3 FanDuel Defenses to Target in Week 10

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.

Dallas D/ST

FanDuel Salary: $5,200

The Dallas Cowboys' defense is the easy DFS play of the week, but that comes with a high salary of $5,200. Dallas will face their divisional rival, the New York Giants, on Sunday.

As most know, the Giants have been a train wreck thus far. The 2-7 start has been a far cry from last season's 9-7-1 record and postseason appearance. Injuries have been at the forefront of the problems, and it's only getting worse.

Daniel Jones will be out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in Week 9. He hasn't been exactly taking the world by storm with -0.38 expected points added per dropback (EPA/DB), but replacing a starting QB is never easy. Tommy DeVito is in line to start on Sunday. He is an undrafted rookie out of Syracuse who threw two interceptions in last week's loss.

The injuries don't stop there, as Darren Waller is on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury, and cornerback Adoree' Jackson (concussion) and right tackle Evan Neal (sprain) are questionable.

The last Giants-Cowboys matchup says enough. New York's 40-0 loss was hard to watch, as they had 3 turnovers while allowing 7 sacks and 12 QB hits. Stopping Dallas' pass rush remains a big concern because the Giants rank 25th in ESPN's pass block win rate while the Cowboys are 1st in pass rush win rate.

Additionally, DeVito's two picks last week only fuels the idea that Dallas will generate several turnovers. The Cowboys' D/ST has the largest salary of the Sunday slate, but the fantasy points could be a layup -- especially with Dallas ranking first in D/ST points.

Pittsburgh D/ST

FanDuel Salary: $4,300

The Pittsburgh Steelers also feature one of the league's top defenses. The unit is numberFire's eight-best adjusted defense, and it ranks sixth in total fantasy points for the season.

Pittsburgh has consistently generated fantasy points by forcing 16 takeaways and racking up 26 sacks this season. TheGreen Bay Packers, who have reached 20 points only once over the last four games, feel like a favorable matchup.

Following a hot start, Jordan Love has fallen off a cliff, and he now holds -0.10 EPA/DB and a -4.8% completion percentage over expectation (CPOE). Most importantly, Love has thrown at least one interception in five of his last six games (eight picks over the six-game span). He finally took care of the ball against the Los Angeles Rams with zero picks.

The Steelers are a different animal, ranking second in takeaways per game. Love could be poised for more interceptions. Last week's opponent (Rams) had numberFire's 10th-worst schedule-adjusted pass defense, compared to the Steelers that tout the 7th-best mark.

Green Bay is second in pass block win rate, but Pittsburgh totaled four sacks against two opponents who ranked in the top 12 of the category -- the Tennessee Titans in Week 9 and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5.

The Steelers' ability to generate turnovers and pressure on the QB makes them an enticing play for Week 10.

Jacksonville D/ST

FanDuel Salary: $3,900

Favorable low-salary options are limited for Week 10. Among defenses with a salary of $4,000 or less, the Jacksonville Jaguars could be the best choice.

They will face the San Francisco 49ers in what should be one of the week's top matchups. Of course, slowing the Niners is no easy task, as they feature numberFire's third-best overall offense. But Jacksonville's defense is no slouch, either, ranking fifth in numberFire's overall defensive ratings.

San Francisco's scoring production has dipped in recent weeks, though, leading to their three-game losing streak. The 49ers are averaging only 17.0 points per game (PPG) during the losing streak while the Jags' D/ST had two top-six fantasy finishes over their previous three games.

Brock Purdy's recent slide could allow Jacksonville to feast. From Week 1 to Week 5, Purdy had zero interceptions with 0.41 EPA/DB and a 3.5% CPOE. Over the last three games, the second-year signal-caller has five interceptions, -0.09 EPA/DB, and a -3.1% CPOE. The Jaguars have snagged at least one pick in five consecutive games and have totaled nine interceptions during the span.

Trent Williams -- who is widely regarded as the best offensive lineman in the league -- remains questionable with an ankle injury. After recording three sacks in two of their previous three games, Jacksonville's pass rush could also be poised for another good day -- especially if Williams is absent.

Overall, this isn't a slam-dunk DFS play. The 49ers are still the 49ers -- one of the best teams in the league. The Jaguars' D/ST has an opportunity for fantasy points, though, and the low salary could be worth the risky play.

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.