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 increase as more quarterbacks get injured or yanked as the season goes on. You can steal some points from bad weather come December. I'll list the startable fantasy defenses on most waiver wires each week and rank them.
**Buffalo is assumed to be rostered**
Week 1 Results
Denver (at Seattle) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Geno Smith stole Russell Wilson’s spotlight in the first half and was nearly flawless against the Broncos. We can’t assume that Seattle is an offense we can pick on with our D/ST choices going forward.
A Look Ahead: HOU SF @LV - Davis Mills played well enough last week, but the home opener for Wilson is still worth considering
Cincinnati (vs Pittsburgh) - 1 sack
The Steelers played with the lead, so the Bengals' defense never had a chance to make Mitchell Trubisky uncomfortable. Obviously, the other side of this matchup is what we wanted in our Week 1 Rent-a-Defense.
A Look Ahead: @DAL @NYJ MIA - The good news is you have the defense facing Cooper Rush and the Jets the next two weeks
Kansas City (at Arizona) - 3 sacks
This game couldn’t have gone much better for the Chiefs, but it didn’t result in any major gaffes from the Cardinals' offense
A Look Ahead: LAC @IND @TB - Thursday night’s game will be entertaining, but maybe not if you start one of the D/STs
Tennessee (vs NY Giants) - 5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
The Titans had the better defense and better offense in this game and somehow lost. At least they contributed to fantasy wins
A Look Ahead: @BUF LV @IND - Nope
Miami (vs New England) - 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD
New England (at Miami) - 3 sacks
Fading the Patriots offense in the debut of the Patricia/Judge attack was definitely the way to go here. A defensive score by Melvin Ingram III, who recovered a Mac Jones fumble, forced by a Brandon Jones sack, was the big play here.
Miami A Look Ahead: @BAL BUF @CIN - The Dolphins had Lamar Jackson’s number last year, so it’s rational to stay with a hot D/ST.
New England A Look Ahead: @PIT BAL @GB - Mitchell Trubisky is a target, but only when he plays an offense that can open up a lead.
Jacksonville (at Washington) - 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
Carson Wentz was a hero, not a zero, but the Jaguars defense wasn’t a zero either. Travon Walker looks like an instant difference make and worthy of the #1 overall pick.
A Look Ahead: IND @LAC @PHI - We may come back to the Jaguars later, but there’s nothing promising coming up.
Baltimore (at NY Jets) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
The Ravens were able to notch some defensive wins as the offense opened up a lead, but they didn’t truly humiliate their former quarterback. It was still an acceptable result.
A Look Ahead: MIA @NE BUF - The Dolphins' offense wasn’t outstanding, but it wasn’t a liability against the Patriots either. This doesn’t look that compelling for fantasy.
Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda
Pittsburgh (at Cincinnati) - 7 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 4 INT, 1 DEF TD
The Steelers posted one of the most memorable opening weekend defensive performances we’ve ever seen. The Bengals rebuilt offensive line looks like it might need some time to pay dividends.
LA Chargers (vs Las Vegas) - 6 sacks, 3 INT
The Chargers' pass rush got a boost from Khalil Mack and their secondary was up to the task even without new #1 corner J.C. Jackson. The Chargers were drafted in a lot of leagues, and it appears for good reason.
LA Rams (vs Buffalo) - 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT
Imagine how bad the blowout would have been if the Rams didn’t force four takeaways. This D/ST was drafted in a lot of leagues, but they were on the waiver wire in at least one of mine.
Week 2 Candidates
**Buffalo is assumed to be rostered**
Cincinnati (at Dallas)
Facing Cooper Rush and a depleted offensive line with a ticked-off team that somehow lost their home opener in the defense of an AFC Championship? Yes, sign me up.
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