Fantasy Football Week 16 Defense Rankings and Streamers feat. Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, and more
We're almost there. With just two more weeks of the fantasy football season, it is time to finish strong with sound decisions with our defensive starters. At Sportskeeda, we'll rank the best options in standard 12-team leagues while providing intriguing options below the 60% threshold in Yahoo! Sports and ESPN leagues ahead of Week 16 action.
Week 16 Fantasy Defense Rankings
Fantasy Football Defense Streamers for Week 16
The Premier Streamer
#1] Atlanta Falcons Defense vs. New York Giants
Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, or Tim Boyle — it doesn't matter who starts for the New York Giants these days. We'll stream our fantasy defenses against them weekly until we can't anymore. With our fantasy championship aspirations on the line, what's left of our FAAB resources should be focused on acquiring this Atlanta Falcons' defensive unit.
Ideal streaming targets typically share an ability to generate pressure on the quarterback and create takeaways for maximum fantasy points. The Falcons' defensive line has struggled in this department all season, so it's more volatile than we would have preferred in the semifinals.
It hasn't been pretty. Atlanta has the fewest sacks this season (23) while generating just a 21.7% pressure rate (31st) and an 11.8% QB Hit rate (29th). However, this matchup will be "bad vs. bad."
New York's offensive line has allowed the highest pressure rate (42.9%), the highest QB Hit rate (23.7%), and the second-most sacks (15) since moving on from Daniel Jones four weeks ago. So what gives?
The Giants are going with Lock this weekend after missing with a heel injury in Week 15. He was still in a walking boot during the team's preparations earlier this week, so it wouldn't been surprising if he will likely be less than 100 percent against Atlanta.
Lock has thrown an interception in his previous two games and could only muster 227 passing yards on 49 attempts in the last games he started in Week 14.
It's risky, but Atlanta can potentially create turnovers while keeping this inept Giants offense off the scoreboard in a must-win situation. The Falcons should be the premier streaming option this weekend, as only Green Bay and Buffalo are ahead of them in our rankings.
The Next Best Streaming Option
#2] Cincinnati Bengals Defense vs. Cleveland Browns
Atlanta is widely available, but if you missed out or don't trust them, you can potentially pivot to a Bengals squad with a great matchup this weekend. It's too bad Cincinnati won't face turnover machine Jameis Winston, as he was benched in favor of second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Week 16.
However, the Bengals could still be in line for multiple takeaways, with a young signal-caller still looking to impress for 2025 and beyond. Thompson-Robinson will be making just his first start since Week 12 of the 2023 season and will have to find success behind a Browns offensive line that has allowed the most sacks (58), the eighth-highest pressure rate (32.1%), and the highest QB Hit rate (20.3%) this season.
Cincinnati defensive end Trey Hendrickson is enjoying one of his finest seasons as a pro and leads the league with 12.5 sacks this year. We're hoping Hendrickson can continue his dominance to make the Bengals a potential top-five finisher in the semifinals of the fantasy playoffs.
The Last Resort Streamer
#3] Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Ok, now we're getting desperate. Believe it or not, there are worse options than this Jacksonville Jaguars unit in Week 16. You wouldn't have believed that last weekend, as veteran Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and 334 total yards against Jacksonville in Week 15.
The Jaguars hadn't recorded an interception since Week 10 when it surprisingly picked off Minnesota's Sam Darnold thrice in one game. So, how are they even considered an option in the semifinals? It's just that bad in Las Vegas right now.
The Raiders have struggled to find consistency behind an offensive line that has allowed the fourth-most sacks this season (46), the sixth-highest pressure rate (32.5%), and the sixth-fewest passing yards per attempt (6.5). Las Vegas will have no incentive to win this weekend, especially when it's in contention for the top overall pick in next April's draft.
The Raiders could get Aidan O'Connell back after missing last Monday with a bone bruise in his knee. The veteran practiced in full on Wednesday and could suit up, albeit less than 100 percent. O'Connell isn't known for his scrambling ability so far in his career and could be susceptible to taking extra sacks or being pressured into turnover-worthy throws on Sunday.
Jacksonville is a sneaky play against this banged-up Raiders team and could be a difference in surviving your semifinal matchup. Imagine that.