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 6 Results
New England (vs Denver) - 2 sacks, 2 INT
One miscommunication and one bad decision led to two Drew lock interceptions to bail out the Patriots defense as a fantasy play, but they were still a disappointment.
A Look Ahead: SF @BUF @NYJ - The 49ers offense has settled down, but the New England D/ST is a good option for the next three weeks with Josh Allen also struggling.
Miami (vs New York Jets) - 3 sacks, 1 INT, 0 pts allowed
The Dolphins posted the first shutout of the season and made Joe Flacco look like the barely adequate backup that he is at this point in his career. This was a predictable hit.
A Look Ahead: BYE LAR @ARI - The Dolphins get the Jets again in Week 11, circle that on your rent-a-defense calendar
Green Bay (at Tampa Bay) - Nada. Bupkis. Zilch.
The Packers got out to a 10-0 lead and then rolled over for the more physical Buccaneers squad in Tampa.
A Look Ahead: @HOU MIN @SF - It’s difficult to like the Packers D/ST this week with Deshaun Watson coming around, but they might be worth holding to get the Vikings matchup in Lambeau next week.
New York Giants (vs Washington) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD
Kyler Fackrell’s sack knocked the ball loose and Tae Crowder did the rest to make the Giants a hit this week.
A Look Ahead: @PHI TB @WAS - The Giants D/ST is hot and worth leaving in on the road this week.
Dallas (vs Arizona) - 1 sack
I picked the wrong side of this one as Budda Baker was a one-man wrecking crew and Ezekiel Elliott’s butterfingers destroyed any chance the Cowboys had of competing in this game.
A Look Ahead: @WAS @PHI PIT - Do we dare go back to this woeful unit that should get their coordinator fired any day now? Kyle Allen says maybe.
Carolina (vs Chicago) - 1 INT
Nick Foles' interception was terrible, but it was the only gaffe the Bears committed on offense against Carolina.
A Look Ahead: @NO ATL @KC - There’s no obvious spots to use the Panthers again this year.
Minnesota (vs Atlanta) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Not a total loss, unlike the game for the Vikings, who didn’t look at all like the team that all but beat the Seahawks in Seattle last week.
A Look Ahead: BYE @GB DET - Moving right along...
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
Arizona (at Dallas) - 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT
Ezekiel Elliott couldn’t hang onto the ball and Andy Dalton couldn’t find time to throw downfield. We might be targeting the Cowboys until they prove it’s a bad rent-a-defense strategy.
Denver (at New England) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
Smoke is coming out from under the hood of the Patriots offense.
Chicago (at Carolina) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
The Bears have been a drafted and rostered D/ST for a while, but may have hit the waiver wire recently. Their performance against Teddy Bridgewater on the road will change that.
Week 7 Candidates
Buffalo (at New York Jets)
You always pick whoever is playing the Jets first
A Look Ahead: NE SEA @ARI - The Bills defense has been asleep in the prairie lately, but if they rise to the occasion against the Jets and Cam Newton struggles in Santa Clara, we might stick with them.
Kansas City (at Denver)
Drew Lock was far from flawless playing with a lead, how will he look having to keep up with Patrick Mahomes II?
A Look Ahead: NYJ CAR BYE - The real reason to add the Chiefs is to get the Jets matchup next week.
Philadelphia (vs New York Giants)
New York Giants (at Philadelphia)
NFC East football is bad football and bad football yields turnovers and sacks. It’s just that simple. The Eagles have the better pass rush, the Giants have scored defensive touchdowns each of the last two weeks. It’s easy to see both hitting this week, and it will give you a reason to watch Thursday night football.
A Look Ahead PHI: DAL BYE @NYG - The Eagles getting Andy Dalton next week could be the edge
A Look Ahead NYG: TB @WAS PHI - If Giants have a third straight big D/ST week, we might stick with them to get two more NFC East matchups in Weeks 9 and 10.
Los Angeles Chargers (vs Jacksonville)
The Chargers should get Melvin Ingram III back this week and they’re facing a Gardner Minshew in his waning stage.
A Look Ahead: @DEN LV @MIA - If Drew Lock has another bad game, we’ll stick with the Chargers in Week 8.
Washington (vs Dallas)
After watching the Cowboys on Monday, how could you not consider their Week 7 opponent? The Football Team defense hasn’t had a good D/ST week since the season opener, but the Cardinals hadn’t had a good D/ST week since facing the Football Teams, so...
A Look Ahead: BYE NYG @DET - We may come back to Washington after the bye.
Chicago (at Los Angeles Rams)
The Bears thoroughly shut down the Rams when they played last year, and their defense has been one of the stingiest in the league this year. They’re a great pick for leagues that score yards and points allowed.
A Look Ahead: NO @TEN MIN - We’ll come back to them for the Minnesota matchup.
Cleveland (at Cincinnati)
When you start the Browns, you start Myles Garrett. He should have a chance to be a one man fantasy D/ST against the Bengals offensive line.
A Look Ahead: LV BYE HOU - The Browns still have Philly, Jacksonville, the Jets and the Giants, so we’ll come back to them as the weather gets colder.
Week 8 Preemptive Pickups
Kansas City (at New York Jets)
Philadelphia (vs Dallas)