One of the biggest strategies in fantasy football is streaming defenses. Each week, owners will look at matchups and make waiver wire acquisitions to find their starting defense. Here are fantasy football defenses to stream in Week 3. (Note: All defenses mentioned are owned in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues. Stats are from before Monday Night Football)
Cincinnati has the top-ranked fantasy defense this season, as they average 13.5 points per game. They scored 20 points in Week 1 against the Bucs and seven against the Texans in Week 2. They have eight sacks, four fumble recoveries, one touchdown and just 28 total points allowed this year.
The Week 3 matchup for the Bengals is with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh ranks 30th in the league with 11.5 points per game. The Bengals have forced turnovers and produced pressure. They should be able to limit the Steelers and continue their good run defensively to start the season. Cincinnati is rostered in just 8.2 percent of ESPN leagues.
Green Bay ranks 15th in fantasy defense scoring at 5.5 points per game. After scoring four points against the Vikings in Week 1, they scored seven against the Jets in Week 2. They have one interception and seven sacks bolstering their scores so far this year.
This week, the Packers play the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta has had quarterback injury issues, which have forced them to start Cooper Rush and also give playing time to rookie Jack Strand. They are averaging just eight points per game and are not a big threat to move the ball consistently. The Packers should be able to take advantage and at least have a solid day. They are rostered in just 20 percent of ESPN leagues.
Carolina ranks ninth as a fantasy defense this season at 8.0 points per game. After a terrible -8 point performance against the Bears in Week 1, Carolina had 24 points against the Falcons in Week 2. They have four sacks, three fumble recoveries, three interceptions, and one touchdown on the season.
In Week 3, the Panthers play the Cleveland Browns. While the Browns did notch a win in Week 2, they average just 16.5 points per game. If the Browns regress to their usual output, Carolina’s new-look defense can put another solid game on film. The Panthers are rostered in just 3.6 percent of ESPN leagues.
The Giants will play on Monday Night Football this week, so their only performance to analyze is against Dallas in Week 1. They scored four fantasy points against the good Cowboys’ offense. The Giants had one interception and no sacks. They will be on a short week after playing the Rams in Week 2.
This week, the Giants are matching up with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans average 15 points per game, which is tied for 25th in the league. Even though they improved against the Eagles in Week 2, the Titans did struggle against the Jets in Week 1. If New York can get their pass rush going, they should be able to force some mistakes. The Giants are rostered in just three percent of ESPN leagues.
New Orleans has an average fantasy defense so far this season, ranking 18th in the league at 4.5 points per game. They scored one point in Week 1 against the Lions and then followed that up with an eight-point game against the Ravens in Week 2. They have four sacks, one block, one fumble recovery and one interception this season.
The Week 3 game for the Saints will be against the Las Vegas Raiders. Las Vegas has scored 26.5 points per game, so they have gotten off to a hot start. They may still be without Brock Bowers, and even if they aren’t, their defense has benefited and set them up well. The Saints could do better playing complementary football, which could allow their defense to play better. New Orleans are rostered in just 2.6 percent of ESPN leagues.
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