While some fantasy football managers are dealing with major injuries, others are trying to edge the margins by picking the best available defensive units. And, for your convenience, here are last-minute fantasy football Week 5 streaming options for defense and special teams.
At the top of the list are the Arizona Cardinals. They have a sweet matchup against the Tennessee Titans. How bad have the Titans been on offense? They ranked dead last with 123.5 yards passing per game.
Run the ball, you say? They rank No. 29 in the NFL with 87 yards per game. This is an overmatched NFL franchise at this point. And the head coaching situation is tenuous.
Cardinals D/ST presents a solid streaming option
He may not make it back, but cornerback Will Johnson practiced in a limited fashion again on Thursday. That’s a positive thing, according to azcardinals.com.
“Cornerback Will Johnson (groin) was again limited, although after not practicing at all for two weeks, his improvement is welcome,” Zach Gershman wrote.
Now, the Cardinals haven’t been great against the pass, ranking No. 29. But the Titans’ offense might offset this. Titans quarterback Cam Ward hasn’t scared anybody in his first NFL season.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said his defense needs to finish better, according to ESPN.
“I appreciate the resiliency, that's there,” Gannon said. “No one has their head down. Everyone believes we can win. But we're not doing enough, all three phases, to win these games. That's very clear.”
Plus, the Cardinals are getting a little on edge. That may make them more aggressive on defense, perhaps leading to big plays. Gannon hinted at possible changes coming up, according to azcentral.com.
“If you keep just doing the same thing and hoping, that's not good coaching,” Gannon said after the game. “So we will change and adapt some things, there's no doubt.”
Don’t be afraid to stream the Saints' defense
It may be that there aren’t very many good defensive units in your league. You may have to look long and hard at the Saints.
There are two reasons why they could be a good pick this week. First, they are facing a team that lost its most dynamic playmaker. The Giants will have to go the rest of the season without receiver Malik Nabers.
Second, the Saints have a full game of tape of the Giants’ rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. They can take away some of the things Dart did well in his rookie debut. And if he’s unable to make adjustments, the Saints might be able to force turnovers.
There’s a lot to love about the Saints this week.
Of course, Dart will have motivation to hurt the Saints, according to saintswire.com. He wants to prove them wrong for passing on him in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“I think that there's always a chip on your shoulder anytime that something like that happens,” Dart admitted when speaking with Giants media on Wednesday. “I felt like my visit with them went good. You kind of have thoughts in your head during the draft of what options are really realistic, and I definitely felt like that was a place that could've panned out. But things didn't work out that way.”
The Giants are another good pick
It’s a game where both defenses could shine. The Giants are coming off a top-10 defensive finish against the powerful Chargers’ offense. They had two sacks, two picks, and defended six passes. Also, they added 12 quarterback hits.
They could make life miserable for Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler. The young signal-caller could meet rising rookie star Abdul Carter more than he would like. Carter said the Giants are getting better as a team, according to the Giants Videos post on X.
“Abdul Carter says the Giants' defensive line feeds off of each other: “Whoever is hot, whoever is bringing the energy, we try to feed off that and keep bringing the energy all together”
A long shot could be the Texans
Granted, the Ravens still have Derrick Henry and other offensive weapons. They still have a solid offensive line. But without Lamar Jackson running the show, there’s a chance the Texans could make some defensive strides in this matchup.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said his team will have to be ready regardless of who the Ravens have at quarterback, according to Sports Illustrated.
“You have to be aware of everyone,” Ryans said ahead of the Texans' matchup vs. the Ravens. “Of course, we all understand Lamar and the caliber of player he is. He's an outstanding player; one of the best players in this league, one of the best players of this generation. He changes the game tremendously, and he's done an outstanding job with that team.
“They still [have] explosive players who Lamar's getting the football too. If [Cooper] Rush has to come in and play, he still has very capable guys he can get the ball to.”
