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.
**Philadelphia, Baltimore, New England, Dallas, San Francisco and Buffalo are assumed to be rostered**
Week 17 Results
Los Angeles Chargers (vs Los Angeles Rams) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Joey Bosa was back and the Chargers generally shut down the Rams, but it didn’t result in a big fantasy stat line
Week 18: @DEN - with the #5 seed on the line, the Chargers should be amped. Worth considering
New York Giants (vs Indianapolis) - 2 sacks, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD
Remember Landon Collins? Anyone who trusted the Giants D/ST in Week 17 won’t forget him after he notched a pick six.
Week 18: @PHI - The Eagles have a lot more to play for and Jalen Hurts should be back. Pass.
Kansas City (vs Denver) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
They didn’t exactly hold the Broncos in check as this was a close (27-24) game, but the defense did enough to make Kansas City a worthwhile start
Week 18: @LV - The Chiefs will have a shot at the #1 seed with a win, so even though the Raiders were a surprise tough out against the 49ers, we’ll consider Kansas City.
Washington (vs Cleveland) - 5 sacks
Five sacks isn’t terrible, but Carson Wentz was.
Week 18: vs DAL - The Commanders can play spoiler here with the Cowboys still alive for the division title and #1 seed, but… no.
Jacksonville (at Houston) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 DEF TD, 3 pts allowed
When the Texans *need* to lose to stay as the #1 pick, they find a way to lose.
Week 18: vs TEN - Joshua Dobbs is getting his second NFL start and the division is on the line. Yes, may we have another?
Green Bay (vs Minnesota) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 3 INT, 1 DEF TD, 1 ST TD
The Packers defense and special teams carried the day as they played themselves to a win-and-you’re-in-game against the Lions at home. If you had the Packers in, they might have been the reason you won.
Week 18: vs DET - The Lions offense is no joke, but Lambeau might have some magic left. Worth considering
Pittsburgh (at Baltimore) - 1 sack, 1 INT
The Steelers defense was better than their stat line. Even the interception only came on a desperation drive.
Week 18: vs CLE - The Steelers are still alive in the playoffs, but if your fantasy team is still alive, look elsewhere for a defense.
Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda
New Orleans (at Philadelphia) - 6 sacks, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD
The defense has not been the problem for the Saints this year, especially as of late. Gardner Minshew’s bid to be a starter somewhere next year took a hit.
Seattle (vs New York Jets) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT, 6 pts allowed
Mike White looked like a backup as the Seahawks defense carried the day
Detroit (vs Chicago) - 7 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
Did you see Aidan Hutchinson’s interception as a Cover 2 corner? Also, James Houston IV is quite the late-round find for the Lions