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.
**Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and New England are assumed to be rostered**
Week 17 Results
Green Bay (vs Minnesota) - 2 sacks
Kirk Cousins going on the covid list made this one look a lot better as the week went on, but the blowout loss didn’t produce any embarrassing turnovers or complete offensive breakdowns for Minnesota
Philadelphia (at Washington) - 3 sacks, 1 INT
Taylor Heinicke actually came out of the gate hot in this one and the Football Team* was in it until the end.
*- Until 2.2.22**
**- Unless it's a Groundhog Day joke
Kansas City (at Cincinnati) - 4 sacks
The Chiefs defense was semi-effective at first and then Burrow to Chase took over. Still not a terrible result considering the output of some easier picks this week
Chicago (vs New York Giants) - 1 safety, 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT, 3 pts allowed
Mike Glennon was the worst he has been all year, maybe even in his career, and the team didn’t pull him. Our #1 D/ST of Week 17.
Denver (at Los Angeles Chargers) - Nada. Zilch. Bubkes.
Was it enough to get Vic Fangio fired? Bronco fans can only hope.
New Orleans (at Carolina) - 7 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
Cameron Jordan, still underrated
San Francisco (vs Houston) - 3 sacks, 1 INT, 7 pts allowed
Not a dominant performance, but a strong one nonetheless to set up the 49ers for a win and you’re in scenario against the Rams, whom the 49ers have won five straight against.
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda
Baltimore (vs Los Angeles Rams) - 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT, 1 DEF TD
Matthew Stafford threw his fourth pick six of the year and it still wasn’t enough to get the win, but it might have helped fantasy teams that faded Stafford with their D/ST choice.
Pittsburgh (vs Cleveland) - 9 sacks, 2 INT
The Steelers defense we are used to seeing in prime time showed up for this one, led by T.J. Watt’s four sacks as he closes in on Michael Strahan’s single season sack record of 22.5, and he will have only played in 15 games, so no asterisk.
Tennessee (vs Miami) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 3 pts allowed
In Tua We Trust? Probably not if you’re the Dolphins
Los Angeles Chargers (vs Denver) - 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD
When you’re facing Drew Lock, all it takes is one play to make your D/ST day
Week 18 Candidates
**Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and New England are assumed to be rostered**
Indianapolis (at Jacksonville)
The Colts haven’t won at Jacksonville since 2014, but the Jaguars will clinch the #1 pick with a loss, and the Colts will clinch a playoff spot. The Colts have also been a top 5 D/ST this year and they had three sacks and a touchdown in the first meeting.
Kansas City (at Denver)
The Chiefs play on Saturday, so they won’t know if the Titans beat the Texans and have to play as if the #1 seed is on the line.
Tennessee (at Houston)
The Titans can lock up the #1 seed with a win. This matchup isn’t attractive as it was earlier in the season, but the Titans defense has been improving.
Pittsburgh (at Baltimore)
Whether it’s Lamar Jackson or Tyler Huntley, bet on the Steelers defense to have another good game against this Greg Roman offense with the season still alive if the Colts lose.
Arizona (vs Seattle)
The Cardinals have a chance to win the division and get a home game to open the playoffs, while the Seahawks are playing for pride on the road.
Washington (at New York Giants)
The Giants offense has been one of the worst in the league since Daniel Jones went down (even before some might argue), so why not?
Thanks for following along all season, see you in Week 1!