The best D/ST matchups of the fantasy finals belong to the elite defenses. The Browns, Bills, Jets, and 49ers all play teams in the top five by OPRK. And now you want me to bail you out?! I’ve been begging you to roster the Browns D/ST since Week 2! It’s all right. If you didn’t stash the Bills, Jets, or Eagles like I’ve suggested over…...

It’s crunch time ladies and gentlemen. We’ve all had seasons that felt like we were destined to win it all only to have our rosters fall apart in the final weeks due to injury and bad matchups. D/ST is one position where we get to control our destiny. When Ja’Marr Chase gets injured in Week 15, there’s not a lot we can do. But when Easton…...

You know the fantasy playoffs are approaching when you notice your waiver wire D/ST options go from a Thanksgiving cornucopia to an early winter tundra. In one of my home leagues where there’s usually 15-18 D/STs out there, only 11 remain. Hopefully you’ve taken my advice and already stashed an extra D/ST option to round out your playoff matchups. If not, we’ll take a quick look…...

This is the point in the season when the healthiest teams can really gap the field in scoring, both in the NFL and in fantasy leagues. Targeting backup QBs is one of the easiest ways to scoop up fantasy points this time of year, and we’ve got plenty to choose from in Week 13. It’s also the the point in the season when we need…...

For those of us on the cusp of making our league playoffs, now is the time to make our final pushes. For those of us who will make the playoffs, now is the time to secure a bye. For those of us likely to secure a bye, now is the time to stash the best D/ST matchups. For all of us, the right streaming choices…...

Streaming gets harder and harder as the year goes on. As injuries pile up we have to make tough decisions about who we can afford to keep on our roster, and which of our favorite stashes we have to say goodbye to. D/STs often get short shrift. You’re in the privileged minority if you’re able to hold multiple kickers or defenses during bye weeks and…...

Another week, another brutal set of injuries to high-profile players that remind us how dangerous the sport we love is. With four more quarterbacks likely to miss time, and Kirk Cousins out for the season, teams are scrambling to pick up the pieces. Though my heart is with Cousins and my beloved Vikings, here in the fantasy world all we can do is carry on…...

At this point in the season, most fantasy teams have seen at least one matchup decided by five points or less. The margins are tiny and the regular season is shorter than it feels. If you have a good roster and are worried that a few unlucky breaks may cost you making the playoffs, you’re in the right place. Let’s look at which D/STs could…...

In Week 6 the elite matchups belonged to the elite defenses, and streaming was a difficult proposition. In Week 7 the best matchups are spread out across a wide range of D/STs, most of which are available in the majority of fantasy leagues. Buoying this strategy further, Week 6 was terrible for QB injuries. Justin Fields, Ryan Tannehill, Deshaun Watson, Anthony Richardson, Trevor Lawrence, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Baker Mayfield are…...

The best D/ST matchups of Week 6 belong to the elite defenses, with games like the Bills-Giants, 49ers-Browns, Saints-Texans, and Dolphins-Panthers. That makes things tricky for D/ST streamers this week, and may mean taking a swing on some big upside plays. The three players with the most turnovers in the NFL since 2022 may surprise some people: Josh Allen, Kirk Cousins, and Trevor Lawrence. It’s not just the Zach…...

Matchups matter, and roster space is precious. To all the fantasy footballers who drafted the Jets D/ST in round 12 of their home leagues ahead of Sam LaPorta, Romeo Doubs, Nico Collins, or Marvin Mims, only to drop them in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs: we feel your pain. As injuries pile up, finding room on your roster to hold those elite D/STs through…...

The Dallas Cowboys, D/ST1 over the first two weeks, finally met its match facing Josh Dobbs and the Arizona Cardinals. The Denver Broncos, one of the best defenses of 2022, had a 70-point nuclear bomb dropped on them courtesy of the Miami Dolphins. The Jets’ elite real-world defense has another hum drum fantasy day against a mediocre Patriots offense. There’s just no counting on anyone…...

The elite defenses have been elite for fantasy over the first two weeks. Only Tyreek Hill has outscored the Dallas D/ST in PPR leagues. Last week, no running back outscored the Pittsburgh D/ST. For this series, I focus on D/STs available in at least 30% of leagues, but in every league elite defenses make it onto the waiver wire from time to time. Two of the…...

The Week 1 avalanche of information is here. Some things we learned this week: Every Giants player can be safely dropped. Cooper Kupp has lost his starting job to Puka Nacua. Josh Allen is a lost cause and Jordan Love should go ahead and send his jacket size to the boys in Canton. Okay, maybe not. Pulling signal from the noise is a difficult task after just…...

It’s never too early to start streaming. Last year in this series I attempted to show why streaming defenses in fantasy football is the superior strategy. First, it requires almost no draft capital to take a D/ST outside the top 12 by ADP with a good Week 1 matchup. Second, it’s the highest-scoring method. As I pointed out last year, starting the Cowboys (D/ST1 overall…...