10 D/ST sleepers to target for fantasy football in Week 2

2. Green Bay Packers

It can’t be any worse for the Packers’ defense than it was in Week 1, as Winston threw for five touchdowns against them and the offense couldn’t sustain anything when they did get on the field. But redemption has a name in Week 2, and it’s the Detroit Lions.

The Lions piled up plenty of garbage time production against the 49ers in Week 1, as they almost pulled off a comeback. But quarterback Jared Goff also threw a pick-six and took three sacks.

As a double-digit betting favorite Monday night and with the Lions carrying a low implied point total, the Packers are an easy D/ST streamer for fantasy managers. Some garbage time points may come again, but otherwise, there’s nothing not to like here.

1. Arizona Cardinals

Led by five sacks from Chandler Jones, the Cardinals had six total sacks and three takeaways as they held the Tennessee Titans to 13 points in Week 1. In Week 2, Jones, J.J. Watt and company get a matchup against an overmatched Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line. Besides right tackle Brian O’Neill, everyone else struggled in pass blocking and with penalties against the Bengals in Week 1.

Kirk Cousins was pressured on nearly 32 percent of his dropbacks last week, and Cincinnati is hardly an imposing pass-rushing team. They certainly have no individual talents like Jones, and even a past-his-peak Watt might be in the conversation as the Bengals’ best D-lineman. An active effort to manipulate matchups for Jones, as in away from and not across from O’Neill, is certainly coming from Arizona defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

It’s possible the Vikings finish with 20-30 points on Sunday. But with plenty of pressure on Cousins, a handful of sacks and some residual takeaway chances as a baseline, the fantasy upside for the Cardinals’ defense is massive in Week 2.