Please forgive any mistakes I make writing this, as today’s games gave me what I’m calling a “RedZone headache.”
There was just way too much going on today. Overall, we had 11 one-score games out of 13 in the afternoon windows (shoutout to the Dolphins and especially the Patriots for ruining our chance at 13/13), and in the early window especially, every game seemed to deteriorate into absolute chaos at the exact same time. Days like today are why Scott Hanson makes the big bucks.
While the slate of games was great overall, our Week 3 D/ST streamer picks were best described as “meh.” Kansas City was our No. 1 option and put up a solid nine points, forcing two turnovers and holding Miami to ten points, but failed to record a sack for the second straight week. Buffalo was next on our list and next in scoring, finishing with five points as they amassed two sacks and a turnover en route to a 24-16 win over the Chargers.
And finally, Cincinnati fell sharply back down to Earth after a DST1 showing through the first two weeks, losing to Pittsburgh while allowing 30 points and finishing the day with only two sacks and a turnover.
Week 4 brings with it an interesting slate that includes our first Sunday morning international game (Colts vs. Commanders), a matchup of undefeated AFC West rivals (Chiefs vs. Raiders), and a primetime slate that looks much better now than it did a few weeks ago, with Steelers/Browns on Thursday, Lions/Panthers on Sunday, and Falcons/Saints on Monday.
We don’t have a ton of great options for D/ST streamers this week, as most of the league’s worst offenses face heavily-rostered defenses, but we’ll do what we can with what we have.
While I stare into the abyss and wonder whether Drake Maye is really the answer at quarterback, let’s look at the best fantasy football Week 4 defense streamers (D/ST) you should target on the Week 4 Waiver Wire.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 4 DEFENSE STREAMERS (D/ST)
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS DST (38% ROSTERED)
The Jaguars are 2-1 and hold the top spot in what’s been a very weak AFC South division to start the 2026 season. They’ve had two dominant wins so far—a 34-10 beatdown of the Browns and a 35-6 drubbing of the Patriots—split by a tough 20-13 loss to Denver.
Their defensive fantasy performances have mirrored those results as well. In their two wins, they’ve averaged 16 FPPG with seven sacks, five turnovers, and an average of eight points allowed. In the loss to the Broncos, they scored just three points with no sacks and one turnover.
Most recently, Jacksonville stifled the reigning AFC champs in Week 3, picking off Drake Maye twice and sacking him three times on their way to a blowout win at home. The performance has them currently sitting as the DST10, and ironically enough, their Week 4 opponent has allowed the tenth-most points to fantasy defenses in 2026.
The Bengals are 2-1, but unfortunately for them, so is the rest of the AFC North, and they’re in last place based on the tiebreakers. They’re actually tied with Denver and Cleveland with 7.5 FPPG allowed to defenses so far this year, which isn’t an ugly number, but it does put them in the top ten.
Aside from the surprisingly solid start from their defense, Joe Burrow and Cincy’s offense has looked pretty strong to start this year. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are doing Chase and Higgins things, each making incredible circus TD catches over the past two weeks, and Chase Brown is just outside the top ten in rushing.
However, between a pick six in Week 1 against Tampa and five sacks in a Week 2 win over Houston, they’ve managed to keep fantasy defenses afloat even in games they’ve won. In fact, their best showing in limiting opponent fantasy scoring was Week 3, when Pittsburgh had just one sack and recovered two fumbles, but they lost the game to fall to 2-1.
This pick is truthfully less about Cincy’s offense than it is about Jacksonville’s defense. Liam Cohen has the Jags in a great spot overall, and the defense has looked very strong in two of three games this year. New England has some serious injury issues on their offensive line, but the Jaguars took advantage, getting relentless pressure on Maye all game long and forcing several tough throws, two of which they intercepted.
This should be a great game overall, and even though it features two strong offenses, I think both teams’ defenses will show up in a big way in this contest and it’ll be close down the stretch.
NEW YORK JETS DST (2%)
Trust me, this is not where I thought this was headed. The Jets haven’t intercepted a pass since Week 18 of the 2024 season, and it’s hard to be a serviceable fantasy defense without forcing turnovers. However, the Jets could sneakily be one of the better plays of the week.
For starters, they’re a top ten fantasy defense in 2026, scoring just under seven points per game through three weeks. That average dipped due to a one-point showing against a tough Detroit offense in Week 3, but they scored 19 points over the first two weeks, beating the Titans and narrowly losing to Green Bay. Week 3 was an anticipated step back, but through those first two games, the vibes were high for this unit.
New York’s eight sacks are tied for seventh in the league through three games, helping to make up for the fact that they’ve forced just one turnover on the year. They boast the league’s number two overall defense, allowing just 258 yards per game, and they’re the 12th-ranked scoring defense at about 20 points per game.
Just as it feels crazy to say I’m putting stock in the Jets defense, after their explosion in Week 1, it feels weird to say that I’m currently targeting the Bears offense.
After a 59-point showing against the Panthers in Week 1, the Bears plummeted down to the real world with a three-point dud in Week 2 against Minnesota. Even worse, Caleb Williams was injured in the loss, although considering his reaction (making you think he got shot in the Achilles) compared to the result (a grade 2 hamstring pull with a 3-4 week recovery time), things could’ve ended up much worse.
Chicago’s true offensive potential lies somewhere in the middle of those two performances, but we won’t know for sure what they are on that side of the ball until Williams returns, likely in mid-to-late October. Until then, it sounds like Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent will be the Bears’ options at QB, with recent reports indicating Keenum will start in Williams’ absence.
Whoever ends up playing, his first test will be against Philadelphia to round out Week 3. I’m not overly optimistic about how that contest will look, and I could see that spilling over into Week 4 as well, especially with the Jets eager to return to their form from Weeks 1 and 2.
There are definitely some uncertainties around this pick, but I feel good about the Jets defense overall, and I think Chicago is merely trying to tread water until their QB returns. And with the Browns, Patriots, and Dolphins on deck, New York may be a startable fantasy defense for a handful of weeks.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (2%)
The Browns have won two straight, shocking the Bucs and Panthers in back-to-back weeks after a Week 1 loss. While Deshaun Watson‘s resurgence has been a huge factor in both wins, the defense has been a contributor as well, with 18.5 points allowed across the last two games and three sacks and an interception in each contest.
Even with Myles Garrett gone, Cleveland’s defense has remained the strongest part of their roster. That said, they’ve only scored seven and six points on defense over their past two games, and they’re still the DST25 on the year.
In Week 4, Cleveland will stay home and play host to Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Being a primetime AFC North matchup, I expect this game to have an air of grit and a low-scoring result, especially considering the offensive inconsistencies of both teams.
Pittsburgh looked really solid on offense this past week against what had been a good Cincinnati defense, but through two weeks, it was looking like Rodgers wouldn’t even make it through the season. This was particularly the case in Week 2; granted, they faced a very talented New England defense, but they allowed 21 fantasy points to that defense with four sacks and two turnovers on the day. Add in an uninspired Week 1 performance in a win over Atlanta, and Week 3 was a bona fide shocker in my book.
This pick hinges on Pittsburgh’s win over Cincinnati being more of a fluke than a turning of the tide, but I feel good about that being the case. This game will also be played on Thursday night, and I have trouble trusting a QB on the wrong side of 40 with only three days to recover, especially given some of the hits he’s taken recently.
Cleveland isn’t the safest selection, but they’re worth a flier this week if your options are slim. And if they show up in this contest, they’ll have ten days of rest before a matchup with the Jets, so they could be a two-week pickup for sure.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Buffalo Bills (12%): The Bills disappointed a bit as my #2 selection this week, scoring just five points against a Chargers offense that has struggled mightily in 2026. Speaking of struggling offenses, the Bills face New England this week, who looked lost against Jacksonville in a 35-6 blowout in Week 3.
New York Giants (23%): The Giants fell apart a bit late against the Titans in Week 3, but saved the day with a late interception and finished the day with eight points. They’ll stay at home to host the Cardinals this week.
Indianapolis Colts (2%): The Colts more than doubled their season-to-date fantasy scoring in Week 3, putting up four points in a loss to Houston after just three points in the first two weeks. They’ll travel to London this week to face Marcus Mariota and the Commanders.
