Defense (DST) Streamers For Week 6 Fantasy Football: Back Micah Parsons and the Pack

Last week was extremely high scoring, with six different teams putting 35+ points on the scoreboard, but we were still able to find some decent DST value on the waiver wire. It was another week where two of my three streaming suggestions delivered, with the Arizona Cardinals (6.0 fantasy points) and Cleveland Browns (7.0 fantasy points) both coming through with decent performances for their fantasy managers. The Rams were a major disappointment on Thursday night, putting up just one fantasy point while losing to Mac Jones and the 49ers backup WR corps. Hopefully, you got outbid for the Rams on waivers last week and ended up starting Arizona or Cleveland.

Houston and Minnesota are the only teams on bye in Week 6, but they are both highly rostered, so those managers will be hitting the waiver wire this week, along with those living the weekly streaming life. The best part about this week's DST streaming option is the fact that we have two streaming options that can be started for a multi-week stretch. This doesn't happen every week and makes it worth spending up on waivers for those DSTs.

Week 6 DST Streamers For 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.

Green Bay Packers - 44% rostered

This is our first reminder to keep an eye on which DSTs are being dropped due to bye weeks. The Packers have looked like an elite defense in three of their four games this year. They did get lit up by the Cowboys in Week 4 and it rarely makes sense to roster two DSTs, so they were dropped in a ton of leagues heading into last week.

They are now available in approximately 56% of fantasy leagues, which makes them eligible for this article. If you can acquire them on waivers this week, you shouldn't need to worry about your DST roster spot for a long time.

In Week 6, the Packers get to face the Jake Browning-led Cincinnati offense. Browning is the gift that keeps on giving for opposing defenses with eight interceptions and nine sacks in four games this season. Green Bay has been effective at pressuring the opposing QB and racking up sacks, but they have only forced two turnovers. They have a good chance to fix that in Week 6 with Browning registering the second-highest turnover-worthy play rate among all QBs this season.

This game is in Green Bay and the Packers will have had an extra week to get healthy, rest, and prepare for this matchup following their Week 4 tie with the Dallas Cowboys. I have a feeling the Packers will come out with a point to prove after surrendering 40 points to Dak Prescott and Co. on Sunday Night Football in Week 4. 

After Cincinnati, the Packers schedule is as follows:

• Week 7 at Arizona
• Week 8 at Pittsburgh
• Week 9 home vs Carolina
• Week 10 home vs Philadelphia
• Week 11 at New York Giants

You should feel very comfortable rolling out the Green Bay defense in all of those matchups and they will likely be among the highest-ranked defenses in Week 9 and Week 11. This makes it worth bidding a little bit extra to make sure you land the Green Bay defense if they are available in your league.

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New England Patriots - 16% rostered

The Patriots have one of the best rush defenses in the NFL through five weeks. They rank fourth in rush EPA per play and fifth in run stop win rate, and Josh Allen's 53 rushing yards on Sunday Night Football was the most they have given up to an opposing player in any game this season.

New England is coming off their most impressive defensive performance of the year, holding Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense to just 20 points while forcing three turnovers. They should be playing with confidence and now they have a stretch of games where they play three of the NFL's worst offenses in their next three matchups with the Saints in Week 6, the Titans in Week 7, and the Browns in Week 8. You should be able to start them for that stretch and potentially longer if they continue to look good.

That longevity is rare for a streaming defense that is as widely available as the Patriots, which makes them a compelling waiver add for this week. I don't think they are as talented a unit as Green Bay, but if you don't want to spend up on waivers, you should be able to get the Patriots DST for a lot less.

Indianapolis Colts - 48% rostered

The Colts have been a boom-or-bust fantasy defense through five games, scoring 13 or more fantasy points in three games but then just six fantasy points in their other two games combined. Looking at success rate and EPA metrics, it becomes clear that the Colts are an opportunistic defense because they rank much higher in EPA per play than they do in success rate. This speaks to their penchant for making big plays rather than stopping opponents on a down-to-down basis.

The Colts have also been a much better pass defense than rush defense this season (see EPA chart above). The good news is that in Week 6, the Colts are hosting the Arizona Cardinals, who are still without their top two RBs. Other than one massive Emari Demercado rush that he fumbled just before scoring, the Cardinals were extremely ineffective running the ball against a poor Titans defense in Week 5. 

It also helps that the Colts offense has been fantastic this season which has put opponents in a negative game script and forced them to play catch up. As a result, the Indianapolis defense has at least three sacks in four of five games this season and forced eight total turnovers. The Colts are at home for this matchup and currently favored by 6.5 points in this game which suggests that the same script could play out again. I would prefer to have the Packers or Patriots but the Colts offer significant upside on the waiver wire heading into Week 6.

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