The San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens defences are among the top recommendations for fantasy football managers looking to optimise their Week 2 rosters in the 2026 NFL season. Conversely, the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Rams are widely advised as units to bench due to challenging matchups or recent poor performance.
Top Defence Picks for Week 2
NFL.com’s “Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em” column highlights the San Francisco 49ers as a strong contender to be the highest-scoring defence of Week 2. Following a dominant performance against the Rams where they held Matthew Stafford and his team to just seven points and secured two takeaways, the 49ers are set to host Malik Willis and the Dolphins. The Raiders’ defence scored 14 fantasy points against Miami in Week 1, suggesting a favourable matchup for San Francisco.
The Baltimore Ravens defence is considered a “must-start” for Sunday, having logged the highest pressure rate of any defence in Week 1 at 52.9%. This comes as Tyler Shough and the Saints took five sacks against the Lions, tying for the most in the NFL, according to NFL.com.
Other units recommended for Week 2 include the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, particularly against the Cleveland Browns, whose offense is viewed as a favourable matchup for opposing defences until significant changes occur. The Carolina Panthers defence, despite scoring the fewest fantasy points in Week 1 (-8.0), is also tipped against a Falcons offense navigating a “rocky quarterback situation” that surrendered 19 fantasy points to the Steelers’ defence.
Defences to Bench in Week 2
Fantasy managers are strongly advised to “SIT DETROIT AGAINST THE BILLS,” according to NFL.com. The Lions, despite being ESPN’s ninth-most rostered defence, managed only 5.0 fantasy points against New Orleans in Week 1. Facing Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, who “galloped all over the Texans” in Week 1, is seen as a highly disadvantageous matchup.
The Houston Texans defence, which recorded the third-lowest fantasy total of the week (-4.0 points) against the Bills, is another unit to avoid. With a Week 2 matchup against Joe Burrow’s Bengals, streaming an alternative defence is suggested over relying on Houston to bounce back.
The Denver Broncos defence, having underperformed against Kansas City in Week 1 compared to their 2025 season form, is also a “sit” recommendation, especially against Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who appeared “superhuman” in Week 1.
The Los Angeles Rams defence is similarly deemed an unfavourable option for Week 2. After a disappointing showing in Australia, the unit now faces an additional challenge with edge rusher Myles Garrett placed on injured reserve following knee surgery. They are set to play Jaxson Dart and the Giants, who looked “electric” in Week 1.
Individual Defensive Player (IDP) Insights
Week 1 of the 2026 season saw unexpected developments for Individual Defensive Player (IDP) fantasy managers. A significant shock came with the news that Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett was placed on injured reserve after knee surgery, having recorded no stats in an “ugly loss to San Francisco,” as reported by Footballguys.
Among Week 1’s disappointments were Danielle Hunter of the Bills and Indianapolis Colts linebacker CJ Allen. Hunter’s performance against the Houston defence fell short of expectations, while Allen, a hyped rookie, did not play a single defensive snap against the Baltimore Ravens due to training camp injuries.
Conversely, pleasant surprises included Cincinnati’s second-year linebackers, Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr., whose “play and production” impressed. Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau also emerged as a standout, recording more fantasy points in Week 1 than any other edge rusher bar T.J. Watt, and adding two sacks in the first half of Week 2 against the Lions.
Looking ahead to Week 2, Footballguys analysts identified Yaya Diaby as a “Kwity Paye award candidate” against a “struggling Browns offense” starting a “washed-up quarterback.” Meanwhile, DeMarcus Lawrence of the Seattle Seahawks is highlighted for his potential against the Cardinals, having played the second-most snaps of any Seattle edge rusher against the Patriots and performed well against the Cardinals previously. Brian Burns of the New York Giants faces a tough road matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, a team that allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to edge rushers last season.
