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 week 6. (Note: All defense mentioned are owned in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues)
*All stats and rankings from before Monday Night Football
1. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have a top 10 fantasy defense this season, ranking seventh in the league. They average 7.3 points per game and two games where they scored double-digit points (against the Rams and Dolphins). Their lowest-scoring performance came in week 1 against Seattle, but they still managed to notch three points.
Their matchup in week 6 is very favorable. The Colts will be playing the Texans, who have been forced to start rookie Davis Mills after Tyrod Taylor was injured. The Texans are only scoring 17.8 points per game and won’t pose much of a threat against a tough Colts defense. Look for the Colts to make several key plays. The Colts are only rostered in 43.7 percent of ESPN leagues.
2. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas has the 10th-ranked fantasy defense this season, averaging 7.2 points per game. They have specialized in big plays (mostly thanks to Trevon Diggs) with 10 interceptions on the year. The Cowboys also have two fumble recoveries and nine sacks on the season. Their high-scoring game of the season came against Philadelphia when they scored 12 points. They have scored four points twice this season for their lowest total.
In week 6 the Cowboys play the Patriots. New England has struggled to move the ball with rookie quarterback Mac Jones under center. They score just 19.2 points per game and have limited playmakers. Dallas will likely be able to force a few turnovers and have a successful day. They are rostered in just 35 percent of ESPN leagues.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have a decent fantasy defense that scores 4.2 points per game. They are coming off of a -1 point performance against the Packers, but have otherwise played well. Their season-high in points was 11 against the Steelers, making them a relatively safe play most weeks. Cincinnati has 13 sacks and four interceptions on the season, showing the need for some more big plays.
The week 6 matchup for the Bengals is the Detroit Lions. Detroit scores just 19.6 points per game and are another team that lacks outside weapons. The Bengals are a better team and have played in a lot of low-scoring games this season, which gives them another opportunity for a solid week. Their defense is rostered in just 17.1 percent of ESPN leagues.
4. Miami Dolphins
Miami’s defense is generally pretty solid, but their stats are skewed after a -8-point performance against the Buccaneers. They rank 18th in fantasy points and do have some decent, but not great performances. The Dolphins scored five points against both the Patriots and the Raiders. They have nine sacks, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
Fortunately for Miami, they have their easiest matchup to date when they play the Jaguars. Jacksonville hasn’t won a game and only scores 18.6 points per game. They have a rookie quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and have their fair share of off-the-field distractions and locker room problems. Miami’s secondary should be able to force Lawrence into mistakes. The Dolphins are available in over 82 percent of ESPN leagues.
5. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have had a below-average fantasy defense this year and rank 22nd in the league. They average 3.4 points per game and have struggled to make big plays. Las Vegas has one interception, two fumble recoveries and 11 sacks. They scored no points against the Chargers and have otherwise hovered in the four-to-five point range each week.
Las Vegas plays at Denver in week 6. The Broncos score just 20.4 points per game and have only put up 26 total points over the last two weeks. Starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is playing, although he is banged up. They also have several injuries to their offensive line and have had to shuffle their offensive line a bit. The Raiders shouldn’t be started unless there are no other options, but they have the potential to put up a solid game against the Broncos. They are available in nearly 53 percent of ESPN leagues.
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