Unless most of the teams in your league carry a backup defense, more than half of the league should be available to you every week. Perhaps instead of playing one above average defense every week, regardless of matchup, we should instead target the widely available waiver wire defenses with the best matchups in any particular week? You can always make exceptions if your rent-a-defense gets hot - heck, you might find a team worth starting all year by accident. Even if you don't, good matchups will continue to get greater in number as more QBs get injured or yanked as the season goes on. You can steal some points from bad weather come December. Each week I'll list the startable fantasy defenses on most waiver wires and rank them.
Week 15 Results
Los Angeles Rams (vs New York Jets) - 2 sacks
Only the Texans and Raiders, who are in the bottom five in every D/ST scoring system, were worse in Week 15. A zonk that probably cost some fantasy teams a spot in the finals.
A Look Ahead: @SEA - Rams D/ST is on theall- ten foot pole team after that performance
Kansas City (at New Orleans) - 1 sack, 1 INT
Drew Brees wasn’t good, but he wasn’t bad in a way that fed the defensive statistics
A Look Ahead: ATL - The Chiefs D/ST has only been a hit three times this year, but Matt Ryan outdoors in late December is a good recipe for a fourth.
Cleveland (vs New York Giants) - 1 sack, 6 pts against
Colt McCoy was super safe with the ball and part of the reason the Giants were held to six points was coaching, not a stifling Browns defense. This one could have been better...
A Look Ahead: @NYJ - The Jets aren’t as attractive a D/ST opponent as they looked like last week, but this matchup still has to be a consideration.
Indianapolis (vs Houston) - 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries
Week 15 was brutal in terms of D/ST scoring, so this qualifies as a hit to the tune of top 5 scoring for the week.
A Look Ahead: @PIT - Yes, you want the Colts D/ST this week.
Buffalo (at Denver) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 DEF TD
It didn’t get much better than the Bills among Week 15 D/ST plays.
A Look Ahead: @NE - No matter who starts at quarterback for New England, you should have the Bills D/ST in your lineup.
Miami (vs New England) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
New England (at Miami) - 2 sacks, 1 INT
Tua Tagovailoa was much much better than Justin Herbert was against Bill Belichick in his rookie test, and with much less to work with than Herbert had. Cam Newton was bad enough to be benched and only the ball grazing Christian Wilkins thigh as he had a foot out of bounds prevented an Xavien Howard fumble return for a score from counting and making the Dolphins D/ST a big hit in Week 15.
A Look Ahead MIA: @LV - Marcus Mariota starting isn’t as good of news as you would have thought at this time last week, but the Dolphins defense track record of forcing turnovers is difficult to ignore.
A Look Ahead NE: BUF - Belichick has lost his mojo and Josh Allen’s is getting stronger by the week. Pass.
Green Bay (vs Carolina) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
The fumble recovery was at the goal line, preventing this from being a much closer game and better fantasy night for Teddy Bridgewater
A Look Ahead: TEN - Run away! Run away!
Washington (vs Seattle) - 1 INT
The Seahawks offense wasn’t effective, but it didn’t make many big gaffes either, which was probably the plan much to the dismay of anyone who depended on their offensive players in Week 15.
A Look Ahead: CAR - This one deserves a long look with Washington fighting to hold onto first place.
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
Dallas (vs San Francisco) - 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT, 1 DEF TD
Thank Nick Mullens and CeeDee Lamb for this one. Lamb’s onsides kick return for a score iced for the Cowboys, who have had the #1 fantasy D/ST over the last two weeks.
Week 16 Candidates
**Baltimore is assumed to be rostered**
Buffalo (vs New England)
The Patriots offense might be the worst in the league now that the Jets have woken up. Buffalo came through for us last week and still needs to keep winning to lock up the #2 seed.
Week 17: MIA - Worth considering
Indianapolis (at Pittsburgh)
The Colts defense harassed Deshaun Watson all day and Ben Roethlisberger is immobile and ineffective right now. This could be a bloodbath.
Week 17: JAX - Yes may I have another
Cleveland (at New York Jets)
Did the Jets use up all of their mojo to get their first win? It’s worth gambling on that when picking a D/ST this week.
Week 17: PIT - Surprisingly good prospects here, especially if the division is on the line.
Miami (at Las Vegas) **Saturday**
Marcus Mariota looked like a new man, but backup quarterbacks can be exposed easiest with a week for the opposing defense to prepare. The Dolphins defense has been consistent and deserving of trust.
Week 17: @BUF - With this, the ride comes to an end
Washington (vs Carolina)
The Football Team defense has still been a hit three of the last five weeks and playing them puts Chase Young in your championship lineup.
Week 17: @PHI - That’s a no with Jalen Hurts playing out of his mind
Kansas City (vs Atlanta)
The allure of the Chiefs opening up a big lead and Matt Ryan flailing under pressure in an attempt to keep pace with Patrick Mahomes II is there despite the Chiefs D/ST only hitting once in the last seven games.
Week 17: LAC - Chances are the Chiefs will have nothing to play for, so they won’t be an option
Chicago (at Jacksonville)
The Ravens sacked Gardner Minshew five times last week, including one for a safety, which is enough to give the Bears D/ST a look with the playoffs still very much in play for them.
Week 17: GB - Sure would be nice for Chicago if the Packers beat Tennessee this week and the Packers have the #1 seed locked up. A matchup with Tim Boyle is possible.
Fantasy Playoffs Preemptive Pickups
Week 17
Indianapolis (vs Jacksonville)
New Orleans (at Carolina)
Chicago (vs Green Bay)
