Fantasy Football 2014: 5 Defenses to Avoid At All Costs

Once an elite defense, the New York Jets have lost a lot of key pieces over the years and are a bottom-15 defense. It doesn't help that the Jets will be facing Tom Brady twice, Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers and Jamaal Charles this season. They could turn out some good games against the other AFC East opponents, but it's not enough to warrant a draft selection.

The Atlanta Falcons finished as the No. 30 fantasy defense. The team held just one team to 17 points last year. The Falcons aren't known to be a defensive-minded team, but have made an effort to sign multiple secondary players to create depth on defense. With the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers in the same division, the Falcons could see similar struggles in 2014.

The Minnesota Vikings were the worst defense in all of football last season. They scored 53 fantasy points. In comparison, the Seahakws scored 195 points. The team held only one team to less than 13 points and it happened in the final week of the season. With the loss of defensive captain Jared Allen and facing the high-powered NFC North teams, the Vikings have a good chance to repeat as the worst.

The Jacksonville Jaguars gave up at least 30 points five times in the first eight games of the season. They also had five games in which the defense scored less than zero fantasy points. The Jaguars 11 interceptions were tied for 26th in the league. With Ziggy Hood, Chris Clemons and Jason Babin returning, the defensive line could give pressure to opposing quarterbacks. I put the blame on the Jaguars' offense for the defensive troubles.

When a team faces Peyton Manning and Jamaal Charles twice each in a season, that team will have a hard time being a top defense. This is the case for the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers scored less than 10 fantasy points on 14 occasions. With just 35 sacks and 11 interceptions all season, the Chargers relied heavily on their offense. While the other teams have room to improve, the Chargers defense looks like a lost cause right now.