Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Defenses (Week 15)

We will have you covered throughout the fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential fantasy football waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top fantasy football waiver wire defenses to target for the week below. And here are all of our fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 15.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Defenses

Defenses

Written by Pat Fitzmaurice

Jacksonville Jaguars: 36% Rostered

Next Opponents: NYJ, @DEN, @IND
True Value: $3
Desperate Need: $6
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Jacksonville’s top-five fantasy defense wreaked more havoc in Week 14, intercepting Colts quarterback Daniel Jones and backup Riley Leonard once apiece, recovering a fumble and taking down Leonard in the end zone for a safety. The Jaguars have forced 26 turnovers this season to rank second in that category behind only the Bears. Jacksonville’s defense is a terrific Week 15 option against the Jets, who are likely to be quarterbacked by Justin Fields after Tyrod Taylor sustained a groin injury on Sunday. Fields has been sacked 27 times in nine 2025 starts and took 99 sacks over two seasons with the Bears in 2022 and 2023. The Jaguars’ defense has a reasonably playable Week 16 matchup against the Broncos, followed by an appealing Week 17 matchup against the Colts, who just lost quarterback Jones to an Achilles injury.

San Francisco 49ers: 22% Rostered

Next Opponents: TEN, @IND, CHI
True Value: $3
Desperate Need: $6
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Despite ranking dead last in the league in sacks (16) and pressure rate (14.4%), the 49ers are a highly attractive streaming option for Weeks 15 and 16. San Francisco gets a scrumptious home matchup against Tennessee this week. Titans quarterback Cam Ward has been sacked an NFL-high 49 times, has coughed up nine fumbles and has thrown seven interceptions. Tennessee has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing defenses. In Week 16, the 49ers take on the Colts, who just lost quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles injury. Indianapolis will start either Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson at quarterback in that game.

New Orleans Saints: 8% Rostered

Next Opponents: CAR, NYJ, @TEN
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $3
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: The Saints are tied for 19th in defensive fantasy points per game with 5.8, but you could ride them throughout the fantasy playoffs thanks to three favorable matchups. In Week 15, the Saints get a home date with Bryce Young and the Panthers. Carolina can be run-heavy, and it’s hard for fantasy defenses to score points against run-heavy teams because there are fewer opportunities for sacks and interceptions. But the Panthers have still allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing defenses. In Week 16, the Saints get the Jets, whose quarterback situation could be in limbo with Tyrod Taylor dealing with a groin injury. In Week 17, the Saints take on sack-prone and fumble-prone rookie quarterback Cam Ward and the Titans.

Chicago Bears: 21% Rostered

Next Opponents: CLE, GB, @SF
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: After feasting on turnovers early in the season, the Chicago defense has averaged only 4.4 fantasy points over its last seven games. But the Bears get a favorable home matchup against the Browns this week. Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders had 364 passing yards and three touchdown passes Sunday against the Titans. But in four games this season, Sanders has thrown three interceptions and has been sacked eight times.

Dallas Cowboys: 11% Rostered

Next Opponents: MIN, LAC, @WSH
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: The Dallas defense hasn’t been especially effective in real life or in fantasy this season. But the Cowboys host J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings this week. McCarthy acquitted himself well in Week 14, with 163 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the Vikings’ 31-0 win over the Commanders. It was the first game this year in which McCarthy hasn’t thrown an interception. But McCarthy has been a mess for most of the season, with 24 sacks, 10 interceptions and five fumbles in seven games.

New York Giants: 2% Rostered

Next Opponents: WSH, MIN, @LV
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Like the Saints, the Giants have favorable matchups throughout the fantasy playoffs. But you’ll have to overlook the inconvenient fact that the Giants’ defense is averaging 2.6 fantasy points per game, putting them dead last in defensive fantasy scoring. As you know, defensive fantasy scoring is often more about the opposing offense than the defense itself. If you buy that theory, you might be willing to hold your nose and add the Giants’ defense.