Best DST Streaming Options For Week 11 Fantasy Football: Commanders, Dolphins, Jaguars
Ted Chmyz breaks down his top targets when streaming defenses for fantasy football in Week 11.
Last week didn't go great. Of the six teams I mentioned, there were only two standout performances in either direction. The Packers were the bad standout as they were run over by the Steelers, while the Colts dominated the Patriots in Germany ... unfortunately, I had them the wrong way around, as the Packers were one of my top three picks, while the Colts were just a bullet point. Every other team fell somewhere in the range between okay and bad.
Hopefully, my picks will do better this week. There is one absolute no-brainer option at the top of the list, but things get tricky after that. Let's see if we can find the best matchups to target when streaming fantasy defenses in Week 11.
Sync your league with the Fantasy Assistant to get rankings, waiver help, trade suggestions, optimal lineups, and more. Not sure Who You Should Start? We can help. Utilize our fantasy football trade analyzer for trades.
Week 11 Fantasy Football Defense Streaming Options
Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants
I mentioned in the intro that there is one no-brainer streamer this week, and the Commanders are it. The Commanders' defense has been abysmal this year, ranking at or near the bottom in every fantasy scoring system. They also traded away arguably their two best defenders at the deadline in Chase Young and Montez Sweat.
But none of that matters this week, because this week, they get to face Tommy DeVito. In the three games where DeVito has played more than half of snaps, the Giants are averaging just 11 points. Even that number is inflated, as you could very easily argue that all 17 of their points in Week 10 against the Cowboys came in garbage time. Meanwhile, DeVito has thrown an interception on 5.5% of his attempts, which would be the highest rate in the league if he had thrown enough attempts. DeVito also boasts the highest pressure-to-sack ratio of any QB at 35.1% ... not great given the Giants have one of the worst offensive lines in the league. The Commanders, who our Projections have projected for two points more than any other unit this week, are available in 85% of leagues. If you manage to land them in your league, don't bother reading the rest of this article.
Miami Dolphins vs. Las Vegas Raiders
At 47.9% rostered, the Dolphins barely make it under the 50% threshold to qualify for this spot, but they should be available in the majority of leagues. Similar to the Commanders, the Dolphins' defense has had its struggles this year, but they should still be able to put up a quality performance against the Aidan O'Connell-led Raiders. The fourth-round rookie has actually helped the Raiders to back-to-back wins, but he has still taken 10 sacks and thrown three interceptions in just three and a quarter NFL games.
Josh Jacobs does pose a threat, as Miami's run defense is lackluster. But the Dolphins are favored by a whopping 9.5 points. They should build a solid lead on the back of their explosive offense, forcing AOC to drop back early and often ... and that won't be pretty. They might allow a few yards along the way, but they should force enough sacks and/or turnovers to finish with a solid outing, especially with Jalen Ramsey back in the fold. Our Projections have the Dolphins as the DST7, with a higher trust rating than any unit above them.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans
Yet again, this pick is about targeting a rookie quarterback. Unlike DeVito and O'Connell, Titans' starter Will Levis was at least highly drafted, and he made headlines with a great performance in his Week 8 debut. However, the 32nd-overall pick has since fallen back to Earth, throwing zero touchdowns and two interceptions in his next two starts as the Titans managed an average of just 11 points. With a sky-high 11.4 ADOT, Levis is a threat to produce some big plays, but that kind of gunslinging comes with risk. He has taken four sacks in each of the last two games, and his 5.5% Turnover Worthy Play Rate is the fifth-highest among qualified QBs, according to PFF.
We also can't talk about a matchup against the Titans without mentioning Derrick Henry, who has done his fair share of damage to the Jaguars over his time in Tennessee. Between Levis' upside and King Henry, there is a greater chance this play goes horribly wrong than either of the previous two. But the Jaguars' defense is also much better than either the Dolphins or Commanders. They rank in the top half in fantasy scoring on every site I checked, as well as fifth in DVOA and tied for first with exactly two takeaways per game. Despite the risk, I would happily roll them out at home in a huge game for their spot atop the AFC South.
Rapid Fire
- Detroit Lions (32% Rostered) vs. Chicago Bears: This Lions' defense is much better than it was last season, while the Bears did not take the step forward many were predicting. If it were certain that Tyson Bagent would be under center, this play would have made the main list ... and I'm not sure Justin Fields is that much scarier.
- Los Angeles Chargers (21% Rostered) @ Green Bay Packers: The Chargers' defense isn't great, but the Packers have quietly been one of the league's worst offenses. Our Projections have the Chargers firmly in the starting range as the DST8 this week.
- Tennessee Titans (5.2% Rostered) @ Jacksonville Jaguars: Like the other side of this matchup, this is a risky play. But the Jaguars' offense has struggled mightily this season, and if anyone can muster this team to take advantage of it, it would be Mike Vrabel.
