Knowing which defenses to start in fantasy football can be critical to winning your matchups. This position, arguably more so than any other, is matchup-dependent on a weekly basis, and the best results can be obtained by being flexible with a streaming strategy. Here’s a look at our Week 11 fantasy defense rankings and the top options to stream this week.
Top Fantasy Defense Streamers in Week 11
Week 11 is a very challenging one for defensive streamers. We may be forced to stream less-than-ideal options this week. Here are my top fantasy defense streamers, all of which are rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues.
New York Jets (at NE)
It’s very surprising to see the Jets projected so low by fantasy platforms for their Week 11 matchup against the Patriots. The Jets aren’t really a fantasy streamer — they are a legitimately good defense.
Things really took a turn in Week 4. Since then, the Jets are averaging 11 fantasy points per game defensively. They’ve forced a turnover and recorded a sack in every game this season. But it’s not merely that they’re getting a sack and a turnover each game — they are getting many of them.
In the two games preceding their bye, the Jets recorded 11 sacks. They have 14 turnovers on the season. They just played the Patriots in Week 8 and sacked Mac Jones six times while forcing an interception. Jones has thrown a pick in all but one of his starts this season. It’s just an ideal matchup.
Go get the Jets and start them for (most of) the rest of the season.
Cincinnati Bengals (at PIT)
The Bengals do not have a quality defense. They’ve hit double-digit fantasy points just once all season. This recommendation is a product of there just not being many better options.
The Steelers have one of the worst offenses in the NFL. They entered Week 10 giving up the third-most fantasy points to defenses.
MORE: Week 11 PPR Fantasy Football Rankings
In his last two starts, Kenny Pickett has been sacked six times in each. The Bengals only average 1.5 sacks per game, but again, it’s slim pickings out here this week.
They have forced 13 turnovers in nine games. Pickett has thrown eight interceptions against just two touchdown passes this season. Even against the Bengals, taking Pickett higher than 0.5 interceptions on Underdog Fantasy isn’t a bad idea. You can certainly do worse for a defensive streamer than the Bengals in Week 11.
Washington Commanders (at HOU)
I am writing this before Monday Night Football. So, we don’t yet know how this defense performed against the Eagles. My guess is not well.
It goes without saying that streaming the Commanders’ defense this week has nothing to do with the Commanders’ defense. This is entirely about Davis Mills.
Against the Giants last week, Mills took four sacks. It marked the third consecutive game he took at least three sacks and was the sixth time this season he was sacked at least three times.
The Commanders have recorded at least two sacks in seven of their nine games this season. They also entered Week 10 on a four-game forced turnover streak. Mills has thrown an interception in six of his last seven games.
I wouldn’t expect a blow-up game from the Commanders, but they are unlikely to get torched to the point where they cost you a matchup.
Week 11 Fantasy Defense Rankings
The rankings below are from Senior Fantasy Analyst Tommy Garrett. If you want to ask Tommy or any of our fantasy analysts about defense rankings or streamers for Week 11, then be sure to sign up for the PFN Discord server, where you will have unlimited access to the team throughout the season.
The table is best viewed in landscape on mobile devices and can be sorted using the filters above the table.Â
