Fantasy Football: 3 Defenses to Stream for Week 4

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 4

Green Bay Packers

Matchup: vs. Vikings

Ahead of Monday Night Football, the Green Bay Packers D/ST currently holds the highest fantasy point total of the week at 21.0 points. This was led by eight sacks, three forced turnovers, and a pick-six.

The unit benefitted from taking on the Tennessee Titans, who have numberFire's sixth-worst offense in power rankings. The Minnesota Vikings figure to be a much stiffer test with the 10th-best best offensive rating via numberFire.

Green Bay's defense is the 13th-worst unit, yet it remains a viable fantasy option thanks to 3.0 takeaways per contest (the most). This is where we shift our focus to the Vikings.

Minnesota's roster is plagued by injuries from rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison. Surely, this pass offense would fizzle with Sam Darnold at the helm, right?

Think again as Darnold currently holds the 5th-highest true passer rating and 13th-highest expected points added (EPA), per PlayerProfiler. The last time we saw Darnold in a full-time starting role was from 2018 to 2021, he recorded double-digit interceptions in each season.

The Packers have had a nose for the ball, and Jaire Alexander has fared well against Justin Jefferson, who has been under 60 receiving yards in three of the last four head-to-head matchups. The Vikings also have the 10th-worst pass block grade, according to Pro Football Focus, while Green Bay just racked up eight sacks on Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals

Matchup: at Panthers

After logging 6.5 points per game (PPG) through two games, the Carolina Panthers erupted for 36 points in Week 3 with Andy Dalton making his first start of the season. Why take a defense facing an offense that just recorded 437 yards and 6.2 yards per play?

Most of Carolina's success came through the air with 306 passing yards. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals' strength has been against the pass. Cincy currently holds numberFire's 13th-best defense, the 11th-worst run defense, and 10th-best pass defense.

There isn't a whole lot to go on with Dalton; he's made only two starts since 2023. The last two seasons that Dalton made at least six starts, he totaled nine interceptions in each season. The Bengals currently have the eighth-most takeaways per game and forced three takeaways in Week 2 against Kansas City Chiefs.

Hinging on Cincinnati's defensive performance on Monday Night Football, this unit is shaping up to be a good streamer option against numberFire's worst offense.

Indianapolis Colts

Matchup: vs. Steelers

There's plenty of positivity surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers. They carry a 3-0 record while Justin Fields is providing good play, touting a 78.4 PFF player grade and a 81.0 passing grade.

Still, this is far from an exceptional offense as numberFire's 10th-worst offense while averaging 17.0 PPG (ninth-worst) and 289.0 yards per contest (ninth-worst). Considering the low numbers, the Indianapolis Colts D/ST is worth a swing.

The Colts just put up the eighth-most fantasy points this week (prior to MNF) thanks to four sacks and three takeaways. Pittsburgh has heavily leaned on the run with 36.0 carries per game (second-most) compared to 25.0 passing attempts per contest (sixth-fewest). Indianapolis has the 2nd-worst pass defense, the 13th-best run defense, and is in the top half of rushing yards allowed per carry.

This matchup is playing right into the Colts' hands. A low-scoring game -- suggested by the 39.5 total -- makes Indy a good streaming option. Plus, they've generated turnovers, which adds upside to the play.

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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.