Predicting what will happen from one season to the next is hard.
But we know what defenses looked vulnerable and could still be vulnerable.
So here are what could be favorable matchups when fantasy football crunch time happens.
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2021 Bottom-Six Fantasy Football Defenses
- Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Atlanta Falcons
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Detroit Lions
- New York Jets
Opponents Passing Yards per Game
- New York Jets---259.4
- Detroit Lions---244.7
- Houston Texans---242.2
- Atlanta Falcons---232.5
- Jacksonville Jaguars---227.9
- Los Angeles Chargers---221.2
Opponents Rushing Yards per Game
- Houston Texans---143.8
- Los Angeles Chargers---138.9
- New York Jets---138.3
- Detroit Lions---135.1
- Atlanta Falcons---131.9
Stats from TeamRankings.com
NFL Teams With Favorable Late-Season Schedules
Some defenses will be better this year, and some will regress. But let’s see what we got. This is assuming your league starts fantasy playoffs in Week 15.
Dallas Cowboys
Week 9, Green Bay Packers; Week 10, @ Chicago; Week 11, @ Minnesota; Week 12, New York Giants; Week 13, Indianapolis Colts; Week 14, Houston Texans; Week 15, Jacksonville Jaguars; Week 16, Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Cowboys offense 2021: 4th in passing yards per game at 279.4; 9th in rushing yards per game at 122.0; and 2nd in plays per game at 67.9
Changes: Amari Cooper is gone, and Michael Gallup return is unknown
New York Jets
Okay, so the Jets may be able to help you in Week 15 and Week 16, but before that, you may want to stay away from them:
Week 10, BYE; Week 11, New England Patriots; Week 12, Chicago Bears; Week 13, Minnesota Vikings; Week 14, Buffalo Bills; Week 15, Detroit Lions; Week 16, Jacksonville Jaguars; Week 17, Seattle Seahawks; Week 18, Miami Dolphins
New York Jets offense 2021: 26th in plays per game, 60.9; 25th in rushing yards per game, 98.1; and 20th passing yards per game, 208.3
Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 9, Las Vegas Raiders; Week 10, Kansas City Chiefs; Week 11, BYE; Week 12, Baltimore Ravens; Week 13, Detroit Lions; Week 14, Tennessee Titans; Week 15, Dallas Cowboys; Week 16, @ New York Jets; Week 17, @ Houston Texans; Week 18, Tennessee Titans
Jacksonville Jaguars offense 2021: 23rd in passing yards per game, 202.1; 22nd in rushing yards per game, 103.2; and 29th in average plays per game, 60.5
Changes: New coaching staff
Tennessee Titans
Have a schedule that should help you during the fantasy playoffs: Week 9, Kansas City Chiefs; Week 10, Denver Broncos; Week 11, @ Green Bay Packers; Week 12, Cincinnati Bengals; Week 13, @ Philadelphia Eagles; Week 14, Jacksonville Jaguars; Week 15, @ Los Angeles Chargers; Week 16, Houston Texans; Week 17, Dallas Cowboys; Week 18, @Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans offense 2021: 7th in average plays per game, 65.8; 5th in average rushing yards per game, 141.3; and 25th in average passing yards per game
Changes: A.J. Brown has gone
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs should be in high-scoring games Weeks 12-14: Week 9, Tennessee Titans; Week 10, Jacksonville Jaguars; Week 11, @ Los Angeles Chargers; Week 12, Los Angeles Rams; Week 13, @ Cincinnati Bengals; Week 14, @ Denver Broncos; Week 15, @ Houston Texans; Week 16, Seattle Seahawks; Week 17, Denver Broncos; Week 18, @ Las Vegas Raiders
Kansas City Chiefs offense 2021: 2nd in average passing yards per game, 288.5; 13th in average rushing yards per game, 119.1; and 4th in average plays per game, 67.0
Changes: Tyreek Hill gone
Chicago Bears
Week 9, Miami Dolphins; Week 10, Detroit Lions; Week 11, @ Atlanta Falcons; Week 12, @ New York Jets; Week 13, Green Bay Packers; Week 14, BYE; Week 15, Philadelphia Eagles; Week 16, Buffalo Bills; Week 17, @ Detroit Lions; Week 18, Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears offense 2021: 14th in average plays per game, 63.2; 15th in average rushing yards per game, 118.7; and 30th in average passing yards per game, 188.6
Changes: New coaching staff; Allen Robinson gone
Minnesota Vikings
Week 9, @ Washington; Week 10, @ Buffalo Bills; Week 11, Dallas Cowboys; Week 12, New England Patriots; Week 13, New York Jets; Week 14, @ Detroit Lions; Week 15, Indianapolis Colts; Week 16, New York Giants; Week 17, Green Bay Packers; Week 18, @ Chicago Bears
Minnesota Vikings offense 2021: 10th in average passing yards per game, 249.3; 17th in average rushing yards per game, 113.5; and 13th in average plays per game, 63.7
Changes: New coaching staff
Washington Commanders
Week 9, Minnesota Vikings; Week 10, @ Philadelphia Eagles; Week 11, @ Houston Texans; Week 12, Atlanta Falcons; Week 13, @ New York Giants; Week 14, BYE; Week 15, New York Giants; Week 16, San Francisco Niners; Week 17, Cleveland Browns; Week 18, Dallas Cowboys
Washington offense 2021: 17th in average plays per game, 62.9; 11th in average rushing yards per game, 121.2; and 21st in average passing yards per game, 202.4
Changes: Quarterback Carson Wentz was acquired from Indianapolis Colts.
New York Giants
Week 9, BYE; Week 10, Houston Texans; Week 11, Detroit Lions; Week 12, @ Dallas Cowboys; Week 13, Washington; Week 14, Philadelphia Eagles; Week 15, @ Washington; Week 16, @ Minnesota Vikings; Week 17, Indianapolis Colts; Week 18, @ Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants offense 2021: 31st in average passing yards per game, 188.0; 23rd in average rushing yards per game, 99.3; and 25th in average plays per game, 61.8
Changes: New coaching staff
Carolina Panthers
the Panthers play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15 and the Detroit Lions in Week 16 (the Steelers gave up the most yards against the runs last season, 143.8).
Carolina Panthers offense 2021: 10th in average plays per game, 65.1; 20th in average rushing yards per game, 108.4; and 29th in average passing yards per game, 190.5
Changes: Quarterback “battle” Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold; Christian McCaffrey played seven games last season, three games the season before. Is he back for this season?
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners play the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15; Washington in Week 16 and @Las Vegas Raiders in Week 17
San Francisco Niners offense 2021: 12th in average passing yards per game, 236.6; 7th in average rushing yards per game, 124.6; and 28th in average plays per game, 60.6
Changes: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo out/ Quarterback Trey Lance in
Stats courtesy teamrankings.com
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