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.
Week 14 Results
Indianapolis (at Cincinnati) - 1 INT, 1 DEF TD
A pick-six was the only positive play for this D/ST. We'll take it.
A Look Ahead: PIT @ATL LV - No way we are passing up a chance to have a D/ST facing Mitch Trubisky.
Baltimore (vs LA Rams) - 2 sacks, 1 ST TD
This one looked like a dud until Tylan Wallace - who hadn't returned a punt since 2018 - broke a walk-off return touchdown in overtime.
A Look Ahead: @JAX @SF MIA - The Ravens D/ST has been incredibly consistent, so we'll stick with them no matter the opponent. Well, maybe not in Week 16.
Houston (at NY Jets) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Not bad considering that the Texans were blown out, but in a big D/ST scoring week, not good either.
A Look Ahead: @TEN CLE TEN - We might actually want the other side of the Texans game this week.
Green Bay (at NY Giants) - 2 fumble recoveries
Tommy Devito continues to be one of the best stories of the NFL season.
A Look Ahead: TB @CAR @MIN - We might try the Packers again in Week 16.
New Orleans (vs Carolina) - 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 DEF TD, 6 points against
The best D/ST play of the week.
A Look Ahead: NYG @LAR @TB - As much as we like Tommy Devito, we'll still consider the Saints this week.
Atlanta (vs Tampa Bay) - 1 sack
Tampa Bay (at Atlanta) - 1 safety, 3 sacks, 1 INT
Baker Mayfield didn't do much until late in the fourth quarter, but he also didn't make any big mistakes. Desmond Ridder made a few big mistakes, but not big enough to make the Bucs a top Week 14 D/ST play.
A Look Ahead ATL: @CAR IND @CHI - The Falcons are still worth a look this week
A Look Ahead TB: @GB JAX NO - That's it for the Bucs D/ST this season
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
Minnesota (at Las Vegas) - 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT, 0 pts allowed
Of course, one of the worst offensive games in NFL history would yield a great D/ST score.
Chicago (vs Detroit) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
Outdoor Jared Goff strikes again.
Denver (at LA Chargers) - 6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 7 pts allowed
All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Justin Herbert's finger back together again. But a surgeon did this week, ending Herbert's season.
Cleveland (vs Jacksonville) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 3 INT
Trevor Lawrence playing didn't end up being bad for the Cleveland D/ST after all.
Philadelphia (vs Dallas) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 DEF TD
The Eagles defense outscored their offense.