Arizona Cardinals Lead List of Fantasy Football Defenses to Stream in Week 1
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Every fantasy football manager knows the stress of setting a weekly lineup, but few positions bring more volatility than defense and special teams (DST).
Outside of a handful of elite units, most teams are matchup-dependent, leaving managers searching for any edge they can find. That’s where streaming comes into play. Streaming defenses — a tactic that utilizes the waiver wire to start players based on favorable matchups each week — can be an effective way to maximize weekly production.
Instead of relying on a middling defense all year, savvy managers rotate based on their opponent's weaknesses, injuries and game scripts. This approach often yields more points than relying on a single option.
Week 1 presents a prime opportunity to take advantage, with several defenses available on most waiver wires that draw exploitable matchups. Here are three units that stand out as strong streaming plays to kick off the fantasy season.
*Percentage denotes player’s waiver wire availability on ESPN and Yahoo*
Cardinals Defense vs. Saints (ESPN: 53.6% Yahoo: 49%)
Still available in over half of leagues on Yahoo is the Arizona Cardinals DST. A rewarding game plan for fantasy managers this season would be to start whatever defense matches up against the Saints in 2025. They ranked in the top 10 for most fantasy points awarded to opposing defense, and that number figures to only get worse. The Cardinals were a middle-of-the-pack fantasy defense in 2024. However, they match up against Spencer Rattler, who threw four TDs and five INTs in seven games as a rookie last season.
Jets Defense vs. Steelers (ESPN: 25% Yahoo: 25%)
The Jets’ defense fell off in 2024, finishing outside the top 20 in fantasy after registering a top-five finish the year prior. With the addition of head coach Aaron Glenn, they should improve on that side of the ball. The game is an Aaron Rodgers revenge game, but I wouldn’t count on the 41-year-old to light up the Jets' secondary with limited pass-catcher talent outside of DK Metcalf. This game has low-scoring written all over it, with both teams relying heavily on the ground game.
Dolphins Defense vs. Colts (ESPN: 5% Yahoo: 3%)
The Dolphins’ defense performed much better than fantasy football would indicate. By welcoming back Minkah Fitzpatrick and returning a few key pass rushers from injury, they have the potential to be one of the top units in 2025. Their Week 1 matchup is against Daniel Jones, who is one of the most turnover-prone quarterbacks in the NFL. The game will be his first start for the Colts as well. The Dolphins should have no problem getting in the backfield and forcing a few turnovers.
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Michael Rovetto previously served as the staff writer for University of Maryland Athletics for nearly two years. There, he wrote, edited and managed all editorial content for all 20 of Maryland's varsity sports on umterps.com. Rovetto is recognized as a College Sports Communicators district award-winning writer. Many of his stories have also appeared on NCAA.org, garnering national attention. Before graduating from Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism in December 2023, Rovetto wrote for PressBox and Terrapin Sports Central, covering Maryland men's basketball and football. He also has experience in broadcasting, previously working as an analyst and camera operator for Big State Sports, and communication, interning for Shell Shock TBT as its Director of Communication & Content Development.