This article is part of our Streaming Defenses series.
A prolonged run of success for this space finally came to an end Sunday when the top streaming pick for Week 10 (the Jets) fell flat on its face with -3 fantasy points in a humiliating 41-10 loss to Buffalo. The Packers and Chargers provided some level of redemption by finishing third and fourth in weekly D/ST scoring with 27 combined points, but I finished things off with a pair of eventual duds in the 49ers (one point) and Colts (four points). That's two clear hits and three clear misses, including massive whiff on the No. 1 recommendation.
The good news is that we have a decent chance to bounce back in Week 11 even with six teams on bye, as seven of the top 10 defenses in my weekly rankings are less than 60 percent owned. The bad news is that we're undoubtedly missing some prime matchups with the Bills, Jets, Dolphins, Browns and 49ers all on bye.
Note: These recommendations are limited to D/ST units with under 60 percent ownership on Yahoo as of Tuesday morning. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring.
Top Streaming Options for Week 11
1. Arizona Cardinals (vs. Oakland Raiders)
17% Yahoo ownership
It feels weird referring to a 12-point loss as a moral victory, but it's also probably accurate after the Cardinals held the Chiefs to their lowest point total of the season in Sunday's 26-14 loss at Arrowhead Stadium. While still impressive by normal standards, Patrick Mahomes had the lowest passing yardage total (249) of his career and threw fewer than three touchdowns for just the third time all year. He also took five sacks, pushing Arizona's season total to sixth in the NFL at 29 (3.2 per game). Led by Chandler Jones and his 8.5 sacks, the Cardinals now return home to face a lifeless Oakland team that's given up the fourth most fantasy points to team defenses, including double digits in four of its past five games (with 4.2 sacks per game in that stretch). The Raiders are four-point underdogs while carrying the lowest implied total (18.5) of Week 11.
2. Baltimore Ravens (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
56% Yahoo ownership
Andy Dalton has produced some memorable moments en route to an 8-6 career record against the Ravens, but he also has 17 interceptions and nine fumbles in the 14 games. Coming off an embarrassing loss to the Saints and likely playing with A.J. Green (toe) either absent or limited, Dalton will have his hands full in a road contest against a well-rested defense. The Ravens lost three straight games heading into a Week 10 bye, but they're firmly in the mix for a wild card spot and still lead the league in yards allowed per pass attempt (6.3). This defense has too much talent not to rebound over the final two months of the season, starting with Sunday's matchup against a Bengals offense lacking in proven weapons beyond Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard. We don't have any implied totals thanks to Baltimore's unsettled quarterback situation, but I'm guessing the Bengals will end up right around 20 points.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (at Jacksonville Jaguars)
56% Yahoo ownership
The Steelers unexpectedly have become a balanced team, holding each opponent to 21 points or fewer over the course of an ongoing five-game win streak. The pinnacle was a 52-21 blowout of the Panthers last Thursday, just four days after securing a crucial divisional victory on the road in Baltimore. Now sitting fifth in per-game D/ST fantasy scoring (8.7), the Steelers will face a Jacksonville team that's given up the seventh most points to team defenses. Blake Bortles did look much better the past two games, but he's still the same guy who got benched for Cody Kessler less than a month ago. Hoping to end a five-game skid, the Jaguars are five-point underdogs with an implied total of 21.25.
4. Carolina Panthers (at Detroit Lions)
48% Yahoo ownership
The Panthers didn't inspire any confidence with the aforementioned blowout in Pittsburgh, yet they still hold some Week 11 streaming appeal in a matchup with the tanking Lions, a team that's lost three straight games by 12 or more points. With Golden Tate off to Philadelphia and Marvin Jones (knee) potentially unavailable, Matthew Stafford doesn't have much to work with on offense and obviously isn't getting any help from his team's putrid defense. Despite playing solid football Weeks 2-7, the Lions have given up the eighth most fantasy points to team defenses, including 14.7 per game during the ongoing losing streak. The Panthers obviously have their own issues on the defensive side, but they're nonetheless listed as 3.5-point road favorites for Sunday.
5. Washington Redskins (vs. Houston Texans)
37% Yahoo ownership
Deshaun Watson has firmly answered any questions about being a one-year wonder, but his tendency to take sacks (30 in nine games) while playing behind a shaky offensive line makes the Texans an okay matchup for fantasy purposes (19th most points allowed). The Redskins defense may actually have a slight advantage in this contest, averaging 2.8 sacks and 2.0 takeaways per game after a blow-up performance in Sunday's 16-3 victory at Tampa Bay. Only the Bears and Vikings are averaging more fantasy points than the Redskins (8.9), and only the Bears and Browns have a better turnover differential (+11). While not exactly consistent or exciting, the 6-3 Redskins are perfectly capable of pulling off a small upset as 2.5-point home underdogs in a game with the second lowest over/under (42.5) of Week 11.
Week 11 D/ST Rankings
1. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. DEN)
2. Arizona Cardinals (vs. OAK)
3. Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (at JAC)
5. Chicago Bears (vs. MIN)
6. Carolina Panthers (at DET)
7. Houston Texans (at WAS)
8. Washington Redskins (vs. HOU)
9. New Orleans Saints (vs. PHI)
10. New York Giants (vs. TB)
11. Minnesota Vikings (at CHI)
12. Indianapolis Colts (vs. TEN)
13. Atlanta Falcons (vs. DAL)
14. Seattle Seahawks (vs. GB)
15. Tennessee Titans (at IND)
16. Cincinnati Bengals (at BAL)
17. Green Bay Packers (at SEA)
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. PIT)
19. Oakland Raiders (vs. ARZ)
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NYG)
Looking Ahead to Week 12
1. Baltimore Ravens (vs. OAK)
2. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. ARZ)
3. New England Patriots (at NYJ)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
5. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. NYG)
6. Chicago Bears (at DET)
7. Buffalo Bills (vs. JAC)
8. Houston Texans (vs. TEN)
9. Indianapolis Colts (vs. MIA)
10. Carolina Panthers (vs. SEA)
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (at DEN)
12. New Orleans Saints (vs. ATL)
13. Minnesota Vikings (vs. GB)
14. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE)
15. Tennessee Titans (at HOU)
16. Washington Redskins (at DAL)
17. Denver Broncos (vs. PIT)
18. Dallas Cowboys (vs. WAS)
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. SF)
20. Seattle Seahawks (at CAR)
Rest-of-Season Rankings
1. Chicago Bears
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Houston Texans
5. New England Patriots
6. Los Angeles Chargers
7. Los Angeles Rams
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Washington Redskins
10. Seattle Seahawks
11. Jacksonville Jaguars
12. Carolina Panthers
13. Philadelphia Eagles
14. Tennessee Titans
15. Buffalo Bills
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
17. Green Bay Packers
18. Denver Broncos
19. Arizona Cardinals
20. Miami Dolphins
