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- Defenses
You have lineup questions, we have lineup answers — at least we hope so. Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is here to help fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. And you know what is a good move? Starting Christian McCaffrey. But that’s too obvious, so you won’t see such simple analysis here. Instead, we’re exploring more debatable situations. And if you can’t find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
Start ‘Em
The Jets allowed 17 fantasy points to the Falcons last week after allowing 21 the week prior to the Dolphins. Oh, and the week before that, they surrendered 21 to the Bills. Yeah, the Jets are the top streaming matchup in the league right now. The Texans are coming off a strong three-sack, three-interception game and have a very favorable schedule moving forward, as they play the Titans, Browns and Titans again in the fantasy playoffs. Pick them up and you can potentially ride with them the rest of the way.
The Colts have been running hot recently, with 11 or more fantasy points in four straight — three times topping 16. They have 21 sacks and six interceptions in that four-game span. Now they get the Bengals, who looked much better than expected last week without Joe Burrow, but are still not an offense to avoid. The Colts also have a great schedule afterwards, facing the Steelers, Falcons and Raiders in the fantasy playoffs. They’re another option you can ride out the season with.
Tommy DeVito may be a New Jersey legend that we’ve had a lot of fun celebrating on “Flex or Fuhhget” this year, but you can absolutely stream defenses against the quarterback. The G-Men have taken a league-high 69 sacks through 12 games, which equates to nearly six per game. No one else is even close. They have allowed the most fantasy PPG to opposing defenses this season, too. The Packers are a great streaming option this week.
The Dolphins’ defense has been red hot, with 12 or more fantasy points in three straight. That includes a 21-point performance a couple games ago against the Jets. Now they get the Titans, who have taken the fifth-most sacks since Will Levis took over as the starter. Plus, they get the Jets again in Week 15, so if you stream them on Sunday, you can just hang onto them for another game.
The Patriots did not score a point in Week 13. They did allow 17 fantasy points to the Chargers’ defense. Yup, that porous Bolts D we’re starting fantasy players against with glee. The last three defenses to face the Pats have scored 16, 12 and 17 fantasy points. New England has thrown 14 picks this year, tied for second-most in the league. The Steelers can also get after the QB (whoever that may be). They are a great streaming option this week.
Sit ‘Em
Sitting the top-scoring fantasy defense? You can call me crazy, but I will be benching Dallas this week. The Cowboys’ defense is a bully in that it beats up on lesser offenses. But against the 49ers, Chargers, Eagles and Seahawks — the four best offenses Dallas has faced this season — the unit has scored fewer than five fantasy points in each. They scored just two points against the Eagles in Week 9. They face top offenses the rest of the fantasy football season (Bills, Dolphins and Lions in Weeks 15-17), so while I will not tell you to drop them, it’s also not out of the question.
See, Cowboys fans — I’m not just picking on Dallas here. I think this could be a high-scoring affair, so I would prefer to get away from both defenses. Especially Philly’s D/ST, which has scored seven fantasy points or fewer in every game since Week 8. The unit did get that seven-point performance in Week 9 against the Cowboys, but I’m not swayed. Plus, Dak Prescott is the hottest QB on the planet right now. There are plenty of good streaming options this week that allow you to get away from this one.
The Chiefs’ defense has come back to earth as of late, at least from a fantasy football perspective. The unit has scored two fantasy points in its last two — in games against the Raiders and Packers. Kansas City has topped double digits just once since Week 8. Now the Chiefs face the NFL touchdown leader in Josh Allen. Sit K.C. this week, but hold on to the unit as the schedule opens up with games against the Patriots, Raiders and Bengals afterward.
No calling me a homer, Chiefs fans! I would get away from both defenses in what could be a high-scoring game. The Bills may be a top-five defense in terms of fantasy points, but it’s completely propped up by two huge performances. From Week 4 on, the Buffalo D/ST has just one game with double figures. Yeah, that’s not the sort of defense you want to start against Patrick Mahomes.
