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, New Orleans, and Baltimore have great matchups but are assumed to be rostered**
Minnesota (vs Tampa Bay)
This is the slam dunk pick of the week. The Vikings will unveil the Brian Flores defense, and by most accounts, it will be just as confusing and chaotic for opposing quarterbacks as previous versions in Miami and New England. Baker Mayfield is going to be tested early and often against a unit that will be trying to make big plays with deceptive blitzes that force the quarterback’s hand before they are ready to make a decision or otherwise are looking at something different than they saw pre-snap, or in pre-game preparation.
A Look Ahead: @PHI LAC @CAR - We will come back to them if Bryce Young doesn’t look ready early in the season.
Washington (vs Arizona)
If you can’t get Minnesota, Washington is a fine alternative. We don’t know who is going to start at quarterback for Arizona, which in and of itself is a good sign for the opposing defense. Washington will be playing in front of a home crowd, and they have the best defensive tackle duo in the league to ruin the Cardinals' offensive plans.
A Look Ahead: @DEN BUF @PHI - Maybe we’ll stick with Washington if they roast the Cardinals and Russell Wilson struggles against the lowly Raiders defense.
Atlanta (vs Carolina)
The Falcons defense should be improved under new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who was part of a defensive resurgence in New Orleans, if only because of additions like Jessie Bates, Calais Campbell, and Kaden Elliss. They’ll welcome Bryce Young to the NFL. While Young is an advanced passer for a rookie, he will be throwing to a new wide receiver group with a possibly banged-up #1 running back (Miles Sanders) behind him.
A Look Ahead: GB @DET @JAX - The Falcons are a good pick this week because they could be a hot rent-a-defense next week at home if Jordan Love has a rough time against the Bears.
Jacksonville (at Indianapolis)
This one could go either way, as the Jaguars don’t exactly have a shutdown defense, and Anthony Richardson is just as likely to confound them as he is to show just how much he has to learn. The Jaguars have some playmakers at linebacker and safety who will be both trying to force mistakes and waiting in the weeds in coverage to pounce on ill-advised or inaccurate passes.
A Look Ahead: KC HOU ATL - We’ll get off of the Jaguars next week, even if they are a success, but back on them for the matchup with C.J. Stroud in Week 3.
Seattle (vs LA Rams)
The Rams actually played the Seahawks tough without Cooper Kupp (and Matthew Stafford) in both matchups last year, but the Seahawks defense still had at least four sacks and a takeaway in each game. The Rams will almost certainly be without Kupp in this game and their offensive line is a work in progress. The Seahawks defense also got Bobby Wagner back this offseason after he spent 2022 with the Rams. This one could be a throwback to the Legion of Boom days.
A Look Ahead: @DET CAR @NYG - Bryce Young’s performance this week will also inform us about the viability of the Seahawks in Week 3.
Green Bay (at Chicago)
Chicago (vs Green Bay)
It’s not clear which side of this one is better, but it could be (should be?) a low-scoring, ugly offensive game. The Packers have the better defense, with playmakers at all three levels, although Justin Fields running ability and the addition of DJ Moore could level that matchup. The Bears defense is far from imposing, even after they added Yannick Ngakoue, but Jordan Love is making his debut as the entrenched starter and he has the most inexperienced group of receivers in the league. If I had to pick one, it would probably be the Bears defense at home, no longer having to face one of their owners.
A Look Ahead GB: @ATL NO DET - If Desmond Ridder has a rough start, we might stick with the Packers.
A Look Ahead CHI: @TB KC @DEN - The other reason to take the Bears is to get Baker Mayfield next week.
Week 2 Preemptive Pickups
NY Giants (at Arizona)
Denver (vs Washington)
Atlanta (vs Green Bay)
Miami (at New England)
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