Fantasy Football: 2020 Defense rankings from a Hall of Fame Fantasy expert

Projecting outlooks for Fantasy Football defensive/special teams units is always a significant challenge. Personnel changes, injuries and other factors alter the expectations for many defenses from year to year. In 2018, the Bears were the best defensive unit in Fantasy Football, but finished 20th last year. The San Francisco 49ers were the second-worst defense in '18, and finished atop the scoring ladder last season. 

Scott Engel has fully scouted and examined all 32 Fantasy defensive units for 2020. Engel is an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hall of Fame and has been a premier analyst and Fantasy personality for nearly 25 years. He is a four-time FSWA Award Winner and nine-time nominee.

In addition to being the Fantasy writer for the official site of the Seattle Seahawks since 2012, Engel's work has appeared on ESPN.com, NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, RotoBaller, SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, the New York Post, USA Today, SI.com and many other major sports news outlets. Engel also pulled off a three-peat in his highly competitive New York City Fantasy football league in 2019 that features high stakes players and top Fantasy experts. 

Now Engel has provided his 2020 Fantasy defense rankings with in-depth analysis, exclusively for SportsLine members. He spotlights key personnel changes and pinpoints units on the rise. He also notes favorable Week 1 matchups for those who prefer to stream defenses right from the opener. 

We can tell you Engel is extremely high on the Tampa Bay defense, featuring NFL sacks leader Shaqil Barrett. And a massive shocker: The Washington defense, which finished 25th last season, is pushing for a spot among the better units.   

Engel is also cites a defense that is underrated and on the rise into the Top 10! This pick could be the difference between winning and losing in some important weeks of the season. 

So which defenses have good Week 1 matchups? And which bottom ranked unit from 2019 actually has sleeper potential for this year? ... Join SportsLine here to see complete Fantasy football defense/special teams rankings, all from a Fantasy Hall of Famer!