Fantasy Football Week 17 Streaming Defenses: Cowboys, Raiders, Giants, and More
Four D/ST groups with good matchups in Week 17 that are widely available in fantasy leagues.
If you made your fantasy championship, there is no reason to hold back now. Every decision is of maximum importance, including the positions you might sometimes ignore in the regular season, like just throwing in whichever defense stands out after a few minutes of “research.”
Now that we have reached the end, putting in a little extra time to find the best option and get yourself every point might be the difference between glory and coming in second place. And if you're already out of the running? Well, it never hurts to put your best foot forward, even in a consolation game.
Let's look at four D/ST units with good matchups in Week 17 that are widely available in fantasy leagues and can be picked up and inserted into your lineup. Most stats are from NFL.com.
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Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Commanders
We'll start with a Thursday game, as these NFC East rivals kick off the action on Christmas Day. The Cowboys are a poor defensive team, giving up the second-most points per game, the second-most yards per pass attempt, and the ninth-most yards per rush attempt. We attack Dallas with fantasy players every week.
Their spot here has to do with the matchup, as the Commanders have already lost Jayden Daniels for the season and now won't have backup Marcus Mariota for this game. Josh Johnson will start, leaving Washington with an offensive floor about as low as could be.
The Cowboys are tied for the second-fewest interceptions with just six (the Jets haven't picked off a pass!) and eighth-fewest sacks (29), not making many plays that score fantasy points. Add that to allowing a lot of points, and there's a reason that Dallas is available in essentially every fantasy league.
There is a low floor here but also a sneaky ceiling based on where Washington stands. They have been decimated by injuries and are just trying to make it through the season at this point, and that portends a slow offensive day.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. New York Giants
New York Giants @ Las Vegas Raiders
We usually only have three defenses each week, but since we have two inept offensive teams facing each other here, let's call it a Christmas bonus and focus on both. There are big stakes in this game also: Las Vegas and New York are tied for the worst record in the league at 2-13, so the loser has the inside track to the top overall pick in the draft.
The Raiders have scored the fewest points this season and the Giants the 10th fewest. While New York has hope for the future with young potential stars at quarterback and each skill position, a few of those guys are hurt, leaving Jaxson Dart short on help. Vegas has a few stars of their own, but Brock Bowers is out for the season, and the Raiders are seriously lacking elsewhere.
New York's defense is among the worst, allowing the fifth-most points, 11th-most yards per pass attempt, and the most yards per rush attempt. The Giants are tied with Dallas for the second-fewest interceptions, and they sit in the middle in sacks (35). Vegas has given up the eighth-most points, but they are in the middle against the pass and have allowed the fourth-fewest yards per rush attempt.
The Raiders are the better defensive team, but the Giants have a better offense, so these D/ST squads are very close in fantasy value. I slightly favor New York, as do our FantasySP projections, which see the Giants as the top fantasy defense of the week.
Tennessee Titans vs. New Orleans Saints
The Saints would be a good option for this list, but they are owned in most fantasy leagues after a fantastic matchup against the Jets last week, so let's instead focus on their opponents, who are in the running for worst team with the Raiders and Giants (and a few others).
Tennessee's defense is a major part of the problem, as they have given up the seventh-most points and the fourth-most yards per pass attempt (while sitting in the middle against the run). The Titans are another team tied for the second-fewest interceptions, but they have the 11th-most sacks.
As is generally the case, Tennessee is here because of their opponent more than their own defensive exploits. The Saints have scored fourth-fewest points, just 17 per game, and they are another group dealing with injuries to skill players and the offensive line, which ranks 30th in pass blocking and 19th in run blocking, according to ESPN.
There is a low floor here due to the Titans' lack of talent, and New Orleans has looked more functional at times, so Tennessee is a lower-level streamer. They are a decent option if you're in a deep league or find yourself in need late in the week.
