This article is part of our Streaming Defenses series.
Week 7 continued an unprecedented run of success for our D/ST streaming recommendations, with the first, second and fourth picks all finishing in the top five for scoring. We obviously can't expect that kind of success every week, but it does appear the upcoming slate offers a bunch of favorable matchups to pick from.
In addition to our usual advice to start whichever defense faces Buffalo, there are some excellent alternatives in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Washington and Arizona. We even have some decent low-owned options that didn't make the cut, including Kansas City and Detroit.
Note: These recommendations are limited to D/ST units with under 60 percent ownership on Yahoo as of Tuesday morning. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring.
Top Streaming Options for Week 8
1. New England Patriots (at Buffalo Bills)
53% Yahoo ownership
We hereby continue our weekly tradition of starting off the recommendations with whichever team is facing Buffalo. Coming out of a 37-5 blowout loss in Indianapolis, the Bills have surrendered a league-high mark of 14.1 fantasy points per game to team defenses, throwing 12 interceptions and taking 26 sacks through seven weeks. The New England defense hasn't done a whole lot to inspire confidence, but it does have at least one interception in every game this season, including six picks over the past three weeks. There's also potential to get six points from Cordarrelle Patterson, who took a kickoff to the house in Sunday's win over the Bears. Buffalo's
Week 7 continued an unprecedented run of success for our D/ST streaming recommendations, with the first, second and fourth picks all finishing in the top five for scoring. We obviously can't expect that kind of success every week, but it does appear the upcoming slate offers a bunch of favorable matchups to pick from.
In addition to our usual advice to start whichever defense faces Buffalo, there are some excellent alternatives in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Washington and Arizona. We even have some decent low-owned options that didn't make the cut, including Kansas City and Detroit.
Note: These recommendations are limited to D/ST units with under 60 percent ownership on Yahoo as of Tuesday morning. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring.
Top Streaming Options for Week 8
1. New England Patriots (at Buffalo Bills)
53% Yahoo ownership
We hereby continue our weekly tradition of starting off the recommendations with whichever team is facing Buffalo. Coming out of a 37-5 blowout loss in Indianapolis, the Bills have surrendered a league-high mark of 14.1 fantasy points per game to team defenses, throwing 12 interceptions and taking 26 sacks through seven weeks. The New England defense hasn't done a whole lot to inspire confidence, but it does have at least one interception in every game this season, including six picks over the past three weeks. There's also potential to get six points from Cordarrelle Patterson, who took a kickoff to the house in Sunday's win over the Bears. Buffalo's implied total of 15.25 points is easily the lowest of Week 8, and no team is a bigger underdog (+13.5).
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Cleveland Browns)
41% Yahoo ownership
The Pittsburgh defense quietly ranks eighth in fantasy points per game (8.8), with 22 sacks (t-2nd) and a pair of touchdowns making up for a propensity to give up chunks of yards. We also need to consider that the Steelers have faced a tough slate of offenses so far this season, which explains why they entered their bye ranked 14th in Football Outsiders' opponent-adjusted DVOA metric despite giving up 25.7 points and 380 yards per game. Pittsburgh now comes out of its bye to host a Cleveland team that's given up the ninth most points to opposing defenses. Baker Mayfield has appeared worthy of the No. 1 overall pick, but he's had his hands full leading an offense without much receiving help behind Jarvis Landry. No team has allowed more sacks (31) this season, and we already saw Pittsburgh notch seven against the Browns back in Week 1. The Steelers are favored by eight points, with Cleveland carrying an implied total of just 21.5.
3. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
12% Yahoo ownership
The Bucs obviously haven't had any problem scoring points, but an inability to run the football or play defense has left them prone to mistakes, giving up 2.5 sacks and 2.5 turnovers per game. Every opposing defense since Week 1 has scored at least five fantasy points, including three of the last four tallying 14 or more. The Bengals were dragged around the field by some elite offenses the past few weeks, but they did come through with strong performances when they had decent matchups against the likes of Indianapolis and Miami. Despite the possibility of a shootout, Sunday's matchup gives the Bengals a good chance to top their current average of 6.0 fantasy points per game.
4. Washington Redskins (at New York Giants)
18% Yahoo ownership
Memorably trounced by Drew Brees in a Week 5 primetime contest, the Washington defense has otherwise scored at least five fantasy points every week, ranking 13th in the league with an average of 8.0 per game (including the Superdome disaster). No other team has scored more than 21 points on the Redskins, with opponents averaging 7.0 yards per pass attempt and 4.0 per carry. Meanwhile, the Giants have allowed the seventh most points to team defenses, including double digits in four of seven games. Eli Manning has taken more sacks (24) than any quarterback besides Deshaun Watson (27) while playing behind an offensive line that lands 30th in the Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grades. The Redskins have a modest average of 2.3 sacks per game, but that number should improve throughout the season as recent first-round picks Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne continue to build momentum on the interior line between edge rushers Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith. The Giants have an implied total of just 20.5 points for a game with an over/under of 42.
5. Arizona Cardinals (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
30% Yahoo ownership
The Cardinals may be a disaster on the whole, but they've still managed 20 sacks and 12 takeaways en route to a No. 12 ranking among team defenses in fantasy points per game (8.1). The pinnacle was a 21-point outing in a Week 5 visit to San Francisco, with C.J. Beathard accounting for four sacks and four turnovers in his second start of the year. The Niners have given up the third most points to opposing defenses, jumping from nine per game in Jimmy Garoppolo's starts to 14 per game under Beathard. As much as Patrick Peterson may want to jump ship, the Cardinals should at least hold their own this week in a game where the Niners have an implied total of just 21 points.
Week 8 D/ST Rankings
1. Houston Texans (vs. MIA)
2. New England Patriots (at BUF)
3. Chicago Bears (vs. NYJ)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (at JAX)
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. CLE)
6. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. TB)
7. Washington Redskins (at NYG)
8. Arizona Cardinals (vs. SF)
9. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. DEN)
10. Detroit Lions (vs. SEA)
11. Baltimore Ravens (at CAR)
12. San Francisco 49ers (at ARI)
13. Los Angeles Rams (vs. GB)
14. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. PHI)
15. Seattle Seahawks (at DET)
16. Carolina Panthers (vs. BAL)
17. Indianapolis Colts (at OAK)
18. New Orleans Saints (at MIN)
19. Miami Dolphins (at HOU)
20. Minnesota Vikings (vs. NO)
Looking Ahead to Week 9
1. Chicago Bears (at BUF)
2. Houston Texans (at DEN)
3. Denver Broncos (vs. HOU)
4. Miami Dolphins (vs. NYJ)
5. Minnesota Vikings (vs. DET)
6. Carolina Panthers (vs. TB)
7. Dallas Cowboys (vs. TEN)
8. Tennessee Titans (at DAL)
9. Baltimore Ravens (vs. PIT)
10. San Francisco 49ers (vs. OAK)
11. Los Angeles Chargers (at SEA)
12. Kansas City Chiefs (at CLE)
13. Buffalo Bills (vs. CHI)
14. Seattle Seahawks (vs. LAC)
15. Washington Redskins (vs. ATL)
16. Oakland Raiders (at SF)
17. New York Jets (at MIA)
18. New England Patriots (vs. GB)
19. Los Angeles Rams (at NO)
20. Pittsburgh Steelers (at BAL)
Rest-of-Season Rankings
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Los Angeles Rams
3. Houston Texans
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. Chicago Bears
7. Philadelphia Eagles
8. Washington Redskins
9. Tennessee Titans
10. Seattle Seahawks
11. Los Angeles Chargers
12. Denver Broncos
13. New England Patriots
14. New Orleans Saints
15. Carolina Panthers
16. Dallas Cowboys
17. Cleveland Browns
18. Green Bay Packers
19. Cincinnati Bengals
20. New York Jets
