This article is part of our Streaming Defenses series.
Before we get to the meat and potatoes for the few leagues still going in Week 17, allow me to take a brief victory lap for an impressive performance with recommendations in championship week.
The five defenses I wrote up last week included the four highest scoring units that met our streaming qualification (sub-60 percent ownership on Yahoo), with the Redskins, Bears, Cardinals and Panthers each scoring at least 14 fantasy points to finish among the top eight overall at the position. I still didn't quite meet my objective of landing all five teams in the top half of scoring, as the Lions (my No. 5 recommendation) tied for 20th with five fantasy points.
I did write last Tuesday that Week 16 likely would be fruitful for defense streaming, and while I wish I could say the same thing this time around, reality points in a far different direction. The top matchups largely belong to teams that already are widely owned, leaving us with only three streaming options I have any comfort level using.
The good news, at least, is that we could have some viable additions to the list once it becomes clear which teams intend to rest their starters. The Eagles, Jaguars and Chiefs are all locked into their current seeds, potentially making the Dallas, Tennessee and Denver defenses solid options for Week 17. We should probably still acknowledge that the Cowboys and Titans don't inspire a ton of confidence even if they're facing second-stringers, while the Broncos
Before we get to the meat and potatoes for the few leagues still going in Week 17, allow me to take a brief victory lap for an impressive performance with recommendations in championship week.
The five defenses I wrote up last week included the four highest scoring units that met our streaming qualification (sub-60 percent ownership on Yahoo), with the Redskins, Bears, Cardinals and Panthers each scoring at least 14 fantasy points to finish among the top eight overall at the position. I still didn't quite meet my objective of landing all five teams in the top half of scoring, as the Lions (my No. 5 recommendation) tied for 20th with five fantasy points.
I did write last Tuesday that Week 16 likely would be fruitful for defense streaming, and while I wish I could say the same thing this time around, reality points in a far different direction. The top matchups largely belong to teams that already are widely owned, leaving us with only three streaming options I have any comfort level using.
The good news, at least, is that we could have some viable additions to the list once it becomes clear which teams intend to rest their starters. The Eagles, Jaguars and Chiefs are all locked into their current seeds, potentially making the Dallas, Tennessee and Denver defenses solid options for Week 17. We should probably still acknowledge that the Cowboys and Titans don't inspire a ton of confidence even if they're facing second-stringers, while the Broncos don't come close to meeting our ownership qualification for streaming recommendations.
For now, let's just stick with the three defenses that I'd be comfortable starting as of Tuesday morning.
Note: These recommendations are limited to D/ST units with under 60 percent ownership on Yahoo! as of Tuesday morning. All references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo! standard scoring.
Top Streaming Options for Week 17
Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
56% Yahoo Ownership
The Packers have only given up the 12th most fantasy points to team defenses, and they've surprisingly been about equally generous with or without Aaron Rodgers (collarbone) under center—largely because they've leaned on the rushing attack when Brett Hundley has played. Hundey nonetheless has thrown more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (eight) while scraping out a meager 5.7 yards per pass attempt, bringing his viability as an NFL player into serious question. The Packers should be viewed as an elite matchup whenever there's a good chance Hundley will be forced to throw, which likely will be the case now that Jamaal Williams has cooled off.
While the Detroit defense has been highly inconsistent in the second half of the season, Matthew Stafford should be able to build a lead that eventually forces Mike McCarthy to abandon his running game. The implied totals are Lions 25.5 - Packers 18, making Detroit the seventh largest favorite of the week. If nothing else, the Lions defense has repeatedly proven opportunistic, ranking fourth in the NFL with 28 takeaways despite managing only 31 sacks (t-20th). The Detroit defense already has eight games with double-digit fantasy points, thanks in part to the excellent work of return specialist Jamal Agnew, the only NFL player with multiple special teams TDs this season.
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
51% Yahoo Ownership
The Bucs have only allowed the 13th most fantasy points to team defenses, but they've climbed up the rankings the past four weeks, allowing totals of 16, 13, four and 19 since Jameis Winston returned from a shoulder injury. While he's accounted for eight touchdowns and only two interceptions over that stretch, Winston also has taken 18 sacks and lost five fumbles. The proclivity for strip-sacks isn't anything new, as he's now fumbled 31 times in 44 career games, despite ranking right around league-average in terms of sack rate. Missing three full games and parts of two others hasn't been enough to stop Winston from tying for the lead league in lost fumbles (seven) for a second straight year.
The Saints have only recovered five fumbles all season, but their ability to pile up sacks (40, t-7th) doesn't bode well for Winston's odds of avoiding yet another strip-sack. You might remember that New Orleans terrorized Famous Jameis back in Week 9, limiting the Bucs to only three points before Winston was removed at halftime due to the aforementioned shoulder injury. While not exactly consistent, the New Orleans defense has been strong recently and above-average on the whole, ranking eighth in fantasy points per game (9.1) and about the same in Football Outsiders' DVOA metric. Advanced stats and fantasy results agree that this is a top-10 unit.
Washington Redskins at New York Giants
39% Yahoo Ownership
Big Blue has allowed the eighth most fantasy points to team defenses, including eight or more each of the past five weeks and at least five in every game since Week 4. In addition to being shut out last week in the desert, Eli Manning may have lost his only two viable receiving weapons, with Sterling Shepard (neck) and Evan Engram (ribs) the latest in a long line to succumb to injuries. Roger Lewis could be headed for a fourth straight game with double-digit targets, despite squeaking out a mere 160 yards on 32 chances (5.0 per target) the past three weeks.
Meanwhile, the Washington defense has shown what it can do when the schedule isn't an absolute nightmare, piling up 24 fantasy points the past two weeks against the Cardinals and Broncos (making me look smart in the process). The Redskins are tied for seventh in the league with 40 sacks and tied for ninth with 15 interceptions, also ranking in the top 12 for DVOA. While Washington is only favored by 3.5 points, the Giants are tied for the week's sixth lowest implied total at 17.5. This is the third straight week the Redskins have found a spot in this space.
Honorable Mentions: Dallas Cowboys (at Philadelphia Eagles), Tennessee Titans (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)
Week 17 D/ST Rankings
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. CLE)
2. Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)
3. Minnesota Vikings (vs. CHI)
4. New England Patriots (vs. NYJ)
5. Seattle Seahawks (vs. ARI)
6. Denver Broncos (vs. KC)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (at OAK)
8. Detroit Lions (vs. GB)
9. New Orleans Saints (at TB)
10. Washington Redskins (at NYG)
11. Tennessee Titans (vs. JAX)
12. Los Angeles Rams (vs. SF)
13. Kansas City Chiefs (at DEN)
14. Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
15. Dallas Cowboys (at PHI)
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (at TEN)
17. Miami Dolphins (vs. BUF)
18. Buffalo Bills (at MIA)
19. Arizona Cardinals (at SEA)
20. Philadelphia Eagles (at DAL)
21. Carolina Panthers (at ATL)
22. Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR)
23. Houston Texans (at IND)
24. Cincinnati Bengals (at BAL)
25. New York Giants (vs. WAS)
26. Chicago Bears (at MIN)
27. Green Bay Packers (at DET)
28. Oakland Raiders (at LAC)
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. NO)
30. San Francisco 49ers (at LAR)
31. Cleveland Browns (at PIT)
32. New York Jets (at NE)
