Week 9 Fantasy Football Defensive Streaming: Backing the Bolts

Dallas Cowboys

Owned: ESPN 16.5%, Yahoo 14%
numberFire Projected Rank: 9th

The Dallas Cowboys will take a six-game winning streak into Cleveland to take on the winless Browns.

While Rod Marinelli's bunch hasn't been a top pass-rushing unit -- the Cowboys rank 21st in sacks (14) and 30th in quarterback hits (29) -- they now get a chance to tee off against the Browns, who have struggled to protect the quarterback all season. The Browns have allowed the fourth most sacks (22) on the season and the most hits on the quarterback (67).

Over their last three games, the Cowboys have finished as a top-15 defense each week despite going against the Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, and Philadelphia Eagles and now they face the Browns, who rank in the top ten in fantasy points allowed to team defenses.

Last week, Josh McCown returned after missing five games with a broken collarbone, tossing two picks to go along with two touchdowns. But rookie Cody Kessler was cleared early this week from a concussion to practice and could be inserted back into the lineup against Dallas.

If it is Kessler who goes, he has only committed 2 turnovers in five starts, but he has also taken 10 sacks over that span.

Vegas has set the Cowboys as a 7.5-point favorite in this game. The defense should be expected to be playing with a lead as Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott take on the Browns 30th ranked defense, according to numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics.

In a week that's devoid of really attractive streaming options, the Cowboys defense should find themselves in a positive game script to rack up sacks and (hopefully) turnovers.