Streaming Defenses: Week 15 Options

Written by

Published on December 10, 2019

Week 14 brought more tragedy for our streaming picks, with the five selected defenses combining for just 31 fantasy points, including 14 from the fifth and final team (Atlanta). The top pick, Green Bay, was decent enough with seven points, but Nos. 2-4 combined for just nine.

While our track record for the season remains strong, it's nonetheless frustrating to endure a two-week slump this late in the year. If you're starting to lose faith, keep in mind that our picks for the season have averaged 8.0 fantasy points, including 12.1 for defenses in the No. 1 spot, 8.1 for the No. 2 spot and 8.4 for the No. 3 spot. The long-term results show that we'll win more than we lose if we simply continue to stream defenses that are facing offenses with poor blocking and shaky quarterbacks.

For injury/ranking updates throughout the week, follow me on Twitter (@RotowireNFL_JD).

Note: These recommendations are limited to team defenses with ownership of less than 60 percent on Yahoo or 30 percent on ESPN as of Tuesday morning. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring, which doesn't include yards allowed.

Top Streaming Options for Week 15

1. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Denver Broncos)

32% Yahoo ownership, 24% ESPN

Team implied total: 28.0

Opponent implied total: 18.0

Upcoming Ranks — Week 16: 4th (at CHI), Week 17: 11th (vs. LAC)

I'm not quite sure what to make of Drew Lock, who felt like a reach in

For injury/ranking updates throughout the week, follow me on Twitter (@RotowireNFL_JD).

Top Streaming Options for Week 15

1. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Denver Broncos)

32% Yahoo ownership, 24% ESPN

Team implied total: 28.0

Opponent implied total: 18.0

Upcoming Ranks — Week 16: 4th (at CHI), Week 17: 11th (vs. LAC)

I'm not quite sure what to make of Drew Lock, who felt like a reach in the second round of the draft but now looks like a steal after two starts. I do know that the Chiefs defense has taken a big step forward from its 2018 form, ranking seventh in fantasy scoring (8.8 per game) and 13th in DVOA (-3.5%). Playing as 10-point favorites in a home game against a rookie quarterback, the Chiefs are in an excellent spot to accumulate sacks and takeaways, even if Lock turns out to be more than a one-week wonder. I'll happily prioritize the betting odds — and my gut/instinct— rather than overreacting to what Lock did in Houston last week.

2. Seattle Seahawks (at Carolina Panthers)

42% Yahoo ownership, 34% ESPN

Team implied total: 27.0

Opponent implied total: 21.0

Upcoming Ranks — Week 16: 10th vs. ARZ, Week 17: 23rd (vs. SF)

The Seattle defense is pretty bad, but it isn't quite as bad as Kyle Allen. This shapes up as a classic pillow fight, with Allen the equivalent of a pillow that spills its innards as soon as it gets touched. The 23-year-old has piled up an incredible number of negative plays in 11 starts — 44 sacks, 12 interceptions and 12 fumbles (seven lost). Accordingly, the Panthers have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to team defenses, including five or more in each of seven games since a Week 7 bye. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are still giving up points and yards in bunches, but they've also created multiple turnovers in five of their past six games, moving up to No. 9 in D/ST scoring (8.5) for the season.

3. New York Giants (vs. Miami Dolphins)

6% Yahoo ownership, 4% ESPN

Team implied total: 25.0

Opponent implied total: 21.5

Upcoming Ranks — Week 16: 16th (at WAS), Week 17: 22nd (vs. PHI)

Speaking of pillow fights, everything about the Giants-Dolphins game screams ugly, starting with Miami offense that may be missing both DeVante Parker (concussion) and Albert Wilson (concussion). Already dealing with a hideous offensive line and an lackluster group of secondary weapons, Ryan Fitzpatrick has at least been able to rely on Parker to move the chains and come up with one or two long gains per week. What's left is a bunch of guys who may not be in the NFL beyond 2019 or 2020: Allen Hurns, Isaiah Ford, Mack Hollins, Trevor Davis, Patrick Laird, Myles Gaskin and Mike Gesicki. I'll admit I still like Gesicki, but the rest of those guys would be practice squad material for most playoff teams.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Detroit Lions)

4% Yahoo ownership, 7% ESPN

Team implied total: 25.5

Opponent implied total: 22.0

Upcoming Ranks — Week 16: 21st (vs. HOU), Week 17: 21st (vs. ATL)

The Tampa Bay defense disappointed me Week 14, unable to take advantage of a matchup with a Colts offense that's painfully short on weapons. I'm thinking it'll go better on the second try, with the Week 15 appeal based on sloppy quarterback play rather than inexperience at other positions. David Blough was a nice story for about 40 minutes on Thanksgiving, but he's subsequently proven to be overmatched, i.e., exactly what one would generally expect from an undrafted rookie . He took five sacks and threw a pair of picks in Sunday's 20-7 loss to the Vikings, producing just 5.1 YPA in a near-shutout.

5. Detroit Lions (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

14% Yahoo ownership, 11% ESPN

Team implied total: 22.0

Opponent implied total: 25.5

Upcoming Ranks — Week 16: 17th (at DEN), Week 17: 26th (vs. GB)

This has to be the first time I've recommended a defense that's facing an opponent with an implied total of 25 or more points. So it goes with Jameis Winston, who leads the league in interceptions (23) but also ranks second in both passing yards (4,115) and passing touchdowns (26). He's even taken 41 sacks (third-most), allowing the Bucs to give up the fifth-most fantasy points to team defenses (10.4 per game) while simultaneously ranking third in scoring (29.1 ppg). The Lions defense has mostly been gross, but even this dismal unit should be good for at least five points, a number that's been reached by the opponent D/ST in 12 of Tampa's 13 games.