Week 7 saw huge performances from several defenses, including many in streamer territory heading into the week. We were treated to a handful of teams, like the Rams (34% rostered), Commanders (30%), and Seahawks (24%), outperforming expectations and finishing with double-digit point totals.
From our picks last week, the Bills were the primary team that actually delivered, finishing with three sacks and two turnovers against the Titans for 13 points on the day. The Saints and Browns, however, were disappointments, combining for just three sacks and one turnover, each finishing with three points in their respective matchups.
READ: FANTASY WEEK 8 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
The Week 8 schedule doesn’t feature any teams on a bye, so we’ll have the full gauntlet of options to pore over for this week’s streamer candidates. But, as always, there are matchups with popular defenses that we’d like to avoid, and matchups with lower-tier D/ST units that we are looking to take advantage of.
That said, let’s take a look at the best fantasy football Week 8 defense streamers (D/ST).
TEAMS TO AVOID IN WEEK 8
Cleveland Browns (43% rostered on Sleeper): Cleveland’s offense has been historically bad in 2024 and could get even worse with Deshaun Watson out for the year, but their defense has managed to stay fantasy-relevant. However, that defense faces Baltimore this week in what could be an absolute beatdown from their divisional rival who’s allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing defenses.
Chicago Bears (34%): The Bears are fantasy’s sixth-ranked defense and their ownership rate is only as low as it is because they had a bye last week. They’ll be a great option to stash for later weeks, but they have a tough matchup in Week 8 with the red-hot Commanders. Even if Jayden Daniels misses this game, I’m still not starting Chicago.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 8 DEFENSE STREAMERS (DST)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS DST (35% ROSTERED ON SLEEPER)
@ Las Vegas Raiders | 4:25 PM
Kansas City’s Super Bowl rematch against the 49ers last week lost a lot of steam due to the many injuries San Francisco is dealing with, but the Chiefs still showed up and showed up big. They picked off Brock Purdy three times and sacked him once, en route to a nine-point fantasy day and a win to improve to 6-0.
The Chiefs aren’t in the top half of the league in fantasy scoring defensively so far this year, but they’ve managed to avoid any hugely disappointing performances, scoring at least five points in every game so far. And while to this point they’ve faced some strong offenses like Baltimore, Atlanta, and San Francisco, they get something of a break this week with a road matchup against Las Vegas.
Through the early part of the season, the Titans had a stranglehold on being the most generous offense to opposing D/STs, but the Raiders just moved into that spot via an 18-point performance by the Rams in Week 7. Aidan O’Connell took over the starting role in recent weeks and couldn’t right the ship at all, and now it looks like a fractured thumb will send him to IR for the next 4-6 weeks, opening the door for a Gardner Minshew return.
The Raiders have given up 20 sacks so far this year, tied for fifth-most in the league, and their ten INTs thrown and 16 total turnovers are both the highest mark in football. Davante Adams is now a Jet, and it seems like Brock Bowers is the only Raider pass catcher who is capable of making any sort of impact in this offense. The Chiefs haven’t done a good job of limiting TE production this year, so Bowers could be in a good spot to have another nice game, but KC should be able to curb this trend, seeing as there is virtually nobody else on this offense they need to worry about.
It’s unlikely that the Chiefs run the table, and a letdown performance will come at some point, but I don’t think it’s going to be this week. Kansas City should make light work of a very flawed offense, and Chris Jones is salivating at the opportunity to increase his sack total against PFF’s 25th-ranked offensive line.
Kansas City is likely a one-week pickup, as they’ll face Baker Mayfield and the Bucs in Week 9.
GREEN BAY PACKERS DST (42%)
@ Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 PM
I resisted the temptation to include the red-hot Packers in last week’s picks, and it ended up being the right move, as they put up just four points in a win against Houston. However, I had my eye on them heading into this week’s matchup with Jacksonville. Despite a dip in production last week, Green Bay is still averaging over 11 points per game on defense, and their 17 turnovers forced is the highest mark in the league thus far.
Jacksonville has managed to allow less than six points per game to opposing defenses, primarily due to Trevor Lawrence limiting turnovers even when he hasn’t played well. Statistically, the Jaguars have been very average offensively, coming in right around the middle of the league in most major statistics in both the run and pass games. Their seven turnovers committed on the year is tied for the 9th-lowest in the league, but if there’s any defense that can buck that trend and steal a few possessions, it’s going to be Green Bay.
A few turnovers would be huge for Green Bay’s streaming prospects, but the most likely source of points for them in this matchup will be sacks. The Packers have racked up 20 sacks through seven games, which is tied for the sixth-highest mark in the NFL, while Jacksonville has allowed 17 sacks (T-13th most) behind PFF’s 27th-ranked offensive line.
Above all, this game represents a chance for Green Bay’s defense to return to their early-season ways coming off a tough matchup last week. They’ve been one of the best units in football to this point, and I’m expecting them to send Jacksonville back to the loss column and put up a strong day in the process. Green Bay will follow up this week with a tough matchup against Detroit before a Week 10 bye, but they could be a great option to stash for the home stretch of the fantasy season if you can do it.
DETROIT LIONS DST (15%)
vs Tennessee Titans | 1 PM
The Lions had a lot of pressure on them in Week 7 heading into a road matchup with an undefeated division rival a week after losing Aidan Hutchinson in gruesome fashion against the Cowboys. Dan Campbell’s guys responded to this pressure in a big way, finishing with four sacks and an interception and propelling Detroit to a big win.
The Lions are now fantasy’s 11th-ranked defense through seven weeks, averaging over nine points per game in six games played this season. And now, coming off consecutive big road wins, they’ll return home and face one of the league’s most generous offenses when it comes to D/ST production: the Tennessee Titans.
Mason Rudolph took over starting duties for the Titans in Week 7, finishing with 215 yards passing and one TD to go along with an interception and three sacks taken. It was a relatively decent performance in comparison to what Tennessee has gotten this year from their offense, but Tennessee still lost 34-10 and Buffalo’s D/ST finished the game with 13 points.
The Titans have yielded more than 11 points per game to opposing fantasy defenses, which is second-most behind only Las Vegas. Their 12 turnovers committed is also second-most, and again, only Vegas has been worse. Sensing a trend here? Aside from the struggling Raiders, who have multiple underperforming QBs and just traded away their best pass catcher, Tennessee is trotting out the most underwhelming offense in football.
If the Lions can turn in a performance anywhere close to what they did two weeks ago in Dallas—holding the Cowboys to nine points and forcing five turnovers—they’ll be in great shape and could be one of the best streaming options of the day. However, they’re likely a one-week streaming option, with Green Bay and Houston looming for the next two weeks.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Los Angeles Chargers (36%): The Chargers have looked solid defensively and will host an injury-riddled Saints team in Week 8.
Washington Commanders (30%): Coming off a blowout win over Carolina in which the defense finished with 17 points, Washington will host Caleb Williams and the Bears.
New England Patriots (5%): Sunday Night’s game against the Steelers showed that Aaron Rodgers and the Jets are still sorting things out offensively. Meanwhile, the Patriots were called soft by their own coach after a loss to the Jaguars in London, so maybe they’ll respond in this divisional matchup that didn’t go their way the first time around.