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For those of you fantasy football owners out there who are streaming defenses, RotoBaller has got you covered with around-the-league analysis of the Week 1 NFL matchups. Week 1 has some enticing defensive matchups, so be sure to pay extra attention if you're still drafting, or stay on top of your league’s waiver wire options if your drafts are already done.
Just like we will be every other week of the fantasy football season, we’re here to give you the insight to help make your defense streaming decisions and Week 1 lineup decisions a bit easier. Some of these defenses have good matchups, representing sleeper opportunity available in your league, so make sure to take a look at your waiver wire options, as well. Good luck in Week 1 RotoBallers!
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Week 1 Defenses: Tiers & Rankings
Tier 1: Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers
I don't think I need to waste many keystrokes convincing you why the Seahawks are in the top tier. The core of that defense is still there, healthy, and and facing a St. Louis Rams team that won't scare anybody on offense. Todd Gurley may be ready for Week 1, but you can bet they're not going to "break him in" against the Seahawks. Tre Mason may not be healthy either, leaving the bulk up of the carries to Benny Cunningham--heaven help them. I'll also take Richard Sherman and his mates over Nick Foles and his less-than-lethal receiving corps 100 times out of 100. Rarely will the Seahawks not be in this tier.
My ranking of the Dolphins is 50% matchup-based and 50% faith. The Redskins organization is basically hot garbage at the moment, and you better believe that will be reflected on the field. Kirk Cousins isn't going to beat them, and the recently-signed Ndamukong Suh should make plenty of trouble for Alfred Morris and Matt Jones up front. This defense should be in the top 15 by the end of the season, and they should be an excellent option in Week 1 especially.
Seems mean to stream against the Jags, but I'm going to recommend it until it stops working. I won't believe Blake Bortles will have taken a step forward until I see it happen, and with Luke Kuechly flying all over the field I don't know that rookie T.J. Yeldon will be able to carve out much running room. The Panthers defense finished in the bottom half last season, but I expect them to improve upon that standing with their core intact and stud rookie Shaq Thompson joining the gang. They'll be in the top two tiers for most of the season depending on matchups, and you won't find a juicier one than this.
Tier 2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns
The Buccaneers defense has a promising future, as they have plenty of young talent in addition to studs Lavonte David and Gerald McCoy. They could be very good by the end of the season, but I'm not willing to declare them every-week starters yet. They had only 36 sacks last season, and their secondary allowed an absurd 68.7 pass completion percentage. Those are two big flaws that will need to be solved, but in Week 1 I love their chances against the Titans. Marcus Mariota has looked great, but he's still a rookie who hasn't played a regular season snap, and nobody is even sure that Bishop Sankey will be the starter in Week 2. They're my streaming choice of the week, as they likely will have gone undrafted.
When speaking about the Houston defense, they are not the "Texans"...they are the "J.J. Watts". His presence alone keeps them in the conversation for top defense every week, and against the Chiefs I like them for top-10 production. He and his crew will find their way to Alex Smith a few times before the game is over.
The Jets and the Browns play each other in Week 1, and I expect a low-scoring game to say the least. The Browns offense has no semblance of itself--McCown won the starter job essentially by default, and while Isaiah Crowell probably has the lead on the starting running back gig, he's far from a lock for production. Likewise, we have yet to see how the Jets offense will shake out in Week 1. Chris Ivory will likely see the bulk of the carries, but they may still be in "feel it out" mode with their RB depth chart. Ryan Fitzpatrick is far superior to Geno Smith in my opinion, but he's prone to turnovers when he faces pressure, which the Browns will undoubtedly bring.
The Vikings went from the worst fantasy defense in 2013 to the 11th-best in 2014. This improvement was not entirely unexpected, as their talented young squad led by line backer Anthony Barr and defensive end Everson Griffen delivered on their potential. They've got a tasty matchup against a 49ers squad that stands in disarray--Colin Kaepernick has been inconsistent at best and Carlos Hyde will be thrust into the RB1 role for the first time in his career. There should be some sacks in this game, and perhaps a turnover or two.
Tier 3: Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Eagles surprised everyone in 2014 by turning in the second-best defensive fantasy point total in the league. This was due in large part to a league-high 11 defensive touchdowns, a stat they can't possibly hope to duplicate in 2015. However, they were excellent in takeaways and on special teams as well, so they should still produce regularly regardless of matchup. New imports Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell should certainly help the cause, and a Week 1 matchup against the Falcons could prove fruitful. Matt Ryan is prone to some bad games occasionally, and they'll likely be trotting out rookie running back Tevin Coleman. I like them a lot in Week 1, but the threat of a shootout looms in this one.
The Packers defense is middle-of-the-road when it comes to consistent fantasy production, but they are not without their strengths. Nobody wants to throw on them with the dynamic duo of Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix ballhawking over the top, and Clay Matthews and fun new toy Julius Peppers should keep any run game honest. A matchup with a Bears offense that might be without Alshon Jeffery and rookie Kevin White would be a lock, and even if one of both of those two play I like the Packers odds to beat up on Jay Cutler.
The Chiefs aren't particularly inspiring this year, but linebacker Justin Houston is a superstar. He had a league-high 22 sacks in 2014, and should be the key cog in that run defense. The main reason they make my list here is due to a matchup with the Brian Hoyer-led Texans. Hoyer pretty much has DeAndre Hopkins to throw to, and with Arian Foster out Week 1 I don't see any way this defense doesn't have a big day.
The Lions defense allowed just 3.2 yards per carry in 2014, and while Ndamukong Suh is in Miami they still have most of that potent defense returning. Ziggy Ansah and DeAndre Levy should fill in as the new leaders on defense, and Haloti Ngata will provide a strong veteran presence. They face a middling Chargers offense that will likely rely on Phillip Rivers, while rookie running back Melvin Gordon acclimates to the NFL. Rivers rarely fills up the box score, so I don't see the Lions struggling to stop the offense in general.
Yes, THOSE Jacksonville Jaguars. They were sixth in the league in sacks with 46 in 2014, and they've got all their big pieces returning. Their matchup is what matters here though, and I think they'll have no trouble getting to Cam Newton as he struggles to find someone open to throw to. He's without Kelvin Benjamin for the season, and I anticipate that the Jaguars, like most other teams who play the Panthers, will stack the box against the run game. If you're desperate, they're an underrated streaming option in Week 1.
Tier 4 : San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams
The 49ers defense is a shambles following an off-season full of departures via early retirement or otherwise. Last season they managed to crack the top 15 on the back of a league-high 23 interceptions, and while their linebacker corps is depleted they still have a fairly solid secondary. A Week 1 matchup with the Vikings might be worth streaming with, as long as they can keep hungry Adrian Peterson from torching them.
Guess who was second behind the Seahawks in fewest yards-per-play? I know, I said the Bills too! Turns out it was the Denver Broncos, who allowed only four total pass plays of 40 yards or more. Wade Phillips will take over the defense in 2015, and should give all opponents a healthy dose of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware early and often. They'll give Joe Flacco fits in Week 1 for sure, but it remains to be seen if they'll be able to stop Justin Forsett from doing damage in the short game.
I have to mention the Colts here, as they play the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. You'd stream this defense not because of their consistency (although Vontae Davis and Robert Mathis should anchor a halfway decent squad), but because the Bills may be playing without some big pieces. At the moment LeSean McCoy is extremely questionable for Week 1, and rookie Karlos Williams is iffy as well. This will also be Tyrod Taylor's first start with the squad, and some Week 1 nerves should be in order.
You'll typically see the Rams much higher than this, but with the Seahawks coming to town in Week 1 they are not locked into any starting fantasy lineup. Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn lead one of the stoutest defensive fronts in all of football, and if I'm streaming defenses I still trust that they'll pressure Russell Wilson enough to make them startable. They'll likely have to work a bit harder in the end zone though, now having to contend with Marshawn Lynch and Jimmy Graham.
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