Unless most of the teams in your league carry a backup defense, more than half of the league should be available to you every week. Perhaps instead of playing one above average defense every week, regardless of matchup, we should instead target the widely available waiver wire defenses with the best matchups in any particular week? You can always make exceptions if your rent-a-defense gets hot - heck, you might find a team worth starting all year by accident. Even if you don't, good matchups will continue to get greater in number as more QBs get injured or yanked as the season goes on. You can steal some points from bad weather come December. Each week I'll list the startable fantasy defenses on most waiver wires and rank them.
**Buffalo, Pittsburgh,San Francisco, and Baltimore have great matchups but assumed to be rostered**
Indianapolis (at Jacksonville) - 4 sacks
Talk about disappointing. I mean the game was great but the Philip Rivers Colts were a big let down in their debut. Jay Gruden and Gardner Minshew cooked up some good offense and James Robinson showed why Leonard Fournette is no longer on the team. Jacksonville as a target for rent-a-defenses is in question
A Look Ahead: MIN NYJ @CHI - The Vikings offense wasn’t great against the Packers, but they weren’t a turnover machine either. The Jets being up in Week 3 is the best reason to hold the Colts
Green Bay (at Minnesota) - 2 sacks, 1 INT, 1 safety
We’ll take it. The Packers pass rush wasn’t swarming, but the Vikings only attempted 25 passes despite trailing the whole game. Aaron Rodgers is going to create some great game scripts for this defense if he keeps this up.
A Look Ahead: DET @NO ATL - The Lions secondary is in shambles, so we’re sticking with Green Bay at home
Detroit (vs Chicago) - 1 sack
Trubisky wasn’t good for most of this game, but it didn’t result in big plays for the defense. Then the Lions fell apart just to remind us why they are the Lions.
A Look Ahead: @GB @ARI NO - Aaron Rodgers? 15-5 vs. the Lions you say? Don’t know the guy.
Philadelphia (at Washington) - 3 sacks
As will happen from time to time in this column, we had the wrong side of this matchup. It was all going so well, the Eagles up 17-0, and then Carson Wentz started to unravel and Washington was hearing the Rocky theme in their heads instead of the Philly team.
A Look Ahead: LAR CIN @SF - The Rams are balanced and kind of boring offense now, we’ll move on.
Los Angeles Chargers (at Cincinnati) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
This one worked out as Joe Burrow wasn’t in his comfort zone until the last drive of the game. Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram III are bad bad men and even without Derwin James, we’ll be using the Chargers when the matchups call for it.
A Look Ahead: KC CAR @TB - The matchup doesn’t call for this week.
Las Vegas (at Carolina) - 1 sack
Probably should have known better with Steady Teddy helming the Panthers offense. The Raiders defense was anemic and we won’t be tempted to play them until they show us more on the waiver wire.
A Look Ahead: NO @NE BUF - Welcome to the Roomba! There won’t be a lot of fantasy points to hoover up this week
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda
Washington (vs Philadelphia) - 8 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
The Washington defensive line is going to be fun this year, although we have to give an assist to the Eagles line missing three starters here. My apologies again for being on the wrong side of this one, it looks obvious in hindsight.
Week 2 Candidates
Los Angeles Rams (at Philadelphia)
We underrated the Rams defense, even though they were drafted in some leagues. If they weren’t, it’s time to correct that. They thwarted the high-powered Cowboys offense and Aaron Donald did the work of three men in the trenches. The Eagles (ahem Carson Wentz) gifted us one of the top two D/ST performances of the week and their offensive line may get one starter back this week. May. Donald could be lining up against 2019 UDFA Nate Herbig at times this week. Drool.
A Look Ahead: @BUF NYG @WAS - We’ll stick with the Rams if they come through this week
Green Bay (vs Detroit)
The Packers could run away and hide from the Lions here with their history against them in the Aaron Rodgers era. Kenny Golladay might be limited or not ready yet, and the banged up Lions secondary isn’t ready for a motivated Aaron Rodgers
A Look Ahead: @NO ATL BYE - Probably going away from them after this week
Kansas City (at Los Angeles Chargers)
The Chiefs have a great pass rush combo in Chris Jones and Frank Clark and they could get to rush Tyrod Taylor at will this week if the Chargers defense can’t slow down Patrick Mahomes II and company. They do usually play Mahomes tough, but Mahomes makes greatness look easy so having the Chiefs in this week is a way to get a piece of that.
A Look Ahead: @BAL NE LV - We’ll move on, but wow what a matchup in Week 3!
New Orleans (at Las Vegas)
The Saints were probably drafted in your league, but if they weren’t, they are coming off a great performance full of harassment of Tom Brady. Derek Carr is safe with the ball so perhaps this won’t pay off like last week, but even on the road, it’s an indoor game, where the Saints are comfy.
A Look Ahead: GB @DET LAC - We might ride the Saints even vs. Rodgers to get the Week 4 and 5 matchups if they have a big Monday night.
Arizona (vs Washington)
Do we dare take the bait again? It isn’t like the Washington offense was dynamic. Arizona could build and actually hold a lead against them. I am at least including Washington, although putting Arizona ahead of them on the other side of the matchup.
A Look Ahead: DET @CAR @NYJ - Arizona has a very nice upcoming schedule if their defense gets hot
Washington (at Arizona)
Maybe I am overthinking this. The Washington defensive line was the stuff of nightmares. Kyler Murray was running wild on the 49ers, who have a strong line of their own and he’s not going to make as many errors as Carson Wentz, but again maybe I am overthinking this. If you picked up Washington for Week 1 and want to see if they stay hot, I don’t blame you.
A Look Ahead: @CLE BAL LAR - Washington will stay in our lineups if they are good this week.
Week 3 Preemptive Pickups
Indianapolis vs (New York Jets)
Washington (at Cleveland)
Los Angeles Chargers (vs Carolina)
New England (vs Las Vegas)
