry and second-year safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to crack the top half in fantasy defenses, but with the offensive juggernaut putting pressure on opposing offenses, the opportunities for the defense to score some fantasy points should be there.
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