Fantasy Football Defense Rankings and Streamers for Week 9 feat. Washington Commanders, Cincinnati Bengals, and more
Streaming defenses is a popular strategy in fantasy football, but your pick can make or break your scoring week. The NFL is a week-to-week business with new matchups to exploit and avoid to maximize our weekly point total.
Let's go through the best weekly defensive streaming options, plus give you an overview of how the top defenses rank heading into the new fantasy week. For streamers, we consider all defenses under the 60% threshold in ESPN and Yahoo! Sports leagues.
Fantasy Football Defense Rankings for Week 9
Fantasy Football Defense Streamers for Week 9
1] Washington Commanders at New York Giants
What a turnaround for Dan Quinn's unit. Over the last four weeks, the Washington Commanders have given its fan base something to be proud of. It starts with rookie sensation Jayden Daniels, yes, but the defense is beginning to form into one of the better defensive units in fantasy football. Like when we highlighted the Denver Broncos earlier this season, we need to change our paradigm when considering starting our fantasy players against Washington.
Since Week 5, Washington has turned in some impressive metrics we look for in streaming defenses throughout the year. Starting with the defensive front, the Commanders have generated the sixth-most pressure rate (33.1%), the third-best sack percentage (10.7%), and the fifth-most QB hit rate at 19%. Washington has only allowed two touchdown passes during that span, permitted the second-fewest passing yards per game (171), and the fourth-worst matchup for fantasy quarterbacks at -20.30 EPA.
Washington gets a fantastic matchup with a struggling New York offense in Week 9. In the previous four games, the Giants have allowed the most sacks (16), the 10th-highest pressure rate (33.8%), and the third-highest QB hits percentage (21%). Daniels and his hail-Maryland grabbed the headlines last week, but don't forget about the supporting cast on the other side of the ball. Washington is one of the best streamers heading into Week 9 and maybe beyond.
2] Cincinnati Bengals vs. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders will continue to be an offense to target in fantasy football until proven otherwise. This week, we get this unit on the road in the Queen City, which puts the Bengals in play as an enticing defensive streamer in Week 9. Cincinnati is not a perfect plug-and-play defensive unit, but with the punchless Raiders squad in town, they are worth a roster spot this week.
Cincinnati has had trouble rushing the passer this season, and in the last four games, it has generated a meager 27.3% pressure rate (27th) and a 4.1% sack rate (24th). However, the backend has done a decent job against opposing signal callers, with 6.9 yards per pass attempt (8th), 61.3% completion percentage (9th), and the fifth-most passes broken up (21). All this with the seventh-highest blitz rate at 36.1%.
Since Week 5, Las Vegas has the third-worst yards per pass attempt (5.8), the third-fewest passing touchdowns (4), and the second-most pressure rate (38.2%). Quarterback Gardner Minshew has thrown an interception in five of the seven games he has appeared in and will be a consistent target for streaming defenses as long as he starts games for Las Vegas.
3] Tennessee Titans vs New England Patriots
With New England quarterback Drake Maye in concussion protocol, the Tennessee Titans can creep into streaming consideration before Week 9 action. The rookie suffered the injury last week against the Jets on a scramble play in the second quarter.
If Maye cannot go, the Patriots must turn to veteran backup Jacoby Brissett against the Titans. Brissett had started five games for New England this season and was one of the worst quarterbacks in fantasy football. He's a player we like to target for streaming defenses, as Brisset hasn't gone over 165 passing yards this season and has only two passing touchdowns on the year.
The Tennessee defense has been stingy in its run defense the last four weeks. During that span, the Titans have given up the fifth-fewest rushing yards (318), the fourth-fewest explosive runs of 10-plus yards (7), and the fifth-fewest touches per game to running backs (43.3).
The secondary hasn't been flawed either, with the ninth-fewest passing yards per attempt (6.7) and the 10th-fewest passing yards per game (202). With a home matchup with a Brissett and Co., the Titans should be in play for those managers looking for a plug-and-play defense. Check the injury report on Friday to see if Maye returns this week. With the Patriots not contending this year, it would be surprising if the team rushes back its potential franchise quarterback.