Fantasy Football: 3 Defenses to Stream for NFL Week 4

Week 4 Defenses to Stream at a Glance

• Bills D/ST
• Bears D/ST
• Saints D/ST

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.

D/ST Streamers for Fantasy Football Week 4

Buffalo Bills D/ST

Matchup: vs. Patriots

The Buffalo Bills are at home against a struggling Drake Maye.

After breaking out a season ago, Maye has gotten off to a poor start in 2026, throwing for just 195.0 yards per game while tossing six picks and fumbling twice.

Buffalo’s defense has been solid from a real-life perspective but hasn’t yet had a big fantasy week. That could happen this week against a turnover-prone Maye, especially if the Bills can get out to a lead and force Maye to have to air it out.

Chicago Bears D/ST

Matchup: vs. Jets

The Chicago Bears have a friendly home matchup against the New York Jets in Week 4.

While the Jets haven’t been horrible offensively, a road game against the Bears is a tough spot. Plus, prior to a three-TD game against a porous Detroit Lions defense, Geno Smith had only one touchdown through the first two weeks. He’s fumbled once in each game this campaign while also taking nine total sacks.

Depending on your league settings, you may be able to add the Chicago D/ST now ahead of their MNF matchup.

New Orleans Saints D/ST

Matchup: vs. ATL

The New Orleans Saints are at home against the Atlanta Falcons, and I think it’s a good spot for the Saints’ D/ST.

Despite the Falcons’ excellent offensive showing in Week 3, I still like this matchup for New Orleans. Michael Penix Jr. took 13 sacks in nine starts last season and recorded just 220.2 passing yards per game and nine total passing TDs. He also fumbled four times.

New Orleans has allowed the 10th-fewest net yards per pass attempt despite playing the Lions and Baltimore Ravens in two of their first three games.

In a softer matchup and at home, the Saints D/ST can have a good fantasy day.

Fantasy Football Defense Streaming FAQ

What does streaming defenses mean in fantasy football?

Streaming defenses means changing your starting D/ST based on weekly matchups rather than relying on one defense for the entire season. The goal is to target defenses facing offenses that allow sacks, commit turnovers, and/or struggle to score.

What should I look for when streaming a fantasy defense?

Matchup quality is usually the biggest factor. Look for defenses facing inexperienced — or backup — quarterbacks, weak offensive lines, turnover-prone QBs, or teams with low projected point totals.

How early should I pick up a streaming defense?

It can be helpful to look ahead one or two weeks, especially in competitive leagues. Adding a favorable defense before waivers run can keep you from competing with several other managers for the same option. With that said, depending on how many bench spots you have, you likely will want to roster just one defense each week rather than dedicate two roster spots to D/STs.

Is it better to stream defenses or draft an elite D/ST?

Streaming can be a strong strategy because defensive fantasy production is often matchup-dependent. Rather than spending an early pick on a defense, managers can wait until late in the draft to take a D/ST and rotate options throughout the season.

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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.