Getting Defensive: Week 9 fantasy plays led by Jaguars, Broncos; top streaming defenses – NBC Sports

Getting Defensive: Week 9 fantasy plays led by Jaguars, Broncos; top streaming defenses  NBC Sports

Gary Davenport breaks down the fantasy football defense landscape headed into Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season. There’s a new No. 1 fantasy defense after eight weeks—and it’s one that exactly zero people would expect to be in this spot. After picking off Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. off four times in a rainy 16-0 shutout last week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit atop the NFL in fantasy points among defenses. These aren’t the Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp-led Buccaneers who won the franchise’s first Super Bowl. Or the unit spearheaded by Lavonte David and Shaquil Barrett that made Patrick Mahomes so uncomfortable in Super Bowl LV.

There’s no shortage of young talent in players like linebacker Josiah Trotter and edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. But there’s not a lot of star power in Todd Bowles’ squad. What there is is an aggressive scheme—Bowles never saw an A-Gap blitz he didn’t like. The Buccaneers lead the NFC in run defense at just 80 yards per game. The Bucs have allowed the sixth-fewest points per game at 18.9. The Buccaneers lead the league in takeaways with 16, and despite a lack of big names in the pass-rush the team ranks inside the top-10 in sacks with 23. Too bad they won’t be much good in Week 9. This week the