The old NFL adage is that defense wins championships, and the same can be said of fantasy football.
While defense and special teams (D/ST) units are often the last thing fantasy football owners are thinking about on draft night, they can have a big impact on team scoring from week to week.
That’s why many fantasy football managers choose to stream defenses. It’s better to target good-looking defenses in favorable matchups that to roll out the same defense every week even against top-tier offenses. Sure, some D/STs are matchup-proof, but those are few and far between.
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With that in mind, start/sit decisions on defense are often the most difficult of any given week for fantasy managers. Here are five D/ST units to trust and five to fade in Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season.
Some might shy away from the Panthers because they are scoring 30 points per game with Andy Dalton as their starting quarterback, but the Bears are the strongest opponent Dalton has faced to date. Chicago has yet to allow more than 21 points in a game and is tied for third in the NFL in takeaways with eight. Expect the Bears to put a slight damper on Dalton’s career renaissance and force him into a turnover or two.
The Broncos rank second in the NFL in sacks for the 2024 season and have racked up a whopping 12 in their last two game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets. Gardner Minshew has been sacked multiple times in all four of his starts this season and rank 19th in points per game this season (19.5). That gives Denver a high floor in this high-altitude matchup, especially with Davante Adams out for the matchup with a hamstring injury.
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The Patriots have one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines, and they just lost starting center David Andrews to a season-ending shoulder injury. Miami’s pass rush will be without Jaelan Phillips, who suffered a season-ending injury against the Tennessee Titans on “Monday Night Football,” but they should still have the horses needed to pressure Jacoby Brissett, who has been sacked 15 times across four games.
The Seahawks are fresh off allowing 42 points to the Lions, but it’s worth noting that Seattle was without five key front-seven players for that contest. Mike Macdonald’s squad allowed just 14.3 points per game in their first three contests so they figure to significantly limit a Giants offense that may not have Malik Nabers (concussion) at its disposal.
Steve Spagnuolo has the Chiefs defense playing at a high level to start the 2024 NFL season. They have just three takeaways but are allowing just 18 points per game, good for the eighth-fewest in the league. The Saints’ offense has been decidedly less scary without center Erik McCoy available, as they are averaging 18 points and 292.5 yards per game since his injury early in their Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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The Bills already had the NFL’s ninth-lowest pressure rate (18.8 percent) entering Week 5. They will have to improve that number without Von Miller, who was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. C.J. Stroud has a solid 95.5 passer rating when kept clean, so unless Buffalo can dial up ways to get after the second-year quarterback, it could be a long day for Sean McDermott’s defense.
The Cowboys placed edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence on IR while their star pass rusher Micah Parsons seems likely to miss this contest with a high-ankle sprain. That will make it hard for Dallas’ defense, which has allowed the sixth-most rushing yards to quarterbacks this season, to contain Justin Fields. The Cowboys already had a problematic run defense, so the Steelers may be able to run all over them.
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Myles Garrett‘s presence typically means the Browns should at least garner consideration as a streamer, but his status for Week 5 is unknown as he deals with an Achilles injury. Even if he plays, the Browns have a tough matchup against a Washington squad that scores a lot (30.3 points per game, third-most in the NFL) and doesn’t turn the ball over (one giveaway, least in the NFL).
The Falcons are fresh off a two-touchdown performance against the Saints that saw both their defense and special teams notch scores, but they aren’t an appealing option against the Buccaneers. Atlanta is averaging just one sack and one takeaway per game, so it may be hard for the Falcons to contain Baker Mayfield and a high-flying Tampa Bay passing game that is averaging 223 yards and two touchdowns per game this season.
The Dolphins have been terrible offensively since losing Tua Tagovailoa, averaging just 7.5 points per game without him and a paltry 194.5 yards per game. That may make the Patriots seem like a quality streaming option, but New England has allowed at least 20 points in three straight games since beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. The Dolphins remain a big-play threat with Tyreek Hill, so they may be able to outperform expectations against a banged-up New England squad.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 5: 10 D/STs to start or sit
