Fantasy Football: 3 Defenses to Stream for NFL Week 2

Every point matters when it comes to winning in season-long fantasy football, meaning you can't afford to leave points on the table. While we don't spend top-notch draft capital on D/STs in our fantasy football drafts, ignoring them during the season can cost you dearly.

Streaming defenses throughout the year is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your D/ST slot. Even the best defenses draw tough weekly matchups, and even the worst defenses are capable of strong fantasy outings in the right situations.

This article is here to help you parse through all of those situations and to present you with three streamers that are available in most leagues.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Fantasy Football D/ST to Stream for Week 2

San Francisco 49ers

Matchup: at New Orleans Saints

The "defense facing the New Orleans Saints" strategy takes us to the San Francisco 49ers this week.

San Fran looked outstanding on D in Week 1, holding the Seattle Seahawks to 230 total yards and notching two turnovers.

The Saints' offense wasn't that bad in Week 1, racking up 315 total yards and not committing a turnover. But this is still an offense with one of the worst QB situations in the NFL, and I like the Niners' chances of making it a long day for Spencer Rattler. The Saints have a lowly 18.5-point implied total.

The 49ers' D/ST is available in nearly two-thirds of Yahoo! leagues, and they're this week's top streaming play.

Dallas Cowboys

Matchup: vs. New York Giants

In Week 2, the Dallas Cowboys have a friendly home matchup with the New York Giants.

The Giants' offense struggled in Week 1. They mustered just six points at the Washington Commanders, throwing for only 157 yards and rushing for 74 yards -- 44 of which were via Russell Wilson's legs. And that came against a Washington D that wasn't expected to be very good.

Dallas' defense wasn't too bad in Week 1, giving up 302 total yards and 24 points in a very tough matchup at the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants are very much not the Eagles, and there's also a chance we see Jaxson Dart in this game, meaning Dallas might be facing a rookie making his debut on the road.

With Dallas a home 4.5-point favorite, this is a friendly matchup for their D/ST, a unit that is rostered in just 7% of leagues.

Miami Dolphins

Matchup: vs. New England Patriots

I'll get this out of the way quickly -- the Miami Dolphins were dreadful in Week 1.

But they've got a pretty soft home matchup in Week 2 versus the New England Patriots, and the Miami D/ST is worth a look in deeper leagues.

In Week 1, Miami let up 418 total yards to a Daniel Jones-led offense, so there is definitely a chance Miami is going to be putrid defensively this season. At the same time, the Pats' offense was pretty bad, too, in Week 1, struggling to run the ball (60 yards) and scoring only 13 points against a meh Las Vegas Raiders defense.

Miami is a slim 1.5-point favorite over the Patriots, and while it won't feel good to slot them into your lineup, they could net you a solid return.

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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.