The most volatile fantasy football position season to season is easily the defense/special teams position. It’s why I rarely pick one of the top ranked defenses in a draft, preferring to draft two middle level teams later in the draft. It’s not unusual for a defense that mostly went undrafted rockets into the top three. Yet it is just as likely to go in the other direction. It’s just too risky to spend high picks on a defense. This season is no different. Using the CSR1 draft, here are the top five draft picks on defense and where they stand in fantasy football right now.
1st - Chicago Bears (8th round, 7th pick) are currently sixth in scoring (includes a bye week) and a bazillion points behind the New England Patriots.
2nd - Jacksonville Jaguars (9th round, 1st pick) are currently No. 24 in the league (no bye week yet), easily the biggest surprise drop in performance of the season.
3rd - The Los Angeles Rams (9th round, 3rd pick) are sitting at No. 20 (no bye week).
4th - Minnesota Vikings (9th round, 5th pick) are a respectable No. 8 overall in scoring with no bye week yet.
5th - Los Angeles Chargers (9th round, 7th pick) are a middling No. 16 overall.
Here are the current top 13 in scoring. It’s rare to see a team crushing the field like the Patriots so far. Yet it was somewhat predictable based in the Patriots easy schedule. The Patriots were drafted in the 12th round in the CSR1 draft by the way.
If someone in a fantasy league drafted the Carolina Panthers defense it almost assuredly was a Panthers fan that selected them. That is because no one outside the fan base felt this defense would be a top fantasy performer. Yet after six games the Panthers are third in scoring and in my view a solid weekly play no matter the opponent for the remainder of the season. From fantasy pros:
That includes their next game in San Francisco against the surprising San Francisco 49ers (5-0). While that game might not be a good match up for the Panthers’ skill players on offense against a top two defense, it is a decent play for the Panthers defense. On paper the Panthers run defense (ranked No. 20) does not match up well against the 49ers offense that prefers to run the ball (179 ypg). Yet the Panthers have one of the few secondaries that can be trusted to not give up big plays when loading the box to stop the run. Well when I say the secondary can be trusted I’m not saying they never give up a big play, it has happened. On flip side we’ve gotten lucky at times for sure; the Houston game and the missed bombs to an open Will Fuller comes first to mind.
Where I put my trust has been the ability of the Panthers to get pressure on the quarterback. The Panthers are cuurently first in sacks with 27 and second in interceptions with nine. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is just as susceptible to pressure like most NFL quarterbacks. Especially when forced to throw the ball because the Panthers stack to box to stop the run. Like I said why sit down the Panthers coming off a bye? Oh yeah...I just remembered Ron Rivera’s record coming off a bye. Never mind...sit the defense that week but then start them the rest of the season.
That is because looking past the 49ers game you can see the Panthers face two tough offenses in nine games. The Green Bay Packers offense is always a threat but without their three top receivers the Packers aren’t as imposing. The game is still three weeks away so there is still time for the wide receiver situation to improve for Green Bay.
That brings me to the two games against the New Orleans Saints. While I agree their offense is less dynamic with Teddy Bridgewater starting instead of the injured Drew Brees, Brees should be back in the lineup before they face the Panthers for the first time in Week 12. the Panthers always struggle against the Saints even when favored.
Saints QB Drew Brees gives status update on his injured throwing hand
The procedure Brees opted for is a first in the football world, though it’s well-established among professional basketball players and making inroads to baseball. Doctors inserted a flexible brace into Brees’ throwing hand to protect and reinforce the torn ligament in his thumb, putting him on what’s normally a 6-8 week recovery. Instead, reports suggest Brees is eyeing a return before the Saints’ Week 9 bye, which would be an Oct. 27 home game with the Arizona Cardinals. Source: saintswire.usatoday.com
Getting pressure on the quarterback will as always be key. The Saints are currently No. 9 in sacks given up with 11. The first game is at home so that result will play a part when deciding about the road game later in the season. Certainly for the next weeks and potentially the rest of the season the Panthers look like a good start.
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