Fantasy Football Week 16: 3 Sleeper Defenses to Win a Championship

Here are three widely available defenses you can use to secure that fantasy football championship in Week 16.

It’s championship week for the majority of fantasy football owners. There are no second chances, do-overs or redos. Whatever lineup you start, you are stuck with, so hopefully, it’s a good one. If you are looking for help with your defense, there are plenty of available options with good matchups you can use.

There are a handful of defenses that will have their hands full in Week 16. Some teams may be resting players to prevent further injury as they prepare for the playoffs. This could greatly affect how a defense performs in the championship round.

It’s also important to look for trends. Teams like the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and others have been on a downward trend when it comes to scoring. Despite what their season average in points is, they aren’t reaching that when it counts. Taking advantage of those matchups is another factor.

Lastly, making a dart throw on some of the lesser-owned defenses can help. No one expected the Indianapolis Colts to shut out the Dallas Cowboys let alone be the ninth-ranked fantasy defense this season. This may be more for DFS but using a flyer in your championship game could lead to a win, too.

Colts, vs. NYG

Why not stay on the Indy bandwagon? The New York Giants offensive line has been falling apart in recent weeks. They’ve allowed at least two sacks in five straight games. Eli Manning has thrown an interception in four straight.

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Odell Beckham is still questionable, leaving the offense to flow through Saquon Barkley. The Colts defense has allowed 23.5 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, 17th in the league.C

The Colts should be able to pressure Manning and force a turnover or two. They may give up a touchdown to Barkley but the rest of the offense will be held scoreless.

Atlanta Falcons, @CAR

The Falcons inclusion is more about the Panthers offensive woes than their defensive prowess. The Falcons defense has scored under zero points four times and had their first double-digit game in Week 15.

Cam Newton has thrown an interception and zero touchdowns in two straight games. Running back Christian McCaffrey has more passing touchdowns in that span. He’ll likely dominate on the ground in this game.

Just like the Giants, the Panthers offense runs through one player. The wide receiver trio of D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel and Devin Funchess are very hit-or-miss.

With Newton being held out the rest of the season, the Panthers will start Taylor Heinicke at quarterback. This makes the passing game more of a question mark.

Detroit Lions, vs MIN

Kirk Cousins has been held to under 300 yards in three straight games with four touchdowns and three interceptions in that span. Adam Thielen was held to just two catches and 19 yards last week. Stefon Diggs‘ value is touchdown-dependent unless you play in PPR leagues.

Kyle Rudolph hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3. The Lions linebackers won’t have to worry about him too much. The offensive has created problems for opposing quarterbacks in recent weeks, 10 sacks in their last four games.

Running back Dalvin Cook will be a problem but the Lions defense has held running backs in check for most of the season. They’ve allowed just two touchdowns in five games and gave up over 100 yards once. Both happened in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Rams.

Next. NFL DFS Week 16 Game by Game Breakdown. dark

All three defenses are owned in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues. The matchups line up for all three defenses to have a high-scoring game. Good luck to all owners playing for a fantasy football championship.

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