The fantasy playoffs are quickly approaching and the last thing you want to worry about is defenses, so Sam Wallace is here with the top fantasy football defense streamers for Week 11 to take it off your plate:
The fantasy football process looks (roughly) the same each week—fantasy football waiver wire research on Tuesdays, trade considerations throughout the middle of the week, and setting lineups toward the end of the week.
One of the most overlooked pieces of that process is figuring out which team's defense to stream.
If you don't have a locked-in option each week like the Chiefs or Steelers, playing the matchups can be an effective way to manage that roster spot each week.
To assist, I'll be consolidating a list of team defenses that every fantasy manager needs to know to prepare for the week ahead.
*Availability is based on Yahoo Fantasy Football Leagues
Best Defense To Stream For Fantasy Football Week 11
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears (71% available)
The Packers will come off their bye week ready to take on Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears (in Chicago) for the first time this season.
There's no getting past just how much Jeff Hafley has meant to this Packers team as their new defensive coordinator. They've already forced more turnovers this season (18) in nine games than they did all of last season.
A big reason for that has been their 10 INTS, led by newly-acquired DB Xavier McKinney, who has six of those INTS.
Looking to the other side of this matchup, No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has had a terrible stretch of games since the Bears' Week 7 bye. In his last three outings, Williams has thrown zero TDs (and zero INTs, to be fair) and has been sacked 18 times. He's been sacked a whopping 38 times this season. It's impressive that he's only accounted for six total turnovers.
With an additional week to prepare, and Williams on a historically tough skid, the Packers' defense has a great opportunity in front of them.
More Fantasy DST Streamers For Week 11
Indianapolis Colts (88% available)
Heading into Week 10, the Colts quietly have the 11th-best defense in the league. With so much attention focused on their offense, their defense has put together a decent start to the season. Despite giving up 30 points to Josh Allen & Co., the Colts get a date with Aaron Rodgers and the Jets next weekend.
The Colts might give up lots of yards (415 total yards in consecutive weeks), but they picked off Sam Darnold twice in Week 9 and Allen twice in Week 10. They've also generated 2+ sacks in four straight games.
Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon (32) and Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross (20) stop Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson (26) on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, during a game against the Buffalo Bills at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The Jets can't seem to get out of their own way, and if the Colts can get to Rodgers, who isn't mobile in the pocket anymore, and create opportunities, they could be a viable streaming option this upcoming weekend.
Houston Texans (56% available)
With Dak Prescott missing the rest of the season, the Cowboys have been forced to turn to some combination of Cooper Rush and Trey Lance.
That alone should be enough to warrant starting basically any defense against them. In Week 10, Dallas mustered just 66 passing yards and six total points. They don't have a viable rushing attack, which means opposing teams can pin their ears back and play one style of defense all afternoon.
If Dallas can't run the ball effectively, it turns into a long afternoon of third-and-longs for whoever is under center that week.
Fire up the Texans against a reeling Dallas franchise.
DST Streamers - Honorable Mentions
Cleveland Browns (61% available)
The Browns will come off their bye week rested and ready to take on the New Orleans Saints on the road. The Saints do have Derek Carr back as QB1, but they no longer have Chris Olave or really anything that resembles an effective passing attack.
I'm not counting Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had the most “MVS”-type game imaginable in Week 10 when he hauled in all three of his targets for 109 yards and a pair of scores.
That's certainly not sustainable, and the Browns will have had an extra week to prepare.
Alvin Kamara remains the engine that runs the Saints' offense, but despite the volume, he hasn't scored since Week 6. In addition, he's been at 4.0 yards per carry or below in six of his last eight games.
Outside of splash plays and Kamara finally falling into the end zone, there aren't many reasons to be scared of the Saints' offense moving forward.
New Orleans Saints (66% available)
Let's stick with the same matchup but move to the other sideline.
While the Browns will have enjoyed an extra week of rest, they might have needed it based on the last performance from Jameis Winston. In Week 9, he tossed three INTs and took five sacks. The Saints have demonstrated an ability to apply pressure on opposing QBs by way of their 22 sacks and 12 INTs.
Everyone knows that Winston can get on a streak (the bad kind) and start throwing INTs left and right. If the Saints can keep it close or keep the Browns in a negative game script, their defense should have several opportunities to capitalize on Winston's miscues.
He's going to give the opposing team a few chances each week; it's up to them to cash in when they can.
