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.
**If you are planning on starting the Pittsburgh or Houston defenses, check the league’s plans on their Week 4 games after Tennessee had eight positive covid tests, putting the PIT-TEN and MIN-HOU games in doubt**
**Buffalo, Indianapolis, Baltimore, and San Francisco have great matchups but assumed to be rostered**
Week 3 Results
Indianapolis (vs New York Jets) - 1 safety, 2 sack, 3 INT, 2 DEF TDs, 7 points allowed
The Colts are your #1 D/ST of the week and of the season to date and will be in lineups until further notice. We will be targeting the Jets until further notice. Sam Darnold looks miserable, but he could get out from under the thumb of Adam Gase soon.
A Look Ahead: @CHI @CLE CIN - Even if the Colts defense wasn’t red hot we’d be targeting them with this upcoming schedule.
Los Angeles Chargers (vs Carolina) - 2 sacks
The late week loss of Melvin Ingram III dimmed the outlook here and Justin Herbert did not play as well as he did in his debut, so the Chargers defense wasn’t staked to a lead. They also lost Chris Harris, their stud slot corner.
A Look Ahead: @TB @NO NYJ - We won’t consider the Chargers until Week 6.
Tampa Bay (at Denver) - 1 safety, 6 sacks, 2 INT
The Bucs defense continues to fly around the field and wreak havoc on opponents. This one was too easy with Jeff Driskel in and we’ll be targeting the Broncos until Drew Lock returns, that is, when they are not playing the Jets.
A Look Ahead: LAC @CHI GB - The Bucs have done enough to consider them a good start against the Chargers and Bears the next two weeks and leaving them in (or rostering them with another defense in) vs the Packers in Week 6 to get the Raiders and Giants in Weeks 7 and 8.
Arizona (vs Detroit) - 4 sacks
The Lions pass offense came alive with the return of Kenny Golladay and their defense forced three Kyler Murray interceptions to make them the surprise better half of this matchup for D/ST purposes.
A Look Ahead: @CAR @NYJ @DAL - Do you play the Cardinals this week at Carolina so you can have them next week against the Jets? Do you pick up a top rent-a-defense this week and try to roster both?
Tennessee (at Minnesota) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
If Jadeveon Clowney hadn’t used an interception as an excuse to get a hit on an offensive player that was penalized, we would have had a pick six and a big hit here. It was still a modest success and
A Look Ahead: PIT BUF HOU - We’ll throw Tennessee back with the takeaway here of target the Vikings
Cleveland (vs Washington) - 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 INT
This one couldn’t have worked out much better. Dwayne Haskins is sinking fast, not that Kyle Allen being installed would drive us away from Washington as a team to target with our rent-a-defense
A Look Ahead: @DAL IND @PIT - We thank the Browns D/ST for their service
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
Seattle (vs Dallas) - 1 safety, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
Even the Seahawks defense is coming around in fantasy value because of the positive game scripts they are creating
Carolina (at Los Angeles Chargers) - 2 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 INT
This one stands for targeting the Chargers with your D/ST more than it does showing interest in the Panthers.
Week 4 Candidates
Tampa Bay (vs Los Angeles Chargers)
The Bucs have the look of an everyweek fantasy D/ST regardless of opponent right now, but it helps that they’ll face Justin Herbert or Tyrod Taylor this week. Todd Bowles is a name we should love when maximizing D/ST fantasy value. Tampa should be carried in most leagues by now, but double check just to be safe.
A Look Ahead: @CHI GB @LV - Bucs are set it and forget it until further notice
Los Angeles Rams (vs New York Giants)
The Rams were probably drafted or at least added, but if they weren’t or they were dropped because of the Bills matchup, get back on them with Daniel Jones up this week and the Washington Football Team up next. Aaron Donald is someone I want on my team in any way possible.
A Look Ahead: @WAS @SF CHI - Next week’s matchup is even better than this week’s.
Denver (at New York Jets)
The Broncos lost Von Miller and haven’t had more than two sacks or two takeaways in any game this year, but you have to love playing a D/ST against a team that is (allegedly) playing for Adam Gase’s job.
A Look Ahead: @NE MIA KC - Will the Broncos soon be playing for Elway and Fangio’s jobs?
Green Bay (vs Atlanta)
Aaron Rodgers is dealin, the Packers are playing at Lambeau, and the Falcons players are stuck in a waking nightmare.
A Look Ahead: BYE @TB @HOU - We will come back to the Packers in Week 8 when Minnesota comes to town.
Seattle (at Miami)
The Seahawks made some big plays on defense last week and Ryan Fitzpatrick will do his damnedest to keep up with Russell Wilson this week. Hilarity and Dolphins turnovers could ensue.
A Look Ahead: MIN BYE @ARI - We’ll keep the Seahawks in next week if they do well for us this week.
Houston (vs Minnesota)
The Texans have had a toothless defense which is yet to force a turnover, but that was against the Chiefs, Ravens, and Steelers. The Vikings have been a generous offense to opposing defenses. The big caveat here is that the game could be postponed due to covid concerns, so stay tuned.
A Look Ahead: JAX @TEN GB - We’ll watch Gardner Minshew this week vs Cincinnati to see if the Texans are worth a look in Week 5.
Arizona (at Carolina)
The Panthers offense looked respectable against the Chargers and the Cardinals will be without Budda Baker, but they have still gotten pressure on the quarterback, with at least three sacks in every game, and an excuse to get Isaiah Simmons on the field could be a blessing in disguise.
A Look Ahead: @NYJ @DAL SEA - You are considering the Cardinals this week mainly to be set up to play them vs. the Jets next week.
Week 5 Preemptive Pickups
Arizona (at New York Jets)
Kansas City (vs Las Vegas)
Los Angeles Rams (vs Washington)
Seattle (vs Minnesota)
