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 9. (Note: All defense mentioned are owned in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues)
1. Washington Football Team
Washington may be struggling as a team this year, but their defense actually ranks in the top 10 for fantasy. They have two 17-point performances that have helped them rank this highly. One came against the Eagles and the other was against the Cowboys before their bye.
This week, Washington plays the New York Giants. The Giants rank 30th against opposing defenses this year, which makes it a good opportunity for this defense. Washington is owned in 23.3 percent of ESPN leagues.
2. New York Giants
The Giants also have a surprisingly solid fantasy defense. They rank 13th as a fantasy defense this season. New York has a 13-point performance against Washington, a nine-point performance against the Bears and an eight-point performance against the Cowboys.
A rematch against Washington could mean big things are coming for the Giants this week. Washington ranks 29th against opposing offenses and the Giants already has a great performance against them. The Giants are available in about 84 percent of ESPN leagues.
3. Arizona Cardinals
So far this season, the Cardinals have the 14th-ranked fantasy defense. They have a 14-point outing against Dallas, which really helps out their ranking. The Cardinals also have an eight-point and a nine-point game this season, so their game against Dallas wasn’t too much of a fluke.
Arizona is coming off a bye, which gave them more time to prepare for their opponent this week, the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins rank 14th against opposing defenses this year, but they have recently put Tua Tagovailoa into the lineup. In his first career start, the Dolphins were carried by their defense and special teams. While Tagovailoa gets his feet wet, the Cardinals can take advantage. They are available in over 80 percent of ESPN leagues.
4. New York Jets
The Jets have had an awful season so far. That extends to their defense, which ranks 23rd in fantasy this season. While they do have some good games this year with eight points against the Broncos and six points against the Dolphins, they also have some really bad games against the Chiefs, Cardinals and Colts.
Playing the Jets this week is all about their matchup. They play the New England Patriots, who have struggled to pass the ball and score points this season. This should be a low-scoring game and the Jets may be able to force a few turnovers. The Jets are owned in less than three percent of ESPN leagues.
5. Tennessee Titans
Tennessee has had a very disappointing season on defense. That extends to the fantasy world, where they rank 22nd. They have two negative outings and one outing when they scored 0 points. Their best performance is a seven-point performance against the Bills.
The Titans made a move to improve their defense by acquiring Desmond King, but he may not be able to suit up against the Bears. Tennessee’s pass rush hasn’t produced yet, but they may be able to do so against Chicago’s offensive line. Chicago ranks 25th against opposing defenses this year. They are owned in 38.8 percent of ESPN leagues.
Make sure to check out our fantasy football page for more updates and rankings.
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