By Bart Lopez

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers defense hasn’t been as dominate this season as it was the past few years, but it’s still formidable enough to make the top five this week. Pittsburgh is an automatic start this week because it’s playing the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are the worst passing team in the league, and not an especially good running team. Expect the Steelers to hold them to around 12 points. Projected fantasy points: 24.3.

2. New York Jets: The Jets have had a rough three weeks, losing to the Raiders, the Patriots, and the Ravens. Those three offenses, at home, did a number to the Jets defense. This week’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins should be a breather for New York. The Dolphins aren’t a good offensive team, and starting quarterback Chad Henne is out with a shoulder injury. Projected fantasy points: 23.5.

3. Green Bay Packers: Green Bay is third on this list, despite having issues this year defending that pass. The Packers have a tendency to give up points and yardage, but they also force a lot of turnovers. They are second in the league in interceptions with 10. This week the Packers play the Rams. St. Louis’ offense ranks in the bottom third of the league, so expect the Green Bay defense to rack up the fantasy points. Projected fantasy points: 20.0.

4. Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals have worked their way to a respectable 3-2 record, thanks mostly to a good defense. Cincinnati is ranked third and seventh in opposing passing and rushing yards respectively. On Sunday, this defense will face a Colts offense that, without Peyton Manning, has struggled to put points on the board. At home, the Bengals defense should be more than capable of stopping the Colts. Projected fantasy points: 16.3.

5. Oakland Raiders: Yes, it is surprising to see the Raiders defense in the top five. Oakland’s defense is not good, ranking 29th and 22nd in defending the pass and run respectively. However, this week’s opponents are the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are a poor offensive team that has scored over 20 points in a game just one this season. Projected fantasy points: 16.1.

Not top 5, but could be: This week’s defense that just missed the cut but I think could have a big weekend is that of Detroit. I was impressed with the defensive line of the Lions on Monday. They consistently put pressure on the quarterback, which inevitably leads to bad passes and turnovers. On Sunday, the Lions play the 49ers, and I think the Lions defense will have a big day by pressuring Alex Smith into costly turnovers. Projected fantasy points: 14.3.