Streaming Defenses - Week 9

With Halloween landing on a Monday, I feel like I'm just crawling to the finish line all week. Last weekend felt kind of non-stop with events and plans, then Monday brought class parties for my kiddos, Halloween night trick-or-treating awesomeness happened, followed by Tuesday morning sleepiness and orneriness. And now we just need to make it to the end of the week. Hope you all are enjoying a little World Series action like we are and in honor of all my Chicago-based college buddies, go Cubs go! Here's Bob with this week's streaming defense suggestions and I'll be back with Week 9 rankings and start/sit later this week.

Welcome back fellow streamers and hold on to your hats this week. The Byes are going to have a great influence on starting Defs. But first let’s look at last week.

It was a tough week for the highly owned defenses last week, mostly due to all but two of them playing on the road. The results were that the streamers outperformed the highly owned considerably. I warned you about BUF but who could foresee MIN, PHI, and ARI posting low single digit Def points.

Week 8 Highly Owned
DEN	SDC	100%	12	19
ARI	@CAR	99%	12	5
MIN	@CHI	98%	14	3
NEP	@BUF	98%	12	5
SEA	@NOS	96%	10	13
BUF	NE	90%	2	6
PHI	@DAL	83%	10	4
AVG				7.86
Streams for Week 8
KCC	@IND	70%	12	16
TEN	JAC	39%	10	7
NYJ	@CLE	20%	10	5
CAR	ARI	63%	8	22
DAL	PHI	4%	8	10
CLE	NYJ	1%	6	3
AVG				10.5

So what did we learn last week? A couple of things. First, the Chargers have turned the corner on Def. Evidently one player can make a huge difference and that one is Joey Bosa. Second, ‘how ‘bout dem Boys’? Not only is DAL firing on all cylinders on offense, their Def is starting to show signs of being a difference maker. New targets are ARI(?), SDC and HOU. Too bad 2 of them are on bye this week.

With 2 of the highly-owned teams on Bye this week, this is the week that can define your season. I have several rosters that are filled with starters on the bench due to the byes. And that includes defenses. But since the streamers are starting to take over there are ample opportunities for streamers this week. So I give you 5 great starts and one desperation pick.

Week 9 Highly Owned
DEN	@OAK	100%	8/14	This game looks to be a shoot-out. If DEN gets up early this could get ugly for OAK and beautiful for DEN Def. Good floor, great upside, start 'em if you got 'em.
MIN	DET	98%	12	What to think of MIN after Monday Night's disgrace? You've got to start them and hope for a rebound. They're still the top Def.
ARI	Bye	98%	Bye	First top Def on Bye.
SEA	BUF	98%	12	SEA needs to right the ship and their Def will lead, start them with confidence.
NEP	Bye	95%	Bye	Second top Def on Bye
PHI	@NYG	87%	11	Another bounce back opportunity here, and the Giants give up about 9 points a game to anyone.
KCC	JAC	86%	14	This is the best start of the week for highly owned, start them with great upside
Streams for Week 9
CAR	@LAR	75%	12	LAR is now the 2nd most generous team to Defs, and CAR is still a good defense. 1st best stream, even though they are going to be hard to find on the waiver wire.
SDC	TEN	10%	10	The Chargers should be owned higher than they are, Bosa has made a huge difference and they are rolling lately. This week they get a good target too, 2nd best stream.
GB	IND	44%	10	Colts give up big points to good Defs. Packers are good not great, but they make a nice stream this week, 3rd best.
DAL	@CLE	15%	9	CLE has crept out of the depths of targets lately and McCown helps that, but 'how 'bout dem Boys'? Averaging over 10 points a game in their last 3 outings, let's take them as 4th best stream this week.
BAL	PIT	32%	9	I like the Ravens this week. Ravens are averaging 11 points per game this season, and no matter who starts at QB for PIT this week, with BAL at home and challenging the division, I like the stream as the 5th best.
MIA	NYJ	4%	8	The Dolphins are only a good, not great Def. But they draw the #1 target. Jets give up big points to good Defs. I like as the 6th best stream.
TEN	@SDC	57%	6	Chargers are a generous team and the Titans keep getting mentioned as a good stream, with mediocre results. This will be another one of those. Start only if you don't have any other options.

I really like the Chargers and Cowboys this week for upside. Good luck and happy streaming.