Fantasy Football Week 9 Rankings: D/ST

In terms of defensive team starts, Week 9 looks rather light on glaringly obvious plays. When in doubt, the top pick goes to the best overall defense, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers remain at the top spot in terms of points allowed and they boast an impressive 10 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and 20 sacks. They should perform very well against a middle-of-the-road Bengals offense.

In the No. 2 slot, the Patriots boast a nice matchup at Cleveland -- one of the least effective offenses in football, averaging just 292 yards per game. The Pats on the other hand aren't exactly dominating on the defensive end, but they seem to piece together scrappy wins, so I have a good feeling that the defense makes some big plays this weekend.

Week 9 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | K | IDP | Sleepers | Top Pickups/Drops

Third on the list, the turnover-happy Bears defense (9 interceptions and 12 forced fumbles) looks like a great choice against the league goats, the Buffalo Bills. Folks continue to look past Chicago's unit because the team looks terrible, but that is due largely to the offense. The defense continues to carry its weight.

1. Steelers, PIT at CIN
2. Patriots, NE at CLE
3. Bears, CHI at BUF
4. Giants, NYG at SEA
5. Packers, GB vs. DAL
6. Saints, NO at CAR
7. Jets, NYJ at DET
8. Vikings, MIN vs. ARI
9. Falcons, ATL vs. TB
10. Ravens, BAL vs. MIA
11. Chargers, SD at HOU
12. Texans, HOU vs. SD
13. Chiefs, KC at OAK
14. Eagles, PHI vs. IND
15. Seattle, SEA vs. NYG
16. Lions, DET vs. NYJ
17. Bills, BUF vs. CHI
18. Buccaneers, TB at ATL
19. Dolphins, MIA at BAL
20. Cowboys, DAL at GB
21. Cardinals, ARI at MIN
22. Colts, IND at PHI
23. Raiders, OAK vs. KC
24. Bengals, CIN vs. PIT
25. Panthers, CAR vs. NO
26. Browns, CLE vs. NE

• Our top spot-start for the week goes to New Orleans who pays a visit to the hapless Panthers, the league's bottom-dwelling offense. The Saints could use an uptick in their turnover tally, but they have remained rock-solid in terms of yardage allowed at just 287 yards per game. I see a major bounce-back game in the works here.

• Another compelling choice goes to Atlanta who hosts Tampa Bay. The Falcons defense is a monster against the rush, allowing under 100 yards per game, so the matchup against LeGarrette Blount should give the new kid on the block a run for his money. I see the Falcons winning this battle.

• Following the same logic as last week when we warned you against the popular Redskins start versus the Lions, I'd think twice about starting the Jets in Detroit. The Lions offense is clicking, so although the Jets are considered a top-tier defense, I'd look for a safer bet this weekend.