Starters and benchwarmers
They say defense wins championships.
“They” obviously don’t play fantasy football.
By definition, the game we love so much is driven almost exclusively by offense — sorta like the Lions — with only one of eight or nine slots typically reserved for a team defense. Often selected in the last round or two of the draft, many players tend to view defenses as interchangeable on a weekly basis, based on matchups and which units are trending upward.
Case in point: Watch the scramble for Kansas City’s defense on this week’s waiver wire.
Indeed, for one weekend, at least, several defenses demanded their due.
At the top of the heap were the ball-hawking Chiefs, whose eight-turnover, two-touchdown, three-point-yielding pummeling of the Jets produced enough points to offset a career day by the weekend’s top fantasy wideout, Marvin Jones.
The Vikings continued their early-season dominance by sacking Cam Newton eight times — one of which was a safety — picking him off thrice, taking a punt return to the house and holding one of the NFL’s top offenses to 10 stinking points.
New England’s defense shut out, and embarrassed, the Texans last Thursday night. The Bills picked off Carson Palmer four times, sacked him five times and returned a botched field-goal try for a score.
Defenses don’t win fantasy championships. But in any given week, they sure can propel you to victory.
Catch ’em while you can Carson Wentz, QB, Eagles:
Two rookie quarterbacks — Wentz and Dak Prescott — are raising eyebrows across the league, but only Wentz looks like someone you can count on for consistent fantasy production. Like Prescott, he has yet to throw an interception; but unlike the Cowboys’ QB, Wentz has thrown TD passes in each game (five total).
Trevor Siemian, QB, Broncos:
Once considered simply a placeholder until rookie Paxton Lynch is ready to roll, Siemian is making his case for a longer look. His four-TD, turnover-free performance on the road against a solid Cincinnati defense catapulted him onto the fantasy radar. With the Bucs and other subpar defenses on tap, QB-challenged teams should give him a call.
Jordan Howard, RB, Bears:
Jeremy Langford was carted off the field Sunday night with a possible Achilles injury, leaving the backfield in the promising rookie’s hands. The Bears were in catchup mode most of the game, so Howard’s carries were limited — but he made the most of his opportunities, including as a receiver.
Don’t be fooled Terrelle Pryor, WR, Browns:
It sounds intriguing to have a receiver who also lines up as a wildcat QB and a rusher. Pryor, though, has done precious little in his previous four years to suggest that Sunday’s performance was more than an aberration. Miami’s defense has a way of making mediocre players look great.