Eight weeks of NFL play are officially in the books, which means bye weeks are in full swing. Gone are the days where you could just coast by on a strong draft. Now more than ever, you’ll need to search the waiver wire for the best available defense streams. Heading into Week 9, you should set your eyes on the New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, and Baltimore Ravens.
Note that in order to make this list, the defense had to be available in over 50% of fantasy leagues. If you’re in smaller leagues, there may be better players available. Make sure to check your waivers to see if there are any diamonds in the rough before submitting your claims.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Claims: Running Back – Wide Receiver – Tight End – Quarterback
New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts Highlight Fantasy Football Week 9 Defense Waiver Wire Streams
Top Defense Streams
New York Jets
Defensive production is highly dependent on the opposing offense, which means playing the matchup can be more important than the actual defensive talent. The New York Jets aren’t a good defense by any stretch of the imagination, but they don’t need to be good to stop the Miami Dolphins. Whether it’s Ryan Fitzpatrick or Josh Rosen, the Jets should be able to get a few turnovers and keep scoring to a minimum.
Six teams have a bye in Week 10, so you’ll probably need to think ahead when making your waiver claims. Fortunately, the Jets face off against Daniel Jones and the New York Giants in Week 10. Jones had a great game against the Detroit Lions, but he’s struggled to sense pressure and take care of the ball during the majority of his time on the field. Assuming he regresses to the norm, the Jets should be able to give you a solid streaming performance for two consecutive weeks.
Indianapolis Colts
Once again, this one is all about playing the matchup. The Colts defense played well against Joe Flacco and the Denver Broncos and now face another favorable outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mason Rudolph has steadily improved throughout the year, but he’s still nobody’s idea of a dangerous quarterback. The offense simply isn’t the same without Ben Roethlisberger, and the Colts should be able to slow down Pittsburgh’s underwhelming offense.
In Week 10, the Colts face off against the Miami Dolphins. Just like with the Jets, the Colts are going to give you two straight weeks of favorable matchups. Claim one of these defenses now and you’ll be set at the position for at least two weeks.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns defense is a hot mess, but it won’t take much to stop their Week 9 opponent. The Denver Broncos already have a below-average offense, but they’re going to get even worse in the coming weeks.
Joe Flacco suffered a neck injury sometime between his press conference and Monday morning, and head coach Vic Fangio already ruled him out for Week 9. In his place, the Broncos are sending out Brandon Allen. If you don’t know who that is, you’re not alone. Allen initially joined the NFL as the Jaguars’ sixth-round pick in 2016 but also spent some time with the Los Angeles Rams. He has yet to throw a professional pass and Cleveland’s now-healthy secondary should come away with a few turnovers.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Claims: Running Back – Wide Receiver – Tight End –Quarterback
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