Week 8 will be a gift to fantasy football managers, as no teams are on bye. That will give owners a full complement of players from which to choose for their lineups, including a bunch of great D/ST starts on a solid slate.
It can be difficult to predict week-to-week fantasy defense performance outside of the top-tier units across the league. That why so many fantasy footballers like to stream defenses and simply play solid stop units going against iffy offenses.
No start ’em, sit ’em plan at D/ST is foolproof because of how much defensive and special teams touchdowns can swing scoring outputs. Still, there are a handful of defenses that look good on paper entering Week 8 and a handful that should be avoided if at all possible.
Here are five D/ST units to start in Week 8 and five to sit.
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The Saints had the NFL’s best offense through two games but have since fallen completely flat during their five-game losing streak. As a result, they are allowing 9.7 fantasy points per game to opposing defenses, seventh-most in the NFL. The Chargers have the league’s best scoring defense (13.8 points per game) so expect them to limit New Orleans’ offense regardless of who starts at quarterback.
The Raiders have allowed seven interceptions over their last three games and that includes two, three-pick performances by Gardner Minshew. He is getting the start again with Aidan O’Connell (thumb) out, so the Chiefs, who rank third in the NFL with a 29.5 percent pressure rate, can be trusted to force Minshew into some turnovers and mistakes.
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Daniel Jones threw for just 99 yards and was sacked a whopping seven times against the Philadelphia Eagles in his first game without left tackle Andrew Thomas. The Steelers have an excellent pass rush headlined by T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Alex Highsmith, so they figure to rival Philadelphia’s excellent Week 7 performance in Week 8.
No NFL team has more takeaways than the Packers, who have racked up 17 (9 interceptions, 8 fumble recoveries) through seven games. That – plus their average of 2.9 sacks per game, tied for 10th-most in the NFL – gives them a high floor against a Jaguars team that ranks just 21st in points per game this season (20.7).
The Titans have played just six games to start the 2024 NFL season, but they nonetheless are tied for second in the NFL in giveaways with 12. They have thrown at least one interception in every game regardless of whether Will Levis or Mason Rudolph has started. That should give the Lions – who have the eighth-most takeaways in the NFL, 11 – a chance to generate some turnovers against the NFL’s sixth-worst scoring offense (17.7 points per game).
The Seahawks allow 7.3 fantasy points per game to opposing defenses, which ranks 13th in the NFL. That may not seem too bad, but Seattle has a top-10 scoring offense (25.7 points per game), so teams playing against them have a low floor. The Bills have 12 takeaways on the season, but their below-average run defense may allow Kenneth Walker to have a big day. That could limit the team’s opportunities for interceptions and sacks, so it’s best to steer clear of Buffalo this week if you can.
The Commanders are allowing just 2.1 fantasy points per game to opposing D/STs, second-fewest in the NFL. The Bears figure to get more than that if Jayden Daniels sits, but Marcus Mariota proved to be a capable substitute for the rookie phenom in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers. Mariota was always lauded for his accuracy, so if he avoids turnovers in place of Daniels, it will be hard for Chicago to emerge as a top-12 defense this week.
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The Eagles are averaging a healthy 3.2 sacks per game, but they also get pressure on just 19.1 percent of dropbacks, which ranks 22nd in the NFL. Thus, it seems like their seven-sack game against the Giants may be an outlier. The Eagles may still be able to get after Joe Burrow, who has been sacked at least three times in 5 of 7 games this season, but Cincinnati’s 25.4 points per game average should be enough to convince fantasy owners to steer clear of the Eagles in this spot.
The 49ers lost Brandon Aiyuk for the season to a torn ACL, but they still have plenty of weapons on offense, especially if Deebo Samuel plays. Dallas’ defense has taken a massive step back without Dan Quinn as is allowing 28 points per game, second-most in the NFL behind only the Panthers. If Micah Parsons remains out in Week 8, the Cowboys should surely be sat against a quality opponent.
The Giants are averaging a league-leading 4.4 sacks per game, and Dexter Lawrence has a good matchup against Steelers backup center Ryan McCollum. Still, the Steelers are starting to hit their stride, scoring at least 32 points in back-to-back games and seeing Russell Wilson unlock George Pickens‘ deep-ball ability. That’s enough to keep the Giants D/ST on the bench, especially since their offense figures to put the defense in bad positions with Andrew Thomas sidelined.
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you a lot of points. Here’s who to start and who to sit in Week 8.
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 8.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 8 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.
→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 8.
→ Kickers are people, too: Here are some of the most clutch kickers to have on your fantasy team in Week 8.
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