Welcome back to the defensive streamers breakdown! We are now halfway through the fantasy season, and we have been trending in the right direction with our options. Last week was a fine week. Three of my options finished in the top half of D/ST scoring for standard leagues.
Unfortunately, Kyler Murray didn’t get his advanced edition of Call of Duty, and he torched the Dolphins’ defense. But as I have said many times before, I’m aiming for 100-percent accuracy, week after week.
Unlike last week, we have some excellent matchups for our streaming options this weekend. We have some average defenses matched up with incredibly bad offenses. Last week the recommendations were fine, but these teams should produce strong fantasy performances in Week 9.
We have bye weeks back, as San Francisco and Pittsburgh are out of action this weekend. San Francisco has been a middle-of-the-road defense, but Pittsburgh has been outstanding. If anyone drops the Steelers this week, they will be an excellent addition to your fantasy squad.
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Fantasy Football Defensive Streamers Week 9
Note: All defenses listed are available in 60% or more of Yahoo Leagues. The New Orleans Saints are available in 59% of leagues, but they are an excellent streaming option against the Panthers if they are available in your league.
Washington Commanders (80% available) vs. New York Giants
I’ve mentioned this before in previous articles, but the Commanders’ offense isn’t the only reason for their turnaround. The Washington defense is in the top 10 in pass yards allowed per game and gets to face off against a Giants offense without LT Andrew Thomas. How important was Thomas to the Giants’ offense? Between Week 2 and Week 6, the Giants gave up nine sacks. Over the last two games, with Thomas out, they have given up 11 sacks. Daniel Jones will be under pressure all game long. The last time these two played, the Commanders came away with only one sack and one turnover, but I expect much more fruitful results this weekend. They are my favorite streaming option.
New England Patriots (94% available) vs. Tennessee Titans
The average score for a D/ST facing off against the Tennessee offense is 9.8. That would be good for a top-ten finish on an average week. The Patriots’ defense is a below-average unit, making this Sunday’s matchup a battle of wills. New England has only forced seven turnovers on defense, and opposing quarterbacks have finished with an average QBR inside the top ten. This matchup is all about chasing the ineptitude of the Titans’ offense. Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley could prove this recommendation useless. But with Tennessee’s 20-point team total, I am obliged to point the Patriots out as a viable option.
Cincinnati Bengals (63% available) vs. Las Vegas Raiders
The Bengals’ defense carries the highest ownership of all my streaming options, and they also come with risk. The Bengals’ D/ST has only had three startable weeks in the fantasy season. They forced a combined six sacks and three interceptions against Cleveland and the Giants. But last week, the Eagles eviscerated them, as the Bengals posted -4 fantasy points. I do not love this recommendation, but Gardner Minshew is not a good quarterback. He was sacked five times last week, and Alexander Mattison is an unintimidating option as a rusher. This is not a strong endorsement of this defense, and honestly, I’d rather go with the “not-in-my-league” option before choosing the Bengals. You are starting the Bengals if you have no other options and crossing your fingers that Minshew is going to continue to play recklessly.
The Not-in-My-League Option: Tennessee Titans (95% available) vs. New England Patriots
And the mid-off between these two teams continues! At the time of this writing, Drake Maye is in concussion protocol, and his status is very much in the air. If he is out, the Titans are in consideration as a top-five D/ST play for the week. This game will be an ugly, sloppy affair, as both teams have an offensive EPA (expected points added) success rate among the bottom six teams of the league. Most importantly, the Patriots currently have the lowest team total of the weekend with 17. If Maye is cleared to play, I would avoid the Titans. But if Jacoby Brissett is starting, then the Titans’ defense is deservedly in the discussion as a viable option.
Week 10 Options to Stash:
- New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers: The Giants have a nasty pass rush that can squash the already-squished Panthers offense.
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys: Dallas is a mess, and Philly’s defense looked much better last week against Cincinnati.
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