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 4. (Note: All defense mentioned are owned in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues. Stats from before Monday Night Football)
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles rank third as a fantasy defense this season and have played well. After starting off the season with a five-point performance against Detroit, they then scored 13 points and 17 points in the following weeks against the Vikings and Commanders respectively. They tallied nine sacks in week 3 against the Commanders.
In week 4, the Eagles play the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars aren’t the same team they were last season, as they just blew out the Chargers on the road. Their offense is averaging 28 points per game. Picking up the Eagles is more about their potential to be an elite fantasy defense than the matchup. Jacksonville will be on their second straight road game and this game could prove they are real, but they’ll have to get through this tough Eagles’ defense. They are rostered in 37.2 percent of leagues.
2. Denver Broncos
Denver has the fourth-ranked fantasy defense this season, averaging 10.7 points per game. After scoring seven and eight points in the first two weeks, they scored 17 points against the 49ers. With nine sacks and a safety on the season (thanks to Jimmy Garoppolo running out the back of the endzone), they have some serious defensive potential.
The week 4 schedule pits them against the Las Vegas Raiders, who are the only 0-3 team in the league. They score 21.3 points per game, but have failed to get their top playmakers involved. The Broncos can take advantage of the fact that Derek Carr has thrown four interceptions so far this season. Denver can be a solid fantasy defense for the long-term (watch their tough schedule though) and are rostered in 28.5 percent of ESPN leagues.
3. New York Jets
The Jets are ranked 26th as a fantasy defense with an average of three points per game. They scored negative points against the Browns in week two, but have two other decent performances. New York registered six points in week 1 against the red-hot Ravens and four points against the Bengals in week 3. They have five turnovers forced on the season.
In week 4, the Jets travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. The Steelers are averaging 18 points per game, and considering one of their touchdowns is defensive, their offense poses even less of a threat than it looks like in the stats. The Jets can limit Mitch Trubisky’s effectiveness and make plays. They are rostered in 1.2 percent of ESPN leagues.
4. New York Giants
The Giants come into week 4 as the 25th-ranked fantasy defense, averaging 3.3 points per game. They scored two points against the Titans, then nine points against the Panthers. Week 3 did not go their way, as they scored -1 point against Dallas, which figured to be an easier matchup.
A week 4 matchup against the Bears presents another opportunity for this defense. The Bears have not been throwing the ball well, so the Giants can stack the box and try to slow down their running game. There isn’t a ton of potential for the Bears to burn the Giants, as they score just 17.3 points per game. New York’s defense is rostered in under 10 percent of ESPN leagues.
5. Chicago Bears
The Bears have the ninth-best fantasy defense in the league that averages 5.3 points per game. Their best game so far came against the San Francisco 49ers in week 1 during a monsoon. They scored nine points that week. Chicago runs the ball well and controls the clock, so they play complementary football for their defense.
They play the Giants in week 4, who will be coming off a short week following their Monday Night Football matchup with the Cowboys. The Giants have plenty of issues with their offense right now, as highly-paid players aren’t producing and others are getting injured. The offense is averaging 18.7 points per game with their main offensive threat being Saquon Barkley.
Make sure to check out our fantasy football page for more articles like Fantasy Football Defenses to Stream Week 4.
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!