Falcons Among Top Fantasy Football Week 3 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.
Outside of a few elite units, most defenses are volatile, leaving managers searching the waiver wire for favorable matchups. Streaming defenses — a strategy built around rotating D/ST based on opponent, game script and injuries — has become one of the most reliable ways to maximize production. Rather than settling for a middling unit, managers can often squeeze out higher weekly scores by targeting vulnerable offenses.
Week 3 offers another slate of streamable defenses worth considering, with several options available in the majority of leagues. Below are three D/ST units with exploitable matchups that could provide fantasy managers with a short-term boost.
*Percentage denotes ownership on ESPN and Yahoo*
Colts D/ST @ Titans (ESPN: 40% Yahoo: 22%)
After limiting the Dolphins' offense to eight points and forcing three turnovers, the Colts are averaging two turnovers forced and 18 points a game through two weeks. Now they find themselves matched up against the Titans, the league’s worst offense (192.5 YDS/G). Cam Ward has refrained from turning the ball over for the most part. However, he’s no stranger to being brought down in the backfield. Ward has been sacked a league-leading 11 times in just two games, and that number will only grow in Week 3. The Colts are a top streaming option this week against the struggling Titans offense and belong in fantasy football lineups.
Falcons D/ST @ Panthers (ESPN: 26% Yahoo: 30%)
The Falcons' pass rush has been a disaster for the past decade, as they eclipsed 40+ sacks just once in the last 10 years and haven’t had a player hit double-digit sacks since 2016. Through two games in 2025, Atlanta already has seven. In their 22-6 win over Minnesota last week, the Falcons recorded six sacks, pressuring J.J. McCarthy on more than half of his dropbacks, and also forced four turnovers. The Falcons are currently the No. 1 scoring defense in fantasy football and matchup against the Panthers, who have awarded opposing defenses the third-most fantasy points through two games, in Week 3. Start the Falcons’ rebuilt defense against a struggling Panthers offense this week.
Buccaneers D/ST vs. Jets (ESPN: 35% Yahoo: 19%)
The Buccaneers made my list of D/ST streamers for Week 2. They recorded a modest performance from a fantasy football perspective, but still managed to limit the Texans' offense to 19 points and recorded three sacks. However, in Week 3, they match up against the Jets, who are without their starting signal caller, Justin Fields. Fields was knocked out of the Jets’ contest against the Bills with a concussion, finishing 3-of-11 passing with 27 yards in three-plus quarters. Tyrod Taylor will start in his place for the first time since Nov. 26, 2023, with the Giants. The Buccaneers also boast one of the NFL’s premier run defenses. This will be a difficult matchup for the Jets, who are committed to running the ball.
Check out our Week 3 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.