The 3 worst team defense values for Week 1 DFS

Finally it’s football season and besides for meaning your Sundays will now be filled with wonderful NFL action, it also means the start of daily fantasy football! Now let me warn you, when you’re crafting your winning DraftKings lineup, it’s important not to overlook defense. While they may feel like a fantasy afterthought, they could be the difference maker between winning or losing your contest.

A bad defense could not only get you zero points, but actively take away points from your fantasy team. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that is exactly the opposite of what you want to happen to your lineup. In order to help you avoid this travesty, I’ve listed three defenses that are not worth adding to your DraftKings lineup this week. (Salaries via DraftKings.)

Minnesota Vikings (vs Falcons) — $3,300

I think the Vikings will have one of the best fantasy defenses this year but they start their season with a tough matchup against the Falcons. Last year, the Falcons’ offense was 12th best in fantasy football at limiting opposing DST points. After investing in the offensive line this offseason and with a healthy Devonta Freeman to start the season, I’m expecting this Falcons squad to move the ball and score at will. There are cheaper defenses that have higher upside this week.

Los Angeles Rams (@ Panthers) — $3,200

I’m all in on the Panthers’ offense this season and as such, have to fade any defense playing them. The Rams defense, while a formidable squad, had multiple games last year in which they gave up 30 or more points, something I could easily see happening in Week 1. In some of those games, the defense was still able to put up a good fantasy stat line thanks to sacks and takeaways. Unfortunately, the Panthers allowed the seventh fewest sacks last year and were middle of the pack in terms of turnovers. Not a good sign for LA.

New Orleans Saints (vs Texans) — $3,200

If the Texans hadn’t just traded away their future to get themselves a franchise left tackle, I would have included the Saints in my best value defenses article. However, I fully expect this game to be a shoot-out—something we saw a lot of last year in the dome—and I’m not as confident in New Orleans to get after Deshaun Watson as much as teams did last year.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is petermcdrogers) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.