3 FanDuel Defenses to Target in Week 10
Selecting a defense is never the most glamorous part of fantasy football. It often goes overlooked for the more fun positions that people want to watch and root for during the game. The good news is that if our opponents aren’t putting too much thought into their defense, we can gain an advantage with some research. So let’s dig in and try to identify some defenses that could be in a good position to score fantasy points this week.
With more than half of the season in the books, we have a lot of evidence of which teams have good defenses and which teams have offenses that we will look to use defenses against. Let's take a look at some of those teams for Week 10.
Philadelphia Eagles
FanDuel Salary: $4,600
The Philadelphia D/ST hasn't been the most respected unit in the league this season, but they've been fairly solid. They are third in sacks and fifth in adjusted sack rate, according to Football Outsiders. From a fantasy perspective, they currently rank as the eighth best defense. They have a great matchup this week, and it's one that could see them climb up that list.
The Philadelphia Eagles are up against the New York Giants in their second meeting of the season. In the first game, the Eagles' defense put up nine FanDuel points. They were able to sack quarterback Daniel Jones three times, force him to fumble once, and pick him off once. These events are not unfamiliar to Jones, as he has the third most interceptions and second most fumbles, per Pro Football Reference. The Giants' offensive line hasn't been doing him any favors, either, as Jones is tied for the second most sacks taken this season.
The Eagles' defense is tied for our highest projection at the position along with two others, but they have the lowest salary among the three. That makes them a standout play at the top tier of defense, and they viable in any type of lineup you make this week.
Washington Football Team
FanDuel Salary: $3,800
The Washington D/ST has done a decent job of keeping them in games this season. They've done so by being one of the best at pressuring the quarterback. Their 10.6% adjusted sack rate is tops in the league. They also are in the top 10 in interceptions with eight. They have a decent chance at playing well again this week.
The Washington Football Team will face the Detroit Lions. Washington is a road underdog, which isn't ideal when selecting a defense. However, there are some reasons to believe they can perform well here. They'll face a Detroit offense line that has allowed an above-average adjusted sacked rate at 7.5%. The Lions also look like they will be without number-one receiver Kenny Golladay, meaning they will lack a true gamebreaker in the passing game. In three games without Golladay, Matthew Stafford has thrown four interceptions. If Stafford is under pressure and doesn't have players to make plays for him, it could be a long day under center for him.
Washington is fourth in point-per-dollar value going by our projections, and with a good performance, they are capable of outperforming their salary. They are a solid midrange play.
Las Vegas Raiders
FanDuel Salary: $3,500
If you are looking to punt the position, a team that makes sense to do it with is the Las Vegas D/ST. The Raiders' defense has very little redeeming qualities, as they rank 30th in numberFire's schedule-adjusted defense metrics. However, there are a few indicators that make them digestible this week.
The Las Vegas Raiders are home favorites against the Denver Broncos. The Broncos aren't an offense to fear, scoring the 27th most points per game this season. Drew Lock has thrown six interceptions over his last four games and taken eight sacks in that time. Denver has a pass-to-run ratio of 1.53, which is in the top half of the league. While being a more efficient way to play offense in real football, passing is also good for a fantasy defense, as it gives them opportunities for sacks and interceptions. If you can get 35 to 40 Lock drop backs, any defense has a chance of getting some turnovers.
The Raiders rank as our best option with a salary of $3,500 and below. On a week where there aren't many enticing low-salary plays at D, Vegas is a fine way to fill out your lineup if you need the coin for other positions.
Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
