Fantasy Football Week 3 Defense/Special Teams Streamers: Top 5 D/ST Waiver Wire Pickups
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If your fantasy lineup stumbled in Week 2, panic is your worst enemy. Early-season fantasy results are famously volatile, but they also offer a clear picture of which offensive lines are crumbling under pressure and which quarterbacks are prone to turning the ball over.
By targeting under-the-radar defense/special teams (D/ST) units with favorable Week 3 matchups, you can turn a low-cost waiver wire claim into double-digit production. Here are five low-owned defenses ready to plug into your Week 3 starting lineup.
Top 5 D/ST Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 3
Green Bay Packers D/ST vs. Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay returns home to Lambeau Field for a Thursday Night Football showdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta's offense was completely stymied in Week 2, scoring just 3 points while struggling to sustain drives on third down. The Packers will also get to face Michael Penix in his first start of the season, so they should be able to take advantage of any rust he's still shaking off.
On a short week, traveling to Lambeau is a brutal assignment for a visiting offense. Green Bay's secondary has the talent to lock down early routes, which should allow them to add to the seven sacks they've racked up through two weeks.
Carolina Panthers D/ST at Cleveland Browns
The Panthers D/ST comes into Week 3 riding massive momentum after finishing as the overall top-scoring fantasy defense in Week 2. Available in most fantasy leagues, Carolina generated five takeaways, recorded two sacks, and scored a defensive touchdown while allowing just 3 points last week.
In Week 3, Carolina hits the road to face a Cleveland Browns offense that continues to surrender heavy pressure up front. With Cleveland's pass protection struggling, Carolina's aggressive front seven is in a prime spot to pin its ears back, force long-down-and-distance situations, and build another high fantasy floor through sacks and forced errors.
New York Giants D/ST vs. Tennessee Titans
The Giants defense presents a strong low-ownership stream in Week 3 as they host the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium. Tennessee's offense struggled to find rhythm early in the season, allowing consistent pressure upfront and giving up four sacks and a turnover in Week 2 against Philadelphia.
Playing in front of a home crowd, the Giants' defensive front gets a prime game script to control the line of scrimmage, force long-down-and-distance scenarios, and generate sacks against a vulnerable pass-protection unit.
New Orleans Saints D/ST vs. Las Vegas Raiders
The Saints defense showed out in Week 2 by pulling off a 24-17 road upset over the Baltimore Ravens. Returning home for Week 3, New Orleans hosts a Las Vegas Raiders offense that has shown vulnerability to relentless pressure.
With the Superdome crowd behind them, the Saints front seven should control the tempo against a Raiders front that surrenders frequent sacks, giving New Orleans prime opportunities for fantasy points.
Cincinnati Bengals D/ST at Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered in fewer than 10% of fantasy leagues, Cincinnati’s defense offers an under-the-radar option for managers looking to exploit a traditionally low-scoring rivalry matchup. The Bengals unit put together an impressive Week 2 rebound on the road, holding Houston to just 6 points on 2-of-11 on third downs.
In Week 3, Cincinnati travels to Pittsburgh to face a Steelers offense that surrendered 20 points to New England while managing only three points of their own in Week 2. Pittsburgh’s offensive line has struggled to protect the pocket, providing Cincinnati's pass rush a prime opportunity to control game flow and build a safe fantasy floor through sacks.
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Once a top-ranked fantasy gamer on ESPN, Nick Raducanu has been playing fantasy sports for over 25 years. His written fantasy coverage includes stops at Rotoworld, Rotowire, and The New York Times.