Week 6 of the NFL and fantasy football season is finally here as fantasy managers continue to make pivotal adjustments that will set their teams up for success in the rest of the season. Among a number of wild upsets, including a bizarre finish in the Tennessee Titans vs. Arizona Cardinals game, Week 5 was one of the higher-scoring weeks of the season thus far. Making solid fantasy decisions at the D/ST slot could make or break your weekly matchup, so be sure to follow trends in an ever-changing league.
After numerous injuries and depth chart moves throughout the last week, offenses and defenses will need to adjust to the weekly change of the NFL landscape. We'll take a look at some key D/ST to start this week, along with some defenses you should look to avoid.
BYE Weeks: Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings
Week 6 D/ST – Start ‘Em
This Week's Top-3 Starts
- Denver Broncos D/ST (@NYJ)
- Los Angeles Rams D/ST (BAL)
- Philadelphia Eagles D/ST (@NYG)
Green Bay Packers D/ST (CIN)
The Cincinnati Bengals are coming into another tough matchup against a top-3 ranked defense in the league in Green Bat's unit. The Packers are allowing the league's second-fewest rushing yards per game at just 77.5. They're also holding teams to just 21.0 points on average, but they've only managed two takeaways thus far this season.
With a favorable schedule coming up that includes games against Arizona, Pittsburgh, and Carolina, the Green Bay Packers defense should be able to find their footing during this upcoming stretch. If the Cincinnati Bengals continue to struggle with their uncertainties at quarterback, expect this Green Bay unit to be one of the top options this week.
Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST (CLE)
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a sort of culture flip this season, boasting a high-powered passing offense behind Aaron Rodgers while still being one of the more porous rushing defenses at 122 yards allowed per game. The Cleveland Browns, on the other hand, are sporting one of the best defenses in the league while having one of the worst offenses in the same breath.
Everything about this matchup screams classic Steelers vs. Browns grit and it's implied in the betting odds with the total of 38.5 coming in as the lowest of Week 6. Expect a slow-paced, low-scoring games when these two teams meet.
New England Patriots (@NO)
The New England Patriots defense currently ranks seventh in fantasy scoring this season, but they're only being rostered in 41.7% of ESPN leagues. This week, they'll be facing a New Orleans Saints team in disarray that's had five turnovers thus far this season. The Saints also rank among the NFL's bottom-five in terms of points per game with 18.4.
The New England Patriots managed three turnovers on an otherwise clean offensive unit in the Buffalo Bills, so expect their momentum from a big Week 5 divisional win to carry over into this contest. Saints' QB Spencer Rattler has shown flashes of irresponsibility with the football under pressure, so look for the Pats D to capitalize on those situations.
Week 6 D/ST – Sit ‘Em
Jacksonville Jaguars D/ST (SEA)
The Jacksonville Jaguars put together a solid performance in turning the ball over and hanging on during the final minutes of their upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs. While they're currently ranked as the No. 1 defense in all of fantasy, their 2.0 points against the Chiefs showed some glaring holes, especially since the Chiefs were able to do whatever they wanted in the first half.
Next up, they'll face a Seattle Seahawks team that has been rallying behind quarterback Sam Darnold, who completed 28 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns in their loss to Tampa Bay. The Seahawks are looking like a dangerous unit through the air, so there's much better options to look at in terms of streaming a replacement defense for the Jaguars.
Detroit Lions D/ST (@KC)
The Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs have seen each other a number of times over the last few years, usually in a pivotal game that often results in a massive total on the scoreboards. These two teams have combined for more than 50 points in three of their last five meetings and given the Lions' status as the current best offense in the league, we should be in for some points this time once again.
The Detroit Lions defense has been performing well against their recent competition, but they're dealing with a number of injuries and could see a slight plateau as their schedule grows increasingly difficult. Look elsewhere for Week 6 and be sure to monitor their matchups moving forward.
