3 FanDuel Defenses to Target in Week 14

Picking a defense can be an overlooked part of playing daily fantasy football on FanDuel. It makes sense, too, as D/STs rarely produce huge outputs.

However, we still need to give a lot of thought to which defense we roster, and there's definitely an edge to be had if you hit on a D/ST.

With that in mind, here are three defenses to have on your radar for this week's main slate.

All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

New Orleans D/ST

FanDuel Salary: $4,300

The New Orleans Saints have lost three consecutive games while giving up an average of 28.0 points per game (PPG). Is siding with a struggling defense really a wise decision?

The answer is simple; the Saints get to face the Carolina Panthers in Week 14. Carolina has been a mess with the worst record in the NFL at 1-11 while having numberFire's fourth-worst adjusted offense overall.

New Orleans' run defense has been a problem, allowing 4.5 yards per carry (sixth-most). Fortunately, the Panthers total only 3.8 yards carry (sixth-fewest) and have numberFire's seventh-worst adjusted run offense. The Saints could avoid giving up a load of yards on the ground.

The secondary remains a strong suit with the ninth-best mark in schedule-adjusted pass D. Carolina's Bryce Young has struggled with -0.28 expected points added per dropback (EPA/DB) on the season and has tossed five interceptions over his previous five games.

New Orleans averages the fifth-most takeaways per game (1.7). With Young's poor play, especially the picks, the Saints' defense could have a nose for the ball on Sunday.

After finishing in the bottom half of D/ST rankings for three consecutive weeks, New Orleans' D/ST could finally get back on track with a favorable matchup against the Panthers.

Indianapolis D/ST

FanDuel Salary: $4,100

The Indianapolis Colts' D/ST has been on a tear with three top-two finishes over the last four games. This is now the third-best fantasy defense on the season. Indianapolis will face the Cincinnati Bengals, who features backup quarterback Jake Browning due to Joe Burrow's season-ending injury.

Browning comes off an excellent showing in the 34-31 overtime win against the Jacksonville Jaguars with 0.43 EPA/DB. However, Browning has -0.17 EPA/DB in his previous start in Week 12. Plus, the Colts feature a more rigid secondary with numberFire's 10th-best scheduled-adjusted passing defense. The Jags are just 18th in the category. Indy is also tied for the fourth-best mark in allowed completion percentage over expectation (CPOE).

Frankly, I do not think Browning will keep up the red-hot play. The Colts have a formidable passing defense that just held the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the 11th-best schedule-adjusted pass offense, to under 200 passing yards in Week 12. Indianapolis also did a good job of limiting the Bucs' star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to under 75 receiving yards each. This could be key for slowing Ja'Marr Chase, who had 149 receiving yards last week.

The Colts' defense has thrived due to turnovers; they generate the fifth-most in the league (1.7). Cincy averages the fewest giveaways per game, but they have recorded one turnover in back-to-back games with Browning at the helm.

Indy also has ESPN's sixth-best pass rush win rate while the Bengals have the second-worst pass block win rate. After averaging 5.7 sacks over the last three weeks, the Colts pass rush could continue to feast.

Turnovers and sacks should mean more fantasy points. Indianapolis' D/ST looks like an intriguing play for Week 14.

Minnesota D/ST

FanDuel Salary: $3,900

The Minnesota Vikings have been one of the most underrated D/ST plays all season, recording the 12th-most fantasy points as a unit most would consider poor. Their placements in numberFire's rankings provides even more comfort; Minnesota has the 10th-best overall defense and the 6th-best adjusted run defense.

This week's opponent is Las Vegas Raiders, who averaged 15.3 PPG over their previous three games. The Vikings have the 14th-worst mark in schedule-adjusted pass defense, but fortunately, the Raiders hold the 11th-worst pass defense while averaging 6.2 yards per passing attempt (11th-worst in the NFL).

Even with Davante Adams in the fold, Las Vegas offense has stumbled with Aidan O'Connell throwing four interceptions over the last three games. It's unlikely that the Raiders get the run game going, either; they average 3.5 yards per carry (second-fewest).

Las Vegas totals the sixth-most giveaways per game, and Minnesota has averaged 1.3 takeaways per game over the last three contests. With the Raiders' low-scoring tendencies and turnover problems, the Vikings' D/ST could be a worthy start -- especially with a modest $3,900 salary.

Looking to build some NFL DFS lineups? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy football lobby to see all the offerings for this week's slates.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.