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More than any other position in a fantasy lineup, the defense/special teams unit you chose relies on the team they’re matched up against. This is why so many fantasy football players stream defenses and pick up a new one each week based on matchups. Opinions about entire teams can change following the opening weekend of the NFL season, so it’s important to not overreact to a single game.
Below, we will take a look at two defenses we like this week and two you should stay away from this week.
D/ST Starts in Week 2
Jaguars vs. Broncos
The Denver Broncos took advantage of a weak New York Giants offense in Week 1, and they should do the same on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the opening weekend, the Broncos allowed just 13 points on 314 total yards with two sacks and forced a turnover. The Urban Meyer era started extremely poorly as they were not competitive against the Houston Texans, and Trevor Lawrence threw three interceptions. The Broncos are a good bet in Week 2.
Texans vs. Browns
The Cleveland Browns let an opportunity slip away against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but they should be motivated to get on the right track in their home opener against the Texans. Houston is expected to be pretty bad in 2021 and even though they scored 37 points in Week 1, Cleveland will have a much better performance than Jacksonville.
D/ST Sits in Week 2
Rams vs. Colts
What could Matthew Stafford do with a good team? It’s a question many NFL fans have talked about for the past decade and in his first season with the Los Angeles Rams, Stafford has this team in a spot where you cannot start a fantasy football defense against them. Stafford threw for more than 300 yards with three touchdowns in Week 1, and the Indianapolis Colts should not be in the mix of defenses you’re considering.
Bills vs. Dolphins
The Buffalo Bills did not have a particularly good offensive performance in their Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they should rebound against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Josh Allen completed just 30 of 51 passes, but this is a situation where we shouldn’t overreact to a single performance. Buffalo should have a good offense this season and does not want to slip to 0-2, so stay away from the Dolphins in Week 2.