Best Fantasy Football Week 9 Defense/Special Teams Streamers
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Every fantasy football manager knows the stress of weekly lineup decisions, but defense and special teams (D/ST) remain one of the trickiest positions to navigate.
With four teams on bye in Week 9, including the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles — three of the top-performing fantasy D/ST units this season — managers are left looking for reliable replacements.
Outside of a few elite options, most defenses remain volatile from week to week. This makes the streaming strategy, which rotates D/ST based on matchups, game script and injuries, oftentimes more valuable.
Below are three streamable D/ST options available in many leagues that could help you survive Week 9.
*Percentage denotes roster rate on ESPN and Yahoo*
Jaguars @ Raiders (ESPN: 33% Yahoo: 35%)
The Jaguars started the season off hot, and a major catalyst in that was their defense’s ability to create turnovers. Although they’ve cooled off on that side of the ball, they still rank second in the NFL in takeaways (14). On the other hand, the Raiders are tied for second in the NFL in giveaways (12). Geno Smith is coming off a bye and is still tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions. The Raiders also have the second-worst scoring offense, averaging just 14.7 points per game. The Jaguars are the top D/ST unit to stream in Week 9.
Ravens @ Dolphins (ESPN: 35% Yahoo: 39%)
The Ravens' defense had a very rough start to the season. However, they’ve quietly improved their last two games. Baltimore has given up an average of 16.5 points in its previous two games and forced a turnover in each. The Dolphins are tied for second in the NFL in giveaways (12), and Tua Tagovailoa is tied for the lead in interceptions (10). Miami’s offense also produces the fourth-fewest yards per game, as it averages just 286.4 per contest. The Ravens are a sneaky play, given their recent success and exploitable matchup in Week 9.
49ers @ Giants (ESPN: 17% Yahoo: 21%)
Another sneaky play is the 49ers D/ST. They’re coming off a rough outing on the road vs. the Texans, but have a prime opportunity to bounce back vs. an injury-plagued Giants squad. New York is now without its two best players, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, who’re both done for the season. San Francisco is dealing with similar injuries on its defense, but it should be able to limit Dart to one of his lesser performances. It has done a much better job at containing mobile quarterbacks. Consider the 49ers in deeper leagues if the above options are already rostered.
Check out our Week 9 defense and special teams rankings.
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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.