Welcome to the weekly edition of defensive streamers! Congratulations on advancing in your fantasy playoffs or resting up from the bye week. Either way, consuming fantasy content during this time of the year is a testament to your ability in fantasy football.
Last week was arguably the best week for myself. I recommended five streamers; three of the five were solid starts. Washington, New York Jets, and the Cardinals put forth modest efforts that likely didn’t hurt you if you had to use them in a pinch. The Falcons and the Bengals were elite starts last week. The Bengals had six turnovers paired with a defensive touchdown, while the Falcons had three turnovers, four sacks, and a safety to top it all off.
This week is a massive trust exercise for those of us that stream defenses. We have three defenses that are in the middle of the road at best against three offenses stuck in reverse. Can fantasy managers trust these sketchy defenses in opportunistic situations? I believe we can!
As a reminder, I will recommend defenses that are available in 60% or more of Yahoo leagues. I do have one defense that is slightly above that mark, but I want to be thorough now that we’re in the fantasy playoffs.
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Indianapolis Colts (available in 65%) vs. Tennessee Titans
The Titans are making a change at quarterback, but the offense will remain the same. The Colts’ defense is a fine defense—this is much more about the ineptitude of the Titans offense. The Titans offense averages two turnovers and three sacks per game, leading the NFL in both categories. Mason Rudolph has played three full games this year; in those games, he threw a combined four interceptions and was sacked five times. While Rudolph can limit mistakes better than Levis, his talent does not elevate this offense to an elite level. The Colts picked off Bo Nix three times last week; unfortunately, they haven’t finished as a top five fantasy defense since Week 9. Facing off against the Titans will remedy that problem. Lastly, and most importantly, the Colts are fighting for a playoff spot while the Titans are playing for what little bit of pride they have left. The Colts are my top streamer of the week.
Atlanta Falcons (available in 52%) vs. New York Giants
The Falcons get to face off against the maligned Giants offense Sunday, creating a smash opportunity for the Falcons defense. Since Week 6, the Giants have scored more than 21 points exactly one time. The Falcons are fresh off the demolishing of Desmond Ridder. Despite the recent success, I still find it hard to trust the Falcons defense. Atlanta has finished as a top 10 D/ST only three times all year. There’s an alarmingly high number of games played where they finished with no sacks or turnovers.
Drew Lock is set to start for the Giants, and in his last start he was sacked six times on Thanksgiving. The Giants also have the second lowest team total of the week in what should be a raucous scene for newly appointed QB Michael Penix’s first start.
Cincinnati Bengals (available in 57%) vs. Cleveland Browns
The Bengals rewarded fantasy streamers last week with an explosion of fantasy points against the lowly Titans. The Bengals racked up six turnovers to pair with a touchdown return. Can they keep it up against the Browns? The Browns are making a change at quarterback, going to Dorian Thompson-Robinson, which limits the upside for the offense. DTR appeared against the Bengals earlier in the season, posting a sub-50-percent completion percentage and throwing two interceptions. In 12 career appearances, Robinson has scored exactly one touchdown. Not only will Nick Chubb be out, but David Njoku is in danger of missing as well. With a team total of 19, the Browns offense appears to be stuck in neutral. I would play the Bengals defense above the Falcons, but it’s very close.
Week 17 Options to stash:
Indianapolis Colts (vs. New York Giants): A bonus to streaming the Colts this week is that they get the Giants offense next week. A strong matchup for Championship weekend.
New Orleans (Vs. Las Vegas Raiders): If the Raiders start Desmond Ridder next week, the Saints will win you your fantasy championship.
