ClutchPoints
Week 3 of the NFL and Fantasy Football season is already behind us and fantasy managers are already crunching numbers and dissecting matchups ahead of a pivotal Week 4. One of the most underrated aspects of a successful fantasy football team is the production from the Defense/Special Teams (D/ST) slot. Whether you stream your defense week-by-week or if you’re still rolling with the unit you drafted, each week presents new challenges as offenses continue to find their grooves.
After numerous injuries and depth chart moves throughout the last week, offenses and defenses will need to adjust to the weekly change of the NFL landscape. We’ll take a look at some key D/ST to start this week, along with some defenses you should look to avoid.
This Week’s Top-3 Starts:
Los Angeles Chargers D/ST (@NYG)
Ranked as the No. 4 defense in ESPN’s Week 4 rankings, I personally think the Chargers should be closer to the top of this list for this week. Through their first three games, the Chargers rank eighth in the NFL in yards allowed per game (276.7) and they’re tied for the NFL’s fewest touchdowns allowed at only four. They’ve only allowed two touchdowns through the air, which could spell trouble for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart who’s eyeing his debut as the Giants’ starter.
Given the athletes this defense has at all three levels, expect a ton of pressure, hurried throws from Dart, and more than likely a few turnovers. Start this D/ST moving forward.
Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST (MIN)
The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming into this game following one of their more memorable performances in recent memory, creating five turnovers (1 INT, 4 FR) against the New England Patriots and recording 15.0 fantasy points. While managers may stray away from this matchup given the Minnesota Vikings’ 48-10 beatdown of the Bengals last week, this defense is far more adept at reading the quarterback and hunting for turnovers. Expect some regression from the Vikings’ offense as their quarterback situation is constantly changing, making the Steelers a solid this week and the coming weeks.
Green Bay Packers D/ST (@DAL)
While their upset loss to the Cleveland Browns was a main storyline, this defense still performed well only allowing one rushing touchdown. They rank third in the NFL in fewest yards allowed per game (232.3) and are also tied for the league’s lead for fewest touchdowns allowed on the season (4).
While ESPN has the Packers ranked in the No. 9-slot this week on the road against the Dallas Cowboys, they should be much higher due to the injury absence of CeeDee Lamb in the Cowboys’ offense. This defense held an explosive passing offense like Detroit to a modest 13 points, so expect them to handle the Cowboys in Micah Parsons’ return to Dallas.
Los Angeles Rams D/ST (IND)
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