Streaming Defenses: Week 3 Options

Injuries were the dominant story of Week 2, impacting NFL franchises and fantasy teams alike. We also saw the continuation of a couple trends from Week 1, with penalties and turnovers down from previous seasons, while overall scoring (25.2 points per team game) now is on track for an all-time high by a 1.8-point margin.

The current averages for passing yards (248.7), yards per pass attempt (7.4) and net yards per pass attempt (6.6) would all set post-merger records if they held up over a full season, while 1.19 turnovers per team game and a 5.8 percent sack rate would represent new lows. A decline in offensive holding penalties seems to be playing a role, with 18 accepted in Week 1 and 27 in Week 2. Even that second number is a huge drop from the pre-2020 average.

All of this is having a big impact on team defense scoring, with only 12 D/ST units exceeding five fantasy points in Week 1 and only 10 doing so in Week 2. Fortunately, our top streaming pick last week was one of the few winners, as the Bucs put up 14 FPs in a comfortable win over Carolina. The other suggestions were solid but unspectacular, each landing between four and nine points.

While we may need to accept a lower threshold for what's considered an acceptable fantasy output, Week 3 at least gives us a strong pack of streaming choices. A handful of battles between NFL heavyweights leaves most of the top defenses in difficult matchups, which means the easier draws go to D/STs that typically reside on waivers. As a bonus, two of our picks below have multi-week starting potential, lined up against subpar quarterbacks for the next few games.

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

Note: These recommendations are limited to team defenses that are rostered on less than 60 percent of teams on Yahoo or 45 percent on ESPN. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring, which doesn't include yards allowed.

Top Streaming Options for Week 3

1. Indianapolis Colts (vs. NYJ)

43% rostered on Yahoo, 75% on ESPN

Team implied total: 27.25

Opponent implied total: 16.75

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 4: 6th (at CHI),  Week 5: 12th (at CLE)

Are the New York Jets bad enough to warrant using a few dollars of FAAB budget on the defense playing against them? The answer is probably 'yes' in most leagues, especially when said defense also has startable matchups the following three weeks. The Colts just lost FS Malik Hooker to an Achilles tear, but they otherwise looked excellent in Sunday's 28-11 blowout win over Minnesota, picking up three sacks and three interceptions. Indy now leads the league in sack rate (13.2 percent of dropbacks) and ranks No. 4 in QB pressure rate (33.3 percent).

Sam Darnold is a respectable 17th in sack rate (5.6) so far this year, but it's probably just a matter of time before the Jets' complete inability to move the ball leads to more QB takedowns and turnovers. The current injury list includes starting center Connor McGovern (hamstring) and each of the team's top-three wide receivers.

2. Cleveland Browns (vs. WAS)

17% Yahoo, 12% ESPN

Team implied total: 25.5

Opponent implied total: 18.5

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 4: 28th (at DAL),  Week 5: 11th (vs. IND)

The Colts and Bucs are better bets if you're looking for a multi-week streamer, but they're also already rostered in a lot of leagues. Cleveland, on the other hand, is widely available, with a Week 1 meltdown against the Ravens scaring everyone away. The Browns defense didn't finish with good stats in last Thursday's win over Cincinnati, but it did play much better from a non-fantasy standpoint, limiting Joe Burrow to 5.2 YPA and Joe Mixon to 2.9 YPC. The Bengals went 5-for-5 on fourth downs to keep the game competitive, but Cleveland otherwise controlled the contest and forced Burrow to work hard for every yard.

Meanwhile, Washington got blown out in a Week 2 trip to the desert, with Dwayne Haskins taking four sacks, losing a fumble and failing to put up any points until late in the third quarter. Haskins had the worst sack rate (12.5) among qualified passers last season, and he's now 31st (9.9) through two games in 2020. As if that weren't bad enough, standout RG Brandon Scherff (knee) was placed on injured reserve Monday, ruling him out for the next three games.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at DEN) 

50% Yahoo, 50% ESPN

Team implied total: 24.75

Opponent implied total: 18.75

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 4: 4th (at LAC),  Week 5: 6th (at CHI)

Tampa was a savvy pickup last week, looking ahead at four consecutive favorable matchups before a Week 6 clash with Aaron Rodgers. Sure enough, the Bucs came through with five sacks and four turnovers against Teddy Bridgewater, and they'll now catch another break with Jeff Driskel replacing an injured Drew Lock (shoulder) for the Broncos. Tampa Bay would be second to only Indianapolis in our weekly rankings if this were a home game, but we do have to show some respect for the impact of playing at high altitude after a long flight. 

Driskel was able to move the ball against Pittsburgh on Sunday, but he took six sacks and threw a pick in the process. His career 9.5 percent sack rate would be worst among active QBs if he had enough dropbacks to qualify, and his three starts in Detroit last year produced an average of 10.7 fantasy points for the opposing defense (11 sacks, four INTs).

4. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. CAR)

31% Yahoo, 29% ESPN

Team implied total: 25.75

Opponent implied total: 18.25

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 4: 23rd (at TB),  Week 5: 23rd (at NO)

While the 7.5-point line feels like an overreaction to Week 2, there's no doubt the Chargers have a good chance to improve to 2-1. They have only four sacks so far, but that's largely because Patrick Mahomes is so good at avoiding pressure, taking just one sack on seven QB hits in Sunday's overtime game. 

The Chargers are fifth in the league in pressure rate (29.9) and sixth in PFF pass-rush grades, while the Carolina offense is 22nd in sack rate (7.3) and 21st in PFF pass-blocking grades. The Panthers already have been throwing a lot, and they could take it to another level while Christian McCaffrey (ankle) is absent.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. CIN)

36% Yahoo, 24% ESPN

Team implied total: 26.5

Opponent implied total: 20.0

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 4: 22nd (at SF) ,  Week 5: 20th (at PIT)

The Eagles have been terrible through two weeks, while Joe Burrow looks rather promising. But even if the 6.5-point line is a bit too much, we should still expect some struggles from a rookie QB playing on the road against a mostly healthy defense that has Fletcher Cox, Malik Jackson, Derek Barnett and Brandon Graham rushing the passer. The Eagles' coverage is either a work in progress or a disaster, depending on your outlook, but we can probably say the same for Cincinnati's blocking.

Week 3 Rankings

1. Indianapolis Colts vs. NYJ
2. San Francisco 49ers at NYG
3. Cleveland Browns vs. WAS
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at DEN)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. CAR)
6. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. CIN)
7. New England Patriots (vs. LVR)
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. HOU)
9. Atlanta Falcons (vs. CHI)
10. Buffalo Bills (vs. LAR)
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. MIA)
12. Los Angeles Rams (at BUF)
13. Arizona Cardinals (vs. DET)
14. Tennessee Titans (at MIN)
15. Miami Dolphins (at JAX)
16. New York Giants (vs. SF)
17. Minnesota Vikings (vs. TEN)
18. Seattle Seahawks (vs. DAL)
19. Denver Broncos (vs. TB)
20. Washington Football Team (at CLE)

Looking Ahead to Week 4

1. Baltimore Ravens (at WAS)
2. Los Angeles Rams (vs. NYG)
3. Denver Broncos (at NYJ)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at LAC)
5. San Francisco 49ers (vs. PHI)
6. Indianapolis Colts (at CHI)
7. Chicago Bears (vs. IND)
8. Dallas Cowboys (vs. CLE)
9. New Orleans Saints (at DET)
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (at TEN)
11. Seattle Seahawks (at MIA)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. JAX)
13. Arizona Cardinals (at CAR)
14. Tennessee Titans (vs. PIT)
15. Green Bay Packers (vs. ATL)
16. Houston Texans (vs. MIN)
17. Buffalo Bills (at LVR)
18. Las Vegas Raiders (vs. BUF)
19. New York Jets (vs. DEN)
20. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NE)

Rest-of-Season Rankings

1. San Francisco 49ers
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Buffalo Bills
5. New Orleans Saints
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7. New England Patriots
8. Kansas City Chiefs
9. Los Angeles Chargers
10. Indianapolis Colts
11. Chicago Bears
12. Green Bay Packers
13. Los Angeles Rams
14. Washington Football Team
15. Cleveland Browns
16. Tennessee Titans
17. Arizona Cardinals
18. Denver Broncos
19. Philadelphia Eagles
20. Minnesota Vikings