Streaming Defenses: Week 18 Options

Welcome to the first-ever Week 18 edition of Streaming Defenses. If you're still here, you've done one thing right (reaching a championship) and one thing wrong (playing in a league that doesn't end at Week 17). To be fair, the final week should be more competitive this year with one fewer bye and one more wild-card spot.

We'll still need to watch for stories about resting starters throughout the week, in addition to the usual injury/COVID madness. The Packers are the only team locked into a specific playoff seed, but a few others could scale back playing time for key guys even if they aren't rested. That'll be accounted for, to a degree, in the rankings below, but some of it will involve guesswork, especially this early in the week.

Note: These recommendations are limited to team defenses that are rostered on less than 60 percent of teams on Yahoo or 45 percent on ESPN. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring, which doesn't include yards allowed.

Top Streaming Options for Week 18

1. Tennessee Titans (at HOU)

42% Yahoo, 36% ESPN

Team implied total: 26.75

Opponent implied total: 16.25

The Titans are an easy choice for our top spot among streaming-eligible defenses this week, facing the 4-12 Texans in a game where a win clinches a bye while a loss is all but certain to drop them to second or third in the AFC. Sure, the Texans have played better in the second half of the season... but so has the Tennessee defense, allowing only 39 points in four games since a Week 13 bye. The Titans' veteran crew, led by safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker, should get revenge for Houston's upset win back in Week 11.

2. Washington Football Team (at NYG)

25% Yahoo, 25% ESPN

Team implied total: 22.5

Opponent implied total: 16.0

This one is all about matchup, with the Giants offense somehow sinking far below the level of even the Jets and Jaguars in the second half of the season. In terms of D/ST scoring, nine consecutive opponents have scored a handful of points or more, with each of the last three eclipsing 15. And while Mike Glennon (wrist) is now done for the season, the brief glimpse we got of Jake Fromm suggests he might be even worse. My only concern here is that Washington's defense has some of that same eager-for-the-season-to-be-over energy.

3. Baltimore Ravens (vs. PIT)

48% Yahoo, 56% ESPN

Team implied total: 22.5

Opponent implied total: 19.0

Realistically, neither Baltimore nor Pittsburgh will make the playoffs, as it requires the Jags to pull off a massive upset (and potentially fumble away the No. 1 pick) in a must-win game for the Colts. The AFC North rivals, especially Baltimore, also would need help in other games, including at least one other minor upset in addition to Jacksonville. Regardless, both teams are likely to treat Sunday's matchup in Baltimore like a normal game, in part because that's just the expectation if you have any shot at the playoffs whatsoever, but also because it's Ben Roethlisberger's final game. And even if it weren't, the Ravens might go all-out to avoid ending the season with a six-game losing streak and a losing record.

4. Steelers (at BAL)

40% Yahoo, 49% ESPN

Team implied total: 19.0

Opponent implied total: 22.5

As much as Tyler Huntley deserves credit for keeping the injury-riddled Ravens competitive, I'll still move the Steelers down a few spots if Lamar Jackson (ankle) comes back this week. It doesn't seem especially likely, however, even with the Ravens playing for a win and not expected to rest any starters. Jackson still had a visible limp at practice last week, and I'm guessing cooler heads ultimately prevail even if there's currently some sentiment toward bringing him back to serve Big Ben a Big L. 

5. Vikings (vs. CHI)

27% Yahoo, 25% ESPN

Team implied total: 23.5

Opponent implied total: 21.0

There's not much good to say about the Vikings at this point, but they do close out the season with home-field advantage and a favorable matchup. That said, I'd put the Bears in this spot instead if the Vikes end up starting Sean Mannion again. (Kellen Mond apparently isn't an option, even if Kirk Cousins is out with COVID again.)

Week 18 Rankings

1. Bills (vs. NYJ)
2. Colts (at JAX)
3. Buccaneers (vs. CAR)
4. Chiefs (at DEN)
5. Titans (at HOU)
6. Patriots (at MIA)
7. Washington Football Team (at NYG)
8. Saints (at ATL)
9. Cowboys (at PHI)
10. Rams (vs. SF)
11. Packers (at DET)
12. Ravens (vs. PIT)
13. Steelers (at BAL)
14. Vikings (vs. CHI)
15. Bengals (at CLE)
16. Browns (vs. CIN)
17. Cardinals (vs. SEA)
18. Bears (at MIN)
19. Chargers (at LV)
20. Giants (vs. WAS)