Best Fantasy Football D/ST Streaming Options for Week 5: Patriots, Broncos, Raiders
Ted takes a look at some widely available defenses that could help your fantasy football team in Week 5.
Welcome to Week 5’s fantasy football DST streaming guide! Let’s start with a quick look at last week’s results, which were mixed. The Titans’ defense against Tyler Huntley and the Dolphins worked great, but backing Miami on the other side of that game was not so great (a full game of Will Levis would've been better for our chances). The Raiders, even without Maxx Crosby, performed well against the Browns, and the Rams did okay against the Bears.
For this week, I have three top picks, all of which are available in at least 65% of leagues. I also have one highly-ranked option to fade. Let’s get started!
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Week 5 Fantasy Football Defense Streaming Options
New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins (3.1% Rostered)
With their domination of the Bengals in Week 1, it seemed as though the Patriots were potentially returning to their glory days of elite defenses. Three weeks later, that’s not looking so likely. New England’s defense ranks firmly below average, although not terrible, in just about every metric. It’s not as though they are simply being let down by their offense, either, as they have given up the seventh-most yards per play.
However, as mediocre as the Patriots’ defense has been, the Dolphins’ offense has been much, much worse. They rank dead last in EPA per play at -0.28, 33% below the next worst team (coincidentally, the Patriots). And that’s even including the one-and-three-quarters games played by Tua Tagovailoa, which weren’t great but were much better than what Miami has shown since.
With Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle, and Tyler Huntley under center, the Dolphins have been absolutely horrid. Their per-game averages over the last two weeks are 7.5 points and 194.5 yards. That’s with having only turned the ball over once … which won’t last, as Huntley and Thompson, the two most likely starters, both rank in the top five in PFF’s Turnover Worthy Play rate among QBs with at least 20 dropbacks. Until we see something change, whichever team gets to play Miami each week should be your top streaming target.
Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders (11.3% Rostered)
To start, this matchup with the Raiders is solid. Vegas ranks among the bottom 10 teams in the league in EPA per play and total yards, as well as tied for the sixth-most turnovers. They have also given up the seventh-most sacks to opposing teams. However, Vegas does rank okay in terms of actual points and yards per play, partially thanks to the fact that they have the third-highest pass rate in the league.
However, what makes this play particularly enticing is that the Broncos’ defense has been straight-up great to start the season. After giving up 26 points to the Seahawks in Week 1, they have held the Buccaneers, Jets, and Steelers to an average of just 9.7 points per game. That’s even more impressive when you consider how inept Denver’s offense has been.
If we just isolate defensive performance, the Broncos rank first in yards allowed per play and second in EPA allowed per play. They have forced the second-most sacks in the league, thanks partially to their league-leading 44.1% blitz rate. This has all led to them ranking fourth in DST fantasy points on the season, the only team in the top five without a defensive TD. Against a Raiders team without Davante Adams, they should stay hot.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Denver Broncos (35.0% Rostered)
It didn’t work out so well last week, but I’m going to run it back with the “play both sides of an ugly matchup” strategy. After all, one strategy that did work last week was trusting the Raiders defense.
While I had lots of nice things to say about the Broncos’ defense, this side of the game is purely a matchup play. The Raiders’ defense has been nothing special, but Denver’s offense has been especially bad. Bo Nix and Co. rank in the bottom six in terms of points, yards, yards per play, and EPA per play. They are also tied for third in the league with seven turnovers.
One potential reason for concern is that the Broncos have been good at preventing sacks, which is usually the most reliable source of defensive fantasy production. Bo Nix has somehow taken just four sacks through four games, tying for the lowest mark in the league. However, this doesn’t mean their passing offense has been efficient. When we look at adjusted net yards per attempt (which accounts for sacks, theoretically helping Denver), the Broncos rank third-worst among NFL teams at a putrid 3.4. This is thanks largely to the fact that they rank dead last with just one passing TD through four games … and they have just three rushing TDs, too. Especially if Crosby is back, the Raiders should be able to once again take advantage of a juicy matchup with a solid outing.
Fade: Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers (49.2% Rostered)
Checking early consensus rankings, the Bears are ranked as the third-best defense for Week 5, and I simply can’t understand that. With Andy Dalton under center, the Panthers are no longer a team to target. They have averaged 30 points and 400 yards over the last two weeks, with just one turnover.
Dalton himself ranks sixth among qualified quarterbacks in EPA per play. He has the eighth-lowest pressure-to-sack rate and has taken just two total sacks. He has the third-highest PFF Offensive Grade of any qualified quarterback. It simply can’t be overstated how much the Red Rifle has turned this Panthers offense around.
The Bears’ defense has been good, ranking above average in most key categories. But they certainly haven’t been elite. Even if they were elite, matchups are the number one key to fantasy defensive production. Believe it or not, the Panthers with Dalton under center are almost a must-avoid matchup, so I recommend looking elsewhere for your streaming defense this week.
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