DFS Army’s Gthom goes over the defenses to stream this week. The defenses to stream listed below are normally found in at least 50-percent of ESPN leagues (prior to waivers).
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Sep 24, 2023; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) passes the ball as New Orleans Saints linebacker Andrew Dowell (left) and New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) on Sunday, September 24, 2023, at Lambeau Field at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Tork Mason-USA TODAY NETWORK
Saints D/ST @ New York Giants – 30%
Tommy DeVito is expected to start at quarterback for the Giants. If for some reason it turns out to be Drew Lock, this play gets even better. Focusing on DeVito, he has a 10-game sample for his career. Based on those career numbers, DeVito averages 0.44 turnovers, 1.0 touchdown, 4.1 sacks, 21.9 rushing yards, and 129 passing yards per contest. You do not have to be a mathematician to know that math ain’t mathin’, as the Southern saying goes.
Even before sending Daniel Jones into exile, this Giants team struggled on offense. Of their 12 games, 10 were started by Jones, and the other two by backup quarterbacks. For the season, New York is the worst team in the NFL for touchdowns scored and points scored per game, eighth-worst in allowed sack rate, and 11th-worst in giveaways per game.
While the Saints have only averaged 4.7 fantasy points over their last three games, this matchup against the Giants should be their get-right spot. They are the top defense to play this week among widely available units.
Titans D/ST vs Jacksonville Jaguars – 13%
Trevor Lawrence is doubtful to play in Week 14 after sustaining a vicious concussion in his game against the Texans. This puts Mac Jones in line to start for the Jaguars, and that may be enough opportunity for this Titans team to play well defensively. Even if Lawrence starts, there is merit in playing Tennessee.
In Jones’ five games played in 2024, he has five turnovers: three interceptions and two lost fumbles. Over his career, his turnover-prone ways have been well documented. In 47 career games, Jones has 47 turnovers, or one turnover per game. Additionally, this Jacksonville team has struggled on offense all season. They rank 31st in third-down conversions and completion rate, 28th in yards per game, 25th in points per game, and 24th in touchdowns per game. Frankly, they are playing uninspiring football under a coaching regime that will almost assuredly be out the door once the season ends.
The Titans’ best element has been their defense. They limit their opponents to the second-lowest allowed yards per contest, fourth-lowest opponent yards per play, and eighth-best third-down defense, but they struggle to sack the quarterback and force turnovers. While these struggles exist, they do not outweigh the potential reward that managers could get by starting the Titans against a Mac Jones-led Jaguars team.
Cardinals D/ST vs Seattle Seahawks – 19%
Over the last five weeks, no one in the NFL has been worse against opposing D/STs than the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle is allowing 13.5 fantasy points per contest to the D/ST position, which ranks last in the NFL. Further, when adjusting for their schedule, Seattle allows the most fantasy points above expectation to opposing defenses, with 7.0 fantasy points.
Seattle’s struggles can be traced back to a few things, because for the entire season, they are the fifth-easiest opponent for opposing D/STs. Much of this stems from their 1.6 giveaways per game and their interception percentage of 2.75 percent, both of which rank among the bottom seven teams. Additionally, they allow the 10th-highest opponent sack rate, with 8.39 percent of dropbacks ending in a sack. All of this creates a “floor” for your D/ST, which improves the outlook of Arizona’s defense in Week 14.
This Cardinals defense is rounding into form lately, too. Since Week 9, Arizona’s defense is the eighth-highest-scoring D/ST overall, averaging 10.5 fantasy points, the fourth-highest mark in that time across the NFL. Most of their success has been around sacking the quarterback and keeping teams from scoring touchdowns once they reach the red zone. Arizona ranks ninth-best and seventh-best in those categories, respectively.
Sleeper D/ST Options:
- Dolphins D/ST vs New York Jets
- Jaguars D/ST @ Tennessee Titans
- Falcons D/ST @ Minnesota Vikings