Fantasy Football Week 2 Defensive Rankings Released

Analyst Eric Samulski has published his Week 2 rankings for fantasy football defenses, assigning each unit to one of five tiers based on projected performance. Tier One includes defenses he views as elite options, while Tier Five lists units he advises avoiding for the week.

Samulski explains that his "Best Overall Defense" (BOD) formula weighs seven statistical categories: first downs allowed, points allowed, third-down conversion rate, pressure rate, passes defended, turnover rate and explosive play rate allowed. The first three metrics receive double weight, and the model also incorporates Vegas implied team totals and, when available, opponent fantasy points allowed.

He notes that Week 1 featured the highest-scoring opening week in NFL history, with an average of 53.3 points per game, but cautions that a single week’s data should not drive long-term conclusions. The analyst emphasizes that his rankings consider underlying defensive quality rather than merely the strength of opposing offenses.

Among the defenses highlighted, Samulski places the Philadelphia Eagles in Tier One, citing their strong showing despite a disappointing Week 1 result. He also rates the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers as strong candidates, while expressing reservations about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams based on their Week 1 performances.

The analyst will track the accuracy of his top-10 defensive predictions each week, reporting a 40% success rate (4 of 10) for Week 1. He plans to make manual adjustments for injuries and weather but aims to rely primarily on statistical indicators rather than gut feeling.

For a detailed discussion of each defensive pick, Samulski directs readers to a video segment on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel.