What a week for defenses. Nine different DSTs scored 16+ fantasy points in Fantrax leagues, and a dozen scored double-digit points. Rostership was higher in Fantrax leagues for teams like the Chiefs and Patriots, but I recommended stashing them again in Week 6. Another stash, the Chicago Bears, scored 17 in a great matchup. Let’s keep things rolling with even more DSTs to stream for fantasy football in Week 8. Plus, some teams to stash for next week.
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Week 7 Results (Standard Fantrax Scoring)
- Cleveland Browns: 28 Points (1st Ranked DST)
- New England Patriots: 20 Points (T-2nd)
- Kansas City Chiefs: 18 Points (T-5th)
- Chicago Bears: 17 Points (T-7th)
- Miami Dolphins: 2 Points (T-24th)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 0 Points (30th)
Week 8 DST Streamers
Last Week’s Stashes: Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets
Indianapolis Colts (vs. Tennessee Titans)
Fantrax Rostership: 80% (Other Platforms: 51% – 69%)
The Colts were a recommended stash last week because of this juicy matchup. If you didn’t grab them early, you might miss out now. The Titans are the best matchup for DSTs in fantasy football and real life.
The firing of HC Brian Callahan did not do anything for this offense. Cam Ward was sacked 5 times in a 31-13 loss to the Patriots. Ward has now been sacked 30 times in 7 starts. If that pace keeps up for an entire 17-game season, Ward would tie Randall Cunningham for the second most sacks taken in a season with 72.
Indianapolis’ defense is not an unbeatable unit, but they are generating pressure on 26.5% of opposing dropbacks, 5th best in the league per Pro Football Reference. They also rank 16th in DVOA and allow just 5.5 yards per play, 11th best in the NFL.
Cam Ward is going to have a tough time keeping up with the league’s hottest offense. This is a no-brainer.
Atlanta Falcons (vs. Miami Dolphins)
Fantrax Roster Percentage: 75% (Other Platforms: 11% – 19%)
The Falcons dropped to 6th in defensive DVOA following a 20-10 loss to the 49ers. That stings, but they were still great against the pass. Mac Jones only threw for 152 yards and was picked off. Unfortunately, Christian McCaffrey went off on the ground for over 120 yards and two scores.
Miami is a mess of an offense right now. We have been hearing bits and pieces of what’s going on behind the scenes, and it doesn’t sound good. There is clearly something off in this organization, and it has been evident on the field. The Dolphins allow the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing DSTs. Tua Tagovailoa has already thrown 10 interceptions, and he’s been sacked 15 times. The Falcons should rebound at home and post a strong defensive performance.
Cleveland Browns (at New England Patriots)
Fantrax Roster Percentage: 68% (Other Platforms: 36% – 53%)
While the Browns defense has been incredible in real life, their fantasy results have been all over the place. From a 28-point performance last week to a goose egg against the Steelers, it has been hard to consistently trust them. A roaring Patriots offense may not be the best spot, but options are severely limited this week. Trusting a defense we know is great may pay off, and New England is not quite elite.
Drake Maye has thrown for 1,744 yards (8th), 12 TDs (8th), 2 INTs (29th), and is tied with Jared Goff for the best passer rating in the league. He also has the best EPA + CPOE (Completion Percentage Over Expected). Despite a cakewalk of a schedule, those numbers are impressive. It’s one thing to face soft defenses and another thing to take advantage.
It will be difficult, but the Browns can put up a good fantasy performance. Maye has been sacked 22 times so far, tied for the 2nd most in the league. Cleveland is by far the best defense he will have played against all season, ranking 5th in DVOA and allowing a league-low 4.5 yards per play. The Browns will be playing in Foxborough, and their stats away from home have been a bit subpar. However, there is a path to relevancy despite a tougher matchup than initially expected.
They may also be worth holding onto. Cleveland gets the Jets in Week 10, the Raiders in Week 12, and the Titans in Week 14. The Browns will definitely be in this column as a stash next week.
Cincinnati Bengals (vs. New York Jets)
Fantrax Roster Percentage: 29% (Other Platforms: 1% – 3%)
The good news for Jets fans is that Tyrod Taylor can throw for more yards than Justin Fields. The bad news is that he isn’t very good. Fields was benched early in a loss to the Carolina Panthers after completing just 6 of 12 pass attempts for 46 yards. This comes a week after going 9/17 for 45 yards against the Broncos in London. Denver and Carolina boast strong defenses, but they’re not 45-yards-allowed strong. Clearly, this is an offensive issue.
Taylor is not going to fix this offense, but he may be able to move the pass down the field just a bit better. Taylor started for the Jets against the Buccaneers back in Week 3 while Fields was in concussion protocol. The Jets nearly won that game, scoring 27 points. Taylor was ok, throwing 36 times for 197 yards, 2 TDs, and an INT. He was sacked 4 times, however, and has historically been sacked at a high percentage.
Cincy’s defense is not great, but there is an opportunity here. DSTs are getting harder to find as bye weeks continue and fantasy managers stash teams. Cincinnati has the worst defense by DVOA, and they rank bottom-5 in EPA/play, yards allowed, and points allowed. You don’t need advanced metrics to know they stink. However, they can take advantage of one of the poorest offenses in the league and get a few sacks to build a floor. The Bengals had a solid outing against the Browns in Week 1, and this will be their best matchup since then.
Check out all of our Week 8 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings
DSTs to Stash
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars had a tough outing against the Rams, but things should calm down now. They’re on bye and likely available in your league. After some much-needed rest, they face the Raiders (2nd best matchup) and Texans (11th best matchup). They’re still a top-10 NFL defense, and they get some juicy games after the bye.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers get the honor of sacking Cam Ward next week. This is their best matchup since playing the Raiders in Week 2, when they scored 19 fantasy points. Any half-decent defense has high-end DST appeal against the Titans unless there is a drastic change to a struggling offense.
Los Angeles Rams
LA’s defense has been a unit, accumulating 26 sacks in 7 games. They’re also the DST1 in total points and tied for 2nd in fantasy points per game. They’re off this week, but they host the Saints in Week 9. Spencer Rattler has been looking like a better passer in recent weeks, but he still takes a lot of sacks and just threw three interceptions against the Bears. He may struggle once again when he faces a brutal Rams pass rush.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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