Week 10 Defense (DST) Streamers: Add The Ravens With An Elite Upcoming Schedule

Last week was a good one for our DST streaming options with the Rams (nine points) and Ravens (14 points) both delivering really strong fantasy performances. The Jaguars (three points) weren't a hit, but they weren't a disaster either if you had to use them as a last resort. 

Moving on to Week 10, we have four teams on bye this week, with the Bengals, Cowboys, Chiefs and Titans all off the slate. Coincidentally, that list includes three of the NFL's worst defenses, so it is really only fantasy managers who roster the Chiefs who will be forced to hit the waiver wire in addition to the managers who are streaming every week. That should make the competition on the waiver wire lighter than it has been in recent weeks.

DST Streamers For Week 10 Fantasy Football

As always, I am primarily looking for DSTs with 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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Baltimore Ravens - 46% rostered

I haven't been able to recommend the same DST in back-to-back weeks very often this year, but the Ravens haven't crossed the 50% threshold yet despite their favorable schedule. Their next four games include matchups against the Vikings, Browns, Jets and Bengals. All of those teams have QBs that will make turnover-worthy plays on a weekly basis. With Lamar Jackson back in the fold, the Ravens should also be favored by a decent margin in all of those matchups, which sets up well for their defense.

The thesis of recommending Baltimore last week as they got healthier worked out as they held Miami to just six points while forcing three turnovers. All signs point to this being a rejuvenated and confident Ravens team that has to stay aggressive and go on a run to get back into a playoff position in a highly competitive AFC.

Every game is extremely important for Baltimore and I'm expecting that to have them at their best during this stretch of games that could be easy to look past if they had started the season better. I am planning to start Baltimore for at least the next four weeks in leagues where I got them last week, and would encourage you to consider them if you are in a league where they are still available.

Buffalo Bills - 43% rostered

Buffalo's DST was dropped in a bunch of fantasy leagues before their matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9. I can understand that decision, especially with the good streaming options we had available last week, but the Bills DST ended up holding their own. They allowed just 21 points to Patrick Mahomes and co. while finishing with a respectable five fantasy points for the week.

The Bills defense is a clear run funnel, ranking 29th in rush EPA allowed per play but third in dropback EPA allowed per play. The problem for opposing teams is that the Bills have Josh Allen and one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NFL. This often leaves the opposition playing catch-up and forced into a situation where they have to throw to try to keep up. 

In Week 10 they get to face the NFL's interception leader, Tua Tagovailoa, and a Dolphins defense that just traded away one of their best players. The Bills are favored by 8.5 points in the early lines and the only reason that number isn't double digits yet is because the game is in Miami.

I expect the Bills to get out to a meaningful lead early against the Dolphins (similar to what we saw the Ravens do last week) and force Miami to put the game in Tua's hands. Tua is capable of making big plays, but he’s also prone to making poor decisions when under pressure, especially when forced to throw more often in a negative game script. If he is forced to drop back 50 times in this game, the Bills DST is a strong bet to force multiple turnovers. I don't like their remaining schedule as much as I like Baltimore's, but the Bills are a strong second option on waivers this week.

Carolina Panthers - 2% rostered

Fantasy managers haven't adjusted yet to the fact that the Carolina Panthers are no longer one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They aren't one of the best units, but they are somewhere around league average in most advanced metrics. That is a major improvement over last year and has made them a viable fantasy defense some weeks. Their fantasy scoring has been boom-or-bust, including two games of 17+ fantasy points and two games with negative fantasy points.

The good news is that their poor performances have been relatively easy to spot, coming against good offenses like the Bills, Cowboys and Patriots. Their best games came against the Jets and Falcons, but last week's outing against the Packers was just as impressive, even if it only produced nine fantasy points. The game was in Green Bay against a Packers team that has averaged 32 points per game over their previous four. 

Despite the seemingly tough matchup, the Panthers held Green Bay to just one TD and two field goals. They gave up some big plays in the passing game, but managed to buckle down when it mattered and keep Green Bay out of the end zone for most of the game.

Carolina now gets to face the Saints in Week 10 before a rematch against a Falcons offense that they shut out earlier this year. New Orleans has been one of the least effective offenses this season, regardless of whether Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough has been on the field.

The other thing working in Carolina's favor is that they have established a dominant running game behind Rico Dowdle in recent weeks. The rushing attack allows Carolina to keep the opposing offense off the field and have a well-rested defense in the second half of games. That trend has a good chance to continue against a below-average New Orleans defense, which opens the door for Carolina to dominate time of possession and force Shough into making costly mistakes.

They are clearly below Baltimore and Buffalo for me, but Carolina is available in nearly every league and is very startable in Week 10.

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