RADIO
No. 1 Buffalo Bills (vs. New England Patriots, New York Jets)
If the Bills are somehow still available on waivers, make sure to pick them up immediately. This unit will have an extremely favorable matchup in Week 16 against the Patriots and could be used again in Week 17 against the Jets. Buffalo ranks tied for third in takeaways (24) and has forced a turnover in 12 of 13 games this season.
For Week 16, the Bills defense will be a top-5 play at home. In Week 17, Buffalo will have some potential against a Jets offense that has certainly had its struggles throughout the year. Aaron Rodgers has been sacked at least three times in three of the past four games.
No. 2 Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Denver Broncos, New England Patriots)
The Chargers will be a top-3 play in the fantasy football championship against the Patriots, so make sure to pick them up ahead of Week 15. Los Angeles ranks fifth in sacks (39) this season, and this defense has totaled at least three sacks in five of the past seven games.
New England has given up 43 sacks (tied for the fourth-most) this season, and Maye has been sacked at least three times in four of the past five games. He has also thrown six interceptions across the last five contests. They are a top play in Week 17 even with a tougher matchup in Week 16 against the Denver Broncos.
No. 3 New Orleans Saints (vs. Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders)
The Saints defense won’t be a strong fantasy option in Week 16 against the Packers. However, this unit has a ton of potential against the Raiders in the fantasy football championship. New Orleans has totaled multiple sacks in four straight games, and Las Vegas has allowed 43 sacks this season.
While it remains to be seen if Desmond Ridder or Aidan O’Connell (knee) will start in this game, the Saints will have a high enough fantasy floor to be a top-7 play at home in Week 17. The Raiders also rank first in giveaways and 24th in pass-block win rate this season.
No. 4 Green Bay Packers (vs. New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings)
Whether you have a first-round bye or just looking for a defense in advance, the Packers should be added in almost all formats right now. That’s because Green Bay will go up against the Saints in Week 16. With Derek Carr recovering from a fractured hand, there’s a strong chance that Jake Haener will draw another start under center for New Orleans.
This unit has a ton of potential in Week 16 against a Saints offense that will likely be missing Carr, Taysom Hill (knee), and Chris Olave (concussion). New Orleans also ranks 31st in pass-block win rate in 2024. In Week 17, they should be avoided facing a tough Minnesota offense.
No. 5 Indianapolis Colts (vs. Tennessee Titans, New York Giants)
The Colts are one of the few defenses that can be picked up and played in both Week 16 and Week 17. They’ll play the Titans in the second round of the fantasy football playoffs and the Giants in the championship.
Opposing defenses are averaging 11.2 fantasy points against the Titans offense this season, and Will Levis has been sacked 24 times over the past five weeks. That’s great news for a Colts defense that has totaled at least three sacks in four of the past five games. After that great matchup in Week 16, the Colts can be used again in Week 17 against the Giants. New York will be starting either Drew Lock or Tommy DeVito in the fantasy football championship, and that offensive line has allowed 12 sacks over the past three games.
No. 6 Seattle Seahawks (vs. Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears)
The Seahawks’ defense should be on everyone’s radar heading into the final weeks of the season. While this unit likely shouldn’t be started in Week 16 against the Vikings, it has a fantastic matchup against the Bears in the fantasy football championship.
Chicago has given up the most sacks (56) this season, and Caleb Williams has been taken down 33 times since Week 9. They have totaled multiple sacks in four straight weeks and have forced nine interceptions over the past seven games.
No. 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers)
In Week 16, the Buccaneers will face the Dallas Cowboys who have struggled to find consistency with Cooper Rush under center. Last weekend, they scored 30 points against the Panthers but the week before they scored only 20 and allowed three sacks with an interception against the Bengals. The Panthers have shown some upside at times but similar to Dallas have struggled to deliver on a consistent basis.
Over their past two games, the Buccaneers have allowed less than 20 points in each of them. Over this span they have tallied five sacks and two interceptions making them a viable low-end streaming option.
No. 8 Tennessee Titans (vs. Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars)
Last weekend, Anthony Richardson and the Colts struggled against a tough Denver defense scoring only 13 points and allowed two sacks with two interceptions. The Jaguars offense took a step forward last weekend but remain a top streaming matchup given Mac Jones’ struggles serving as Trevor Lawrence’s replacement.
The Titans have allowed at least 30+ points in three of their past four contests. While this makes them a difficult option to trust, given their two positive matchups, they could be viewed as a last-resort option. They have tallied four interceptions in their past two games and could find similar success facing two inconsistent quarterbacks.
No. 9 Atlanta Falcons (vs. New York Giants, Washington Commanders)
The Falcons have one of the best matchups in Week 16, with one of the most challenging in Week 17. This weekend, they will face the New York Giants who have scored just 25 combined points in their previous two games. During this span they have been sacked five times and thrown two interceptions. However, they should not be started in Week 17 facing a potent Washington offense.
The Falcons are coming off a strong defensive showing in Week 15 where they held the Raiders to just nine points. In this game they tallied a safety, four sacks, and two interceptions. They should have similar success against the Giants.
Fool's Gold Streamer: Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos)
In Jameis Winston‘s six starts this season, he has shown that he can still air it out in the passing game. That has led to the Browns scoring at least 24 points in three of those games. Even though last weekend he struggled, he could have a nice bounce-back performance especially given Cincinnati’s struggles in the secondary.
During the fantasy championships they face the Denver Broncos who have scored at least 29 points in each of their past four games and will likely be in store for another high-scoring affair facing the Bengals.
