Taking a look at the top fantasy football streamers at the D/ST position for NFL Week 5, including the Arizona Cardinals in a great matchup!
With a month’s worth of data now officially in the record books, we have a pretty good idea of what teams have on either side of the ball. While most of the NFL’s top defenses are steadily owned in the vast majority of fantasy leagues, there are plenty of less-heralded DST options that will have positive matchups on a given week. If you are looking to maximize your team’s scoring potential on a weekly basis, defense fantasy football streamers are one of the best ways to do so.
Given that so much of the DST position is predicated on forcing turnovers and generating sacks, streaming the position weekly to attack the best matchups is arguably the most surefire way to achieve consistent success. Anyone who has been paying any sort of attention to the NFL thus far knows full well that there are some really bad offenses around the league for fantasy football defense streamers to take advantage of.
Below, we share some of our favorite defense fantasy football streamers that have favorable Week 5 matchups. Be sure to also check out our Week 5 fantasy football rankings!
Note: Players must be owned in less than 60% of ESPN leagues to be included in the best fantasy football streamers at defense column.
Week 5 Defense Fantasy Football Streamers
Arizona Cardinals Fantasy DST (44.4%)
The Cardinals have been a mainstay in our defense fantasy football streamers column throughout the first month of the season thanks to some incredibly favorable matchups. Unfortunately, Arizona has only been able to put forth a truly noteworthy fantasy points output once through the first four games. By all accounts, this is somewhat disappointing considering the caliber of offensive opponents faced. Despite the modest returns thus far, one has to believe that the Cardinals will be hard-pressed to avoid finishing as one of the top defenses in Week 5 as they get arguably their most promising matchup yet.
As quarterback Cam Ward himself put it following this past week’s game, “If we keep it a buck right now, we ass”. Ward said he has played like ass and the same can be said for the entire Tennessee Titans offense which looks to be incompetent at the moment. To be fair, I am far more concerned about the offensive line and coaching staff generating the game plans right now than I am about Ward long-term. The Titans have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing DST units and rank 31st in both EPA/play and yards per game (210.5). It figures to be another long afternoon for the visitors in the desert on Sunday.
More Fantasy Football Streamers Week 5
Cleveland Browns Fantasy DST (36.1%)
For as terrible as the Browns have been on offense through the first month, there’s a legitimate case to be made that they have the best defense in the NFL. Cleveland has amassed several fantasy counting stats that include 11 total sacks, two takeaways and a blocked kick on special teams. Despite the opposition scoring more than 30 points in two of four games thus far, the Browns rank at or near the top in several defensive categories.
The X post above gives a visual rundown of some of the Browns’ defensive rankings through Week 3. While Detroit hung 34 points on them last week, it’s worth noting that 24 of those came on just 41 yards of offense! Cleveland’s offensive woes have hung the DST out to try on numerous occasions. Time will tell whether that trend can be corrected somewhat.
As for Week 5, the Browns will be playing overseas against the Minnesota Vikings outfit that has had its own struggles offensively. Kevin O’Connell may be a quarterback guru, but Carson Wentz and the Vikings’ offensive line leave plenty to be desired. The Browns figure to have an edge along the line of scrimmage in terms of both stopping the run and getting pressure which could lead to multiple Wentz mistakes and a fruitful fantasy football streamers output.
New York Giants Fantasy DST (14.9%)
For all of the hype surrounding the front seven of the Giants’ defense coming into the year, the unit has gotten off to a very underwhelming start. New York’s defense ranks just 25th in EPA/play and specifically has been much worse than expected against the run. The Giants are dead last in EPA/rush defensively and have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards (153.0) per game in the league. The pass rush has fared better, with the Giants notching multiple sacks in every game as a team to date. Shane Bowen’s unit also deserves credit for slowing down a Chargers offense that had been humming prior to last week’s game.
As for New York’s prospects as a fantasy football streamers candidate in Week 5, it’s hard to pass up a matchup against the New Orleans Saints. While Spencer Rattler has been fairly decent at avoiding interceptions, the Saints’ offense simply lacks much punch of any kind with him under center. New Orleans has only cracked the 20-point threshold once in the first four weeks and ranks just 26th in EPA/play offensively. With Alvin Kamara appearing to be on the decline and Chris Olave always in danger of getting hurt, nothing about the Saints’ offense should scare managers off of considering the Giants as a DST streamer this week.
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