3 FanDuel Defenses to Target in Week 6
Selecting a defense is never the most glamorous part of fantasy football. It often goes overlooked for the more fun positions that people want to watch and root for during the game. The good news is that if our opponents aren’t putting too much thought into their defense, we can gain an advantage with some research. So let’s dig in and try to identify some defenses that could be in a good position to score fantasy points this week.
It's already Week 6 in the NFL, and we are learning more and more about which defenses are good and which aren't, and also which offenses we'll want to roster defenses against. So who do we want this week?
New England Patriots
FanDuel Salary: $4,800
The New England D/ST was among the best fantasy plays to start last season. There were a few weeks where you couldn't win any tournaments on FanDuel if you didn't have them on your roster. While they haven't quite been the same this season, a few tougher matchups have held them back. This week, they are in a good spot to get back on track.
The New England Patriots are at home against the Denver Broncos and are 9.5 point favorites. The Broncos have been one of the most injured teams in the NFL and could be without Noah Fant, Melvin Gordon and K.J. Hamler. They also have been sans number-one wide receiver Courtland Sutton since Week 2. Denver's offensive line has allowed an adjusted sack rate of 8.3% this season, worse than the league average of 6.7%.
The Patriots have played two games at home as favorites this season. In those two games, the New England defense has scored 11 and 15 FanDuel points. The two road games in which this D struggled were against the elite offenses of the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs. This game should see the Pats' defense get right, as Denver has the lowest implied team total on the slate. The Patriots' D/ST can be fired up with confidence in this matchup.
Miami Dolphins
FanDuel Salary: $4,400
This is a situation where we don't necessarily love the defense, but we love the opponent that they will face. The Miami D/ST did actually show up and play well last week in a win over the San Francisco 49ers, totaling five sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. If they can perform that well in a tough spot on the road, they should be able to get it done in this upcoming game.
The Miami Dolphins will host the last place New York Jets. In numberFire's metrics, the Jets rank dead last in scheduled-adjusted offensive efficiency. From a fantasy perspective, defenses facing the Jets have scored the third most fantasy points this season.
Backup quarterback Joe Flacco will be starting his second straight game after taking three sacks in a loss against the Arizona Cardinals a week ago. One of the more surprising things about the Dolphins defense is their ability to get pressure. They have 14 sacks this season and a 7.7% adjusted sack rate, and they get to face a weak Jets offensive line this week.
The Dolphins defense are projected for 8.1 points on FanDuel, per our model, making them the third best point-per-dollar value at the position. The Flacco-led Jets have an implied team total of just 19, and it's unlikely that they can do enough to make the Dolphins' defense crater if you decide to use them.
New York Giants
FanDuel Salary: $3,900
The New York Giants D/ST are in a similar situation to the Dolphins. They are not a defense we love in real life, and their 0-5 record reflects that. However, they have a good matchup this week and have been able to get sacks throughout this season. They have faced a lot of good teams to start the year, so the game this week should be a nice break from those tough games.
The New York Giants are playing host to the Washington Football Team. Even though they don't have a win this season, the Giants are actually 2.5-point favorites in this game. It appears Washington will be starting Kyle Allen for a second straight week despite Allen leaving last week's game with an injury. Allen had 23 turnovers in 13 starts with the Carolina Panthers last season. The Giants should be able to get pressure on Allen, as Washington's offensive line has the second worst adjusted sack rate in the league.
The Giants' defense is ranked second in our projections this week and are only $3,900. This makes them the top value at the position. Given the overall struggles of Big Blue this season, some people might not be able to actually click on the Giants and put them in a lineup, but they are a strong play.
Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
