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, Baltimore, Dallas, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Cleveland are all assumed to be on a roster**
Week 16 Results
Buffalo (at LA Chargers) - 5 sacks
One week after shutting Dak Prescott down, the Bills needed a last-second field goal to beat Easton Stick.
A Look Ahead: NE - The matchup is good enough to stick with the Bills for the finals.
Chicago (vs Arizona) - 2 sacks
The Bears contained Kyler Murray and the Cardinals offense, but they didn’t force any turnovers.
A Look Ahead: ATL - The Falcons are playing it very safe on offense. We might look elsewhere.
Kansas City (vs Las Vegas) - 2 sacks
The Chiefs didn’t give up an offensive touchdown, but they didn’t force a turnover. We had the wrong side of this one.
A Look Ahead: CIN - We should still be open to playing the Chiefs in our championship.
Denver (vs New England) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
The Broncos were getting beaten by Bailey Zappe for most of the game at home.
A Look Ahead: LAC - Easton Stick isn’t the tomato can we saw in Week 15. Pass.
Tampa Bay (vs Jacksonville) - 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT
Trevor Lawrence left this game with an injury, but the Jaguars offense was choppy before that.
A Look Ahead: NO - The Bucs will definitely be a preferred Week 17 rent-a-defense.
Green Bay (at Carolina) - 2 sacks
Ooof. Bryce Young found himself, at least for this week, against the Packers.
A Look Ahead: @MIN - The Vikings don’t even know who is going to start at quarterback, but the Packers have been a mediocre at best fantasy D/ST all season. There might be a better option on your waiver wire.
NY Jets (vs Washington) - 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
The Jets D/ST looked like one of the best plays of the week until they lost a 27-7 lead in the second half.
A Look Ahead: @CLE - The Jets are worth a look against Joe Flacco.
Houston (vs Cleveland) - 1 sack, 2 INT, 1 ST TD
Dameon Pierce housed a kickoff return from 98 yards out to make this one a hit.
A Look Ahead: TEN - If CJ Stroud is back, the Texans D/ST is worth considering.
Miami (vs Dallas) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
It wasn’t a standout performance, but the Dolphins D/ST wasn’t a liability against the Cowboys.
A Look Ahead: @BAL - We won’t play a D/ST against Lamar Jackson in the finals.
Tennessee (vs Seattle) - 3 sacks
Geno Smith got better as the game went on, so this was a dud.
A Look Ahead: @HOU - As long as C.J. Stroud is back, the Titans D/ST will go back to the waiver wire.
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
Las Vegas (at Kansas City) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 2 DEF TD
The Raiders are the kings of surprise D/ST outbursts.
New England (at Denver) - 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 DEF TD
Christian Barmore announced his presence in this game.
Detroit (at Minnesota) - 4 sacks, 4 INT
Too bad the Lions are facing Dak Prescott this week, or we would use them. The Packers will get whoever the Vikings start.
NY Giants (at Philadelphia) - 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD
Adoree Jackson came through with a pick-six if you started the Giants D/ST for some reason.
Pittsburgh (vs Cincinnati) - 3 sacks, 3 INT
Jake Browning is showing cracks.
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