If you read my article on playing the waiver wire game, you know that it is an essential part of winning your fantasy football league. If you haven’t read it, what are you waiting for? I just told you it’s an essential part of winning your fantasy football league! Why do you hate winning?
One of the best ways to maximize your weekly scoring is to stream defenses. This strategy is simple – we aren’t as concerned about good defenses, so much as finding defenses that are playing terrible offenses. Bad offenses are more likely to keep playing badly because if they knew how to be good, they would already be good. Because of this flawless logic, I will be pointing out the best streaming options every week.
Indianapolis Colts Defense (10% owned) @ Carolina Panthers
The number one streaming option at defense for me this week is the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are meh on defenses, but the Carolina Panthers have given up the 9th most fantasy points to opposing defenses, have the 6th most sacks, and score the 8th fewest points per game. More importantly, if you grab the Colts this week, they get to play the New England Patriots next week, which is a much better match-up. Getting a defense on the waiver wire that you can roster for two straight weeks with top-ten match-ups is a huge win.
Los Angeles Rams Defense (10% owned) @ Green Bay Packers
I understand that Matthew Stafford has a bad thumb and might not play, but I cannot fathom how the Packers are favored in this game. The Packers are on a four-game losing streak, losing to the Broncos AND the Raiders. The Bears were able to beat the Raiders. The Packers’ defense is a mess of missed assignments and their offense is even worse They have the 9th fewest yards per play and the 5th fewest first downs. The Packers are bad on offense. They have scored 9 points total in the first half over their last four games, which means they are constantly playing from behind, which makes it more likely they will turn the ball over. The Rams are going to be in a lot of my DFS lineups this week.
Atlanta Falcons Defense (31% owned) @ Minnesota Vikings
I am putting the Rams ahead of the Falcons, but the Falcons might be the safer play. The Falcons have been a solid actual defense when it comes to football if not fantasy football. The Falcons allow the 5th fewest first downs and the 6th fewest yards per play. On the other hand, the Minnesota Vikings are starting rookie Jaren Hall after losing Kirk Cousins for the season. Even with Cousins, the Vikings had the 3rd highest turnover rate in football. With a rookie, things could get out of hand quickly. The Atlanta Falcons defense could be a nice floor play with some explosive upside if Hall struggles.
***WALEED’S DEAD COACH BOUNCE***
Las Vegas Raiders Defense (27% owned) @ New York Giants
I can’t think of anything that makes me more excited to watch football this weekend than knowing I won’t have to look at Josh McDaniels dumb face. Do you remember when Josh McDaniels had one meeting with Jay Cutler and Jay Cutler immediately demanded a trade? Do you remember when McDaniels accepted a job with the Colts, they hired a staff, and then he decided to stay with New England? And do you remember when Mark Davis (And a whole lot of you who have the collective memory of a goldfish) thought this time things would be different with McDaniels because he’d learned from his past mistakes? Well, if you believed in Josh McDaniels, you were wrong and dumb and he has coached his last game. (For the Raiders, but hopefully forever) If you are feeling spicy, you will never have a better matchup for that dead coach bounce. The New York Giants score the fewest points per game, have the fewest yards per offensive play, and have given up the most sacks to opposing defenses. Oh, and they’ve also given up the most fantasy points to opposing defenses. The Raiders have been playing football with a 216-pound albatross strapped to their backs. Now, they’ve removed the ankle weight and are free! And Antonio Pierce is gonna make sure the Giants feel the Raiders. He needs the Giants to feel him!
[Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aaron_Donald_2020.jpg, cropped, under CC BY SA 2.0]
