If you took my advice last week and rostered the Ravens D/ST, you may not have to spend another dime of free agent money on the defensive side of the ball this year. They held the Panthers to just three points and don’t have a bad fantasy matchup on the books. For most of us though, streaming defenses will continue all the way through the final game of the year. Before we get into targets for this week, a quick aside: I try to highlight D/STs with at least 40% availability in ESPN leagues, but it’s important to keep an eye out for the rare elite D/ST that hits the waiver wire for whatever reason. This week, the Ravens, along with the Buccaneers, Jets, and 49ers are rostered in 65-85% of leagues but should be given priority where available.
The Jets play the Bears, who may be without Justin Fields on Sunday. If that were the case, it could legitimately be the best defense in football against the worst offense, and should be valued accordingly. The Buccaneers-Browns game is currently projected for heavy winds, which would make Jacoby Brissett an appealing target. The elite 49ers defense has a cushy matchup with the Saints, and should be considered one of the best matchups of the week. Keep an eye on these D/STs before moving on to other available targets this week.
