Denny’s Deals — Week 17 Fantasy Football Defenses
These Week 17 fantasy football defenses provide you with the best opportunity to save salary without sacrificing upside!
All six of Week 16’s highest defensive Streaming Scores were on the road, and while their matchups were right, being away from the friendly confines of a home stadium makes any defense a risky proposition.
And so it went with the Patriots and Bills. Both defenses faced off against turnover-prone offenses that we’ve targeted throughout 2014, but both defenses were on the road. Buffalo and New England both ended Week 16 as bottom-barrel fantasy options.
Unless you bought in on the Atlanta or Cincinnati defenses — seemingly untouchable options going into week 16 — you likely didn’t win or lose games based on your defensive selection. Still, it’s disappointing to see our highest Streaming Scores — designed to pinpoint the best matchups — flop so thoroughly.
There are plenty of appealing Week 17 defensive plays available, and as per usual, we’re going to use my defensive Streaming Scores to pinpoint which units have the best matchups.
A team’s Streaming Score doesn’t incorporate how stifling or generous a certain defense has been. It’s entirely matchup based.
Week 17 Fantasy Football Defenses for Cash Games
San Francisco 49ers ($4,800) vs. Arizona Cardinals
I maintain that a defense’s fantasy ceiling is never going to be very high against a Bruce Arians offense — which is conducive to neither sacks or turnovers — but that doesn’t make the Niners an unappealing play in Week 17.
The Cardinals, with Ryan Lindley at the helm, gave up 13 fantasy points to Seattle’s defense in Week 16. That was a home game. Lindley now moves to a decidedly more hostile environment against a secondary allowing 215.5 passing yards per contest. There’s no reason to think the 49ers won’t focus on shutting down the run and forcing Lindley to do football things. That’s very often a good thing for opposing defenses.
San Francisco’s defense is priced as a middling option this week. They come into Week 17 with as high a floor as anyone, which is precisely what we seek in cash games. There are only a few options priced above the 49ers who make for safer options.
Baltimore Ravens ($4,200) vs. Cleveland Browns
Here we have another defense matched up against a third-string quarterback. Baltimore, a very up-and-down fantasy option in 2014, gets a prime matchup against Connor Shaw, who apparently plays professional football for the Browns.
The Ravens are at home, they sport the week’s third best Streaming Score, and their inconsistent offense shouldn’t struggle to mount a lead against Cleveland. That puts Shaw in a terrible predicament. It doesn’t matter how bad Baltimore’s secondary has been of late; I trust they’ll be able to take full advantage of Shaw.
I prefer the Ravens — priced at $600 less than the Niners — as Week 17’s preeminent defensive option. I’d say Baltimore certainly has a higher fantasy ceiling than the 49ers.
Week 17 Fantasy Football Defense for Tournaments
Minnesota Vikings ($3,300) vs. Chicago Bears
I wouldn’t be nearly as bullish on the Vikings’ defense if Jimmy Clausen were starting for Marc Trestman in Week 17. That might sound strange if you somehow haven’t heard the no one has given up more turnovers in 2014 than Jay Cutler.
Minnesota is priced as a bottom-9 defensive option, and while their floor might be a touch frightening, I think their ceiling could put them among the three or four highest scoring options of Week 17. Minnesota has a wide range of outcomes, making them a logical tournament option.
The Bears, with Cutler under center, have allowed seven double-digit performances to opposing defenses. The Vikings, with a top-6 Streaming Score, could be a cash cow in tournaments.