by Matthew Knuth

Created on: July 08, 2009   Last Updated: July 12, 2009

How difficult can it be to draft a dominant fantasy defense? Well, there is good news and bad news when all things are considered. As with most drafts nothing is a sure thing. The San Diego Chargers were a highly ranked squad going into 2008. They ended up being a complete bust. Typically opponents went out to big leads on them and they had to play catch up. Leaving owners that drafted them with no choice but to scan the waiver wire for a better replacement. But, as in life, every fantasy season has a silver lining.

The 2008 Baltimore Ravens defense comes to mind. This group was viewed as an aging unit on the decline. In most circles they were not even a top ten ranked defense. Enter a rookie sensation at quarterback and a balanced and steady offense to take away from the time the defense spent on the field. The result was one of the top fantasy defenses in 2008. To the pessimist, this may seem a daunting task to select a good defense. The good news is there is not a huge disparity in the best defense and the twentieth ranked defense. Using ESPN's 2009 fantasy projections for defense there is a 39 point difference between twenty and number one. That averages out to under a 3 point a game difference. Every point does count in fantasy though. So here is my combination of strategy and selections that will help put you over in your league:

1. The Waiver Wire- You are certain to make mistakes. It happens to all of us. But in fantasy it is best to make others pay for their mistakes. Whether it is a defense that blossoms into a stellar performer(see 2008 Baltimore Ravens defense, 2008 Tennessee Titans defense) or just someone that isn't patient and cuts loose a defense after one bad game you must be diligent. A defense will have it's peaks and valleys throughout the year. You must pay close attention to a team's schedule. A run of weak opponents can make the worst defense seem dominant. I am a firm believer that the proper use of the waiver wire can insure you have a successful defense.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers- As a Browns fan it pains me to say this. But you can't go wrong with the Steelers. Every year they are a stellar defense. It's as if the air in the Steel City mutates average defenders into a dominant presence on the field. Year in and year out they are consistent performers and, at least for another year, age will not be a factor. This is as close to a sure thing as you will get from a fantasy defense.

3. New England Patriots- This is my sleeper defense

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