With the Kansas City defense, it's long been one to select for fans of the home run. If you want to plunk away with sack totals, for example, the numbers probably won't be there -- it's ranked 19th or worse in sacks in four of the last six year. But big plays (takeaways, and especially touchdowns) have been a strength.
Despite that lack of a pass rush, Kansas City has been very good (and consistent) at generating takeaways. This defense has finished in the top 10 in that regard seven years in a row, something nobody else has done (Buffalo and the Rams are on five-year streaks; New England has done it in four straight). And it's really been good at turning takeaways, and special teams plays, into touchdowns.
Over those seven years, Kansas City has scored 35 defensive and special teams touchdowns. At least 4 TDs in all of those seasons, and an average of 5 per year. (One last year by rookie linebacker Nick Bolton, pictured.) That's production that can win close matchups in fantasy leagues, and a reason Kansas City slips into our top 10 defenses even with what should again be a modest pass rush.
| DEFENSIVE AND SPECIAL TEAMS TDS, 2015-PRESENT | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Total |
| Kansas City | 6 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 35 |
| Baltimore | 4 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 28 |
| Philadelphia | 7 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| Miami | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 27 |
| LA Rams | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 25 |
| Jacksonville | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 24 |
| Minnesota | 6 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 23 |
| Chicago | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 21 |
| New England | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 21 |
| NY Giants | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 21 |
| Tampa Bay | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 21 |
| Indianapolis | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 20 |
| Denver | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| Atlanta | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 |
| Dallas | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 18 |
| Detroit | 2 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| Houston | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 18 |
| LA Chargers | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 18 |
| Arizona | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| Pittsburgh | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 17 |
| Seattle | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| Carolina | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| New Orleans | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 |
| Washington | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
| Buffalo | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 15 |
| NY Jets | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| Cincinnati | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| San Francisco | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Cleveland | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Green Bay | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Las Vegas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Eight of those touchdowns were on kick returns, and Kansas City doesn't have Tyreek Hill anymore. But don't overrate that: Hill accounted for 5 of those touchdowns (4 on punts and 1 on a kickoff), but none the last three seasons, with a reduced role in that area. Mecole Hardman had 2 of the team's 3 TDs in those years, and he's still around. And Kansas City's 27 defensive TDs since 2015 would still be No. 1 in the league even if you removed kick returns from the equation.
A lot of defenses will have better pass rushes, making them safer choices for weekly production in sack and takeaway driven fantasy leagues. But for touchdown upside, recent history suggests not many defenses will be better than Kansas City.
--Andy Richardson