The biggest bye week of the year is behind us. This creates some interesting DST streaming opportunities and should make the waiver wire less competitive this week with the Browns, Jets, Eagles and Bucs the four teams on bye. Philly is the only DST of that group that is rostered in more than 50% of leagues, although the Bucs and Browns were also rostered in some leagues.

DST Streamers For Week 9 Fantasy Football

My philosophy on streaming defenses is based on the ability to create sacks and turnovers rather than minimizing points allowed to the other team, although those two things are correlated. I think this is one of the bigger mistakes fantasy managers make when thinking about fantasy defenses. As you will see in this article, I am generally focused on three things: offensive line play, QB turnover rates and game script. 

A poor offensive line matched up against a strong defense line is one of the best signs for a fantasy defense. Putting the opposing QB under pressure increases the likelihood of sacks, fumbles, and interceptions. However, not all QBs are created equal, so we also want to target those who have a history of turning the ball over. Lastly, a defense on a team that is heavily favored is another good sign because it means the other team may be forced to call more pass plays as a result of a negative game script, and pass plays are more likely to lead to scoring opportunities for the defense than rush attempts are.

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Los Angeles Rams - 36%

The Rams are coming off their bye, so they are available in more than 60% of fantasy leagues and have one of the best possible matchups in Week 9, home against the Saints. It seems likely that they will face Tyler Shough in his first NFL start after the rookie replaced Spencer Rattler in the second half of Week 8. Regardless of who is playing QB for the Saints, this looks like a very favorable spot for the Rams DST. 

The Rams have been the second-best defense in terms of dropback EPA allowed per play this season. They also rank 11th in pass rush win rate and fourth in rush stop win rate per ESPN Analytics, so they won't make things easy on the ground or through the air. On the other side, New Orleans ranks in the bottom two for both pass block win rate and run block win rate, so this appears to be a huge mismatch in the trenches.

From a counting stats perspective, the Rams have racked up the second-most sacks this year, behind only the Denver Broncos. I expect constant pressure on the Saints QB just like we saw last week when Rattler and Shough combined to take five sacks against the Buccaneers. 

The early line has the Rams favored by 13.5 points, so this sets up as a game where Shough could be forced to drop back a bunch, allowing the Rams defensive line to tee off and get after the QB. I really like the potential for multiple sacks and multiple turnovers forced by the Rams DST, which makes them my favorite streaming option by a wide margin.

Baltimore Ravens - 32% rostered

There aren't many stats I can point to for this one because the Ravens have been one of the worst defenses in the NFL this year. However, that was largely because of how injured they were on that side of the ball. Following their Week 7 bye, the Ravens got several key defensive pieces back and looked more like the Ravens of old. They held Chicago to just 16 points and put consistent pressure on Caleb Williams, although it only led to one sack for the game. 

If they are able to generate similar pressure next week, they should have more success against Tua Tagovailoa, who isn't nearly as mobile as Williams.

The Dolphins looked great in Week 8, shredding the Falcons defense for 34 points. I'm not fully buying this resurgence from Miami, though, and would need to see multiple weeks of good play before I reconsider them as a matchup to target.

Most importantly, the Ravens might get Lamar Jackson back, which would be a huge boost for their offense and increase the likelihood that Baltimore is playing from ahead. As we've established, playing from ahead is a big advantage for a defense, and that is especially true against a QB who likes to get the ball out quickly like Tua. 

I don't like the Ravens as much as the Rams from a Week 9 streaming perspective, but looking forward, Baltimore is a DST that you will probably feel comfortable starting for at least the next four weeks. After Miami, the Ravens get to face the Vikings, the Browns and the Jets. Those are all plus matchups against QBs who are 

Even after that four-game run, the Ravens will face the Bengals twice and the Steelers, which aren't bad matchups. If they are healthy going into those game,s you will probably be comfortable starting the Ravens DST all the way up through the first week of the fantasy playoffs. This makes them a close second for my favorite DST streamer and potentially a better option if you are thinking long-term instead of just trying to win this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars - 6%

Another team coming off of bye, the Jags are my break glass in case of emergency streamer this week, as they are available in more than 90% of leagues. They will go on the road to face the Raiders in Week 9. Geno Smith is tied for the most interceptions in the NFL and has taken 19 sacks in just seven games. 

Meanwhile, Jacksonville has been one of the most prolific defenses at forcing turnovers, with 10 interceptions and four fumble recoveries in its seven games. That is partially just luck/positive variance, but if there was ever a team to bet on that hot streak continuing against, it is the Raiders. 

Las Vegas might get Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers back for this game which could help them, but that won't fix the fundamental problems of a weak offensive line and poor decision-making from Geno Smith that have plagued the team all year. Jacksonville doesn't have a good pass rush, so this is a bit of a case of a movable object meeting a stoppable force.

Jacksonville is currently favored by 3.5 points on the road, which suggests to me that the bookmakers don't expect a markedly different Raiders team coming out of the bye. If the same old Raiders offense shows up in this one, we should see a turnover or two go Jacksonville's way. There is definitely more risk to this matchup, so be sure to check your other options (DSTs like the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers don't qualify for this article but might be available in your league), but if you need a desperation streaming option, I like the upside Jacksonville provides.

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