Fantasy Football: 3 Defensive Streaming Options for 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 Defenses to Stream for Week 2

Los Angeles Chargers

Matchup: at Panthers

Coach Jim Harbaugh's teams are known for two things: running the football and playing sound defense. That was the case in the Michigan Wolverines' national championship a season ago as they had more than 37 rushing attempts per game while giving up the fewest points per game (PPG) in college football.

Harbaugh has immediately translated this identity to the Los Angeles Chargers as they totaled 176 rushing yards paired with 6.5 yards per attempt while holding the Las Vegas Raiders to only 10 points in Week 1.

This meant a successful day for the Chargers D/ST as it posted 14.0 points fantasy points, which tied for the fourth-best weekly mark (prior to Monday Night Football). It was driven by three forced turnovers and four sacks. While L.A. surrendered 296 total yards, it didn't matter thanks to the takeaways and pressure on the QB.

Week 2's matchup is as favorable as it gets. numberFire's scheduled-adjusted power rankings have the Carolina Panthers with the second-worst offense in the NFL. If Week 1 was any indication, this could be the league's worst offense. Carolina notched a measly 193 yards and 10 points while recording three giveaways and allowing four sacks. This led to a successful day for the New Orleans Saints D/ST, which recorded 14.0 fantasy points.

Bryce Young's struggles continued and the run game totaled only 2.9 yards per carry. FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL odds have the Chargers-Panthers with the third-lowest total of Week 2 at 39.5.

Los Angeles comes off a game where it forced turnovers and generated sacks, making it an obvious play for Week 2. Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa each posted Pro Football Focus (PFF) player grades above 87.0 for Week 1; sacks should be a big factor in this matchup, with the Panthers sitting in the bottom half of offensive lines by PFF's offensive line rankings.

New England Patriots

Matchup: vs. Seahawks

Despite holding numberFire's worst schedule-adjusted offense, the New England Patriots have stayed pretty solid on defense, sitting in the top half of PPG allowed over the last two seasons. numberFire still has the Pats' defense as the NFL's 11th-worst unit.

This was certainly put into question following Week 1's performance. The Cincinnati Bengals, who have the third-best schedule-adjusted offense, were held to 224 yards and 10 points. Additionally, New England forced two turnovers while racking up three sacks. Coach Jerod Mayo -- who enjoyed a eight-year career as a Patriots linebacker -- has this defense back on the right page thus far.

Week 2's opponent -- the Seattle Seahawks -- posted 26 points in their season-opening weekend, but it was far from a flawless performance. The Seahawks were rather sloppy at times, turning the ball over twice while allowing nine tackles for loss and seven QB hits. The Denver Broncos D/ST had a solid week as a result, totaling 10.0 fantasy points (D/ST10 prior to MNF).

The Seahawks-Patriots matchup is carrying the second-lowest total of Week 2 at 38.5; that says enough.

New England tallied the eighth-highest PFF team pass rush grade, and Seattle came into the season with PFF's fourth-worst offensive line. Sacks alone could lead to great fantasy value, and the total is pointing to a low-scoring contest.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Matchup: vs. Browns

Week 1 wasn't a great showing for the Jacksonville Jaguars D/ST with only 4.0 fantasy points. Targeting this unit as a streamer is more about Week 2's opponent, the Cleveland Browns.

Before we dig into the Browns' problems, the Jaguars' defense gave up 20 points against numberFire's seventh-best schedule-adjusted offense held by the Miami Dolphins. This could have been a much worse result, especially when the Fins reached 400 yards. Fortunately, Jacksonville generated some pressure with three sacks.

This paired with a matchup against Cleveland could mean juicy fantasy points. The Browns just gave up six hits and 17 QB hits (!) against the Dallas Cowboys. Sure, the Jags' defensive front is nowhere close Dallas' unit, but injury concerns on Cleveland's offensive line make the team a vulnerable target. Offensive tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills were both absent in Week 1 for the Browns, leading to the ninth-lowest pass blocking grade of Week 1 (prior to MNF).

Across the board, Cleveland's offense was concerning as Deshaun Watson stumbled to a 58.8 passing grade. To add insult to injury, David Njoku -- who led the team with 44 receiving yards on Sunday -- suffered an ankle injury that could keep him out of Week 2. The Browns currently hold numberFire's fourth-worst schedule-adjusted offense, and so far, they look every bit of the part.

Ultimately, inserting Jacksonville's D/ST into your lineup has more to do with how bad Cleveland looked in its season-opener. Considering the Browns' pass-blocking struggles, the Jaguars D/ST could put up solid fantasy numbers.

Gear up for NFL season! Customers who bet $5 will get a free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube & YouTube TV! This promo expires September 22nd. See here for full terms and conditions.

Looking for the latest NFL odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the NFL betting options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

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.