If you are one of those hooligans who streams defenses each week, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll be looking for 50% rostered or less in Yahoo! Leagues.
New Orleans Saints (NO, 46%) vs. Atl
No team has scored more than 27 points against Dennis Allen’s unit. Not Green Bay (3 PA, finished in the top-5 DSTs). Not Tampa Bay (27 PA, finished in the top-5 DSTs). Currently the 4th-best defense, they are a great mix of keeping the lid on the opposing offense and racking up big plays. The New Orleans D has 11 INTs, 16 sacks, and 2 TDs so far, and welcomes a visiting Falcons team that gives up the 6th-most FPG to DSTs. Atlanta averages 21 points per game and Matt Ryan has thrown 6 INTs through 7 games and will be without Calvin Ridley.
Carolina Panthers (Car, 43%) vs. NE
As if this Carolina defense couldn’t get any scarier, the team activated Stephon Gilmore last week who promptly racked up his first INT as a Panther. One of the magic formulas for a fantasy defense is a strong pass rush accompanied by lockdown outside corners. This tends to make QBs either hurry their throws and/or make bad decisions (INTs), or take sacks. The addition of Gilmore across from Donte Jackson did just that last week against Matt Ryan. Ryan was sacked 3 times and threw 2 INTs. A similar fate may await rookie QB Mac Jones this week. The Patriots allow the 12th-most FPG to DSTs, including almost 2 sacks and an INT per game.
Miami Dolphins (Mia, 13%) vs. Hou
There's slim pickins out there this week, but I think Miami’s severely underperforming defense is starting to get healthy, which will make a huge difference. Stud CBs Xavien Howard and Byron Jones have been battling multiple injuries through the first half of the season but are getting healthier. Last week, Jones and Howard held Stefon Diggs to just 40 yards and Josh Allen under 250 yards. This week, they face the weakest offense in the league. So if you’re desperate, there’s hope that the talent of Miami’s defense will prevail. Vegas thinks they will, as Miami opened as a 7-point favorite, with Houston scoring a projected 19 points.
