Week 8 Rankings: Standard | PPR
So you're fully committed to DST streaming, huh? Good for you.
It represents one thing many Fantasy owners don't want to do -- take chances.
It's much easier on the soul to settle on an above-average defense and ride them through the peaks and valleys. If you aren't making a decision then you aren't making the wrong decision.
I commend you for taking chances and attempting to control your own destiny.
Each week I'll give you some defenses that are available in a majority of standard leagues, followed by one deep-league option and one shallow-league option. Most weeks, I'll give you four or five choices -- so choose wisely.
New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns
The Jets defense has been a roller coaster this year. They were a consensus top 10 option preseason, a laughingstock in the secondary and a stalwart up front. Against the Cleveland Browns (and whoever they start at quarterback), I would expect this unit's best performance of the season.
The Jets one weakness is in the downfield passing game, and the Browns have a question mark at quarterback and a No. 1 receiver with a balky hamstring. If ever there was a no-brainer in this column, this is it. With six teams on a bye and high number of owners streaming defenses, the Jets should be close to 100 percent owned by Sunday.
While I normally offer a deep-league option below, there are none that I would suggest above the Jets defense. The Jets are a good stream even in a league as small as eight teams.
Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
When you choose to stream defense, you're assuming a risk that occasionally you're going to get a dud. Well, that risk is mitigated if you just stream against Jacksonville. Only one defense this season (Indianapolis) has failed to score eight Fantasy points against the Jaguars. This despite the fact that the Jaguars have faced just one defense that ranks in the top eight in Fantasy points.
This Titans defense is in the bottom third of Fantasy points scored, but that's because it has yet to recover a fumble or score a defensive touchdown. It ranks favorably in both interceptions and sacks, which are the real moneymakers against Blake Bortles.
Detroit Lions @ Houston Texans
The Lions have been middling at best this year but a matchup with Brock Osweiler should help. Osweiler is the worst quarterback in the NFL that's started all of his team's games this year and he's turning the ball over with reckless abandon. I would rank the Lions well behind the Jets and Titans, but if you're desperate they aren't a terrible option.
Deep Leagues
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
I'm assuming you're in an exceptionally deep league if the Titans and Lions are both gone. Or maybe you slept through waivers. Either way, if I have to dig deep I'm relying on Thursday Night Football to deliver what it so often does; low-scoring, defensive football. There's plenty of young talent on this Jaguars defense and Mariota is far from perfect. Just hope he makes a mistake and the Jaguars take it to the house.