Top Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings (Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4) - Defense Streamers and Starts (2025)

Joey's best fantasy football defense streamers and D/ST rankings for Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 in 2025. NFL team defense streamers and starts based on strength of schedule.

Welcome, RotoBallers, to our fantasy football D/ST streamers and starts for Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the 2025 season -- looking at the first four weeks and identifying the best D/ST matchups. Some leagues have gone away from carrying a defense position. The reasoning has to do with the overall inconsistency of starting a defense on a week-to-week basis. After all, who wants to start a position that has the chance to score negative fantasy points on any given week?

However, having a team defense in your league creates more strategy because you have to plan ahead and pick up those defenses that have favorable matchups upcoming. In this article, we will look at the best defensive options in fantasy to begin the 2025 season. Whether you are already setting your Week 1 lineup or looking at potential defenses to target in drafts, you have come to the right place.

We will look at several defense targets for the first four weeks of the fantasy season (Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4). If you want our D/ST fantasy football draft rankings, be sure to check out that link. This list will also feature one defense that fantasy managers should avoid through the first four weeks. So, let's dive in and analyze the best defensive streamers and starts for the beginning of the season.

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D/ST Strength of Schedule: Weeks 1-4

The first few weeks are always the toughest to identify the best defenses. Most defenses have gone through some sort of changes in the offseason, whether that is hiring a new defensive coordinator, losing several key players, or adding some superstars. However, playing the matchups at the defense position might be the best strategy to attack in leagues this year.

While we also don't know how many of these offenses will look, there are plenty of offenses that will be rolling out young quarterbacks to begin the season. Those defenses playing those young quarterbacks in the first few weeks are prime D/ST targets/

So, we will break down the best defensive streamers into four categories (Temporary, Part-Time, Recruit, and Fool's Gold) in this article below. You can see the description of each of those streamer types down below. Since this is a streamer D/ST article, we will only look at defenses that are rostered in under 50% of ESPN leagues.

• “Temporary” Streamer: D/ST with a good matchup in Week 1
• “Part-Time” Streamer: D/ST with multiple nice matchups in a row
• “Recruit” Streamer: D/ST with an easy upcoming schedule that you pick up earlier to stash on your bench
• “Fool’s Gold” Streamer: D/ST that on paper looks like a good option, but should be avoided 

Week 1 D/ST Streamers

Arizona Cardinals D/ST (Part-Time Streamer)

• Week 1 Opponent: New Orleans Saints
• ESPN Rostership: 40.%
• Over-Under: 42.5 points
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 18.25

The Arizona Cardinals defense could emerge as a strong streaming option throughout the season. The Cardinals placed all their focus on upgrading this side of the ball in the offseason, which included signing Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million deal in free agency, agreeing to a one-year deal with Calais Campbell, and selecting a defensive player in each of the first five rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Therefore, the Cardinals defense should be added and started in every league in Week 1. This unit opens the season against the New Orleans Saints, and the Saints will roll with second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler in this game. Given Rattler’s inexperience, Arizona's defense will have both a safe floor and a high ceiling in fantasy this week.

Two things that jumped out from the first depth chart:

🏈 Will Johnson already a starting CB
🏈 Cardinals are gonna dominate on defense if they can start 12 guys pic.twitter.com/ehTnTaud4Y

— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) August 4, 2025

Following that nice matchup in Week 1, the Cardinals could potentially be used again in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers. Although quarterback Bryce Young looked solid toward the end of the last season, we don't really know if he is for real or not. So, this Arizona D/ST could turn into a part-time streamer to begin the year.

San Francisco 49ers D/ST (Part-Time Streamer)

• Week 1 Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
• ESPN Rostership: 16%
• Over-Under: 44.5 points 
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 21

There might be some risk in rolling with the San Francisco 49ers' defense in Week 1 because they lost a lot of pieces on the defensive side. Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga both signed with the Denver Broncos, Charvarius Ward signed with the Indianapolis Colts, and Javon Hargrave was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings following his release.

However, this 49ers defense can still be used in fantasy, especially across the first two weeks. This unit will play the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 and the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. The Seahawks will have Sam Darnold at quarterback, and it remains to be seen if Darnold will play like he did last year. This Seahawks offensive line -- which mostly stays the same -- also ranked tied for 28th in sacks allowed per game in 2024.

As a result, the 49ers D/ST has a favorable matchup in Week 1. With Robert Saleh back as the team's defensive coordinator, he'll have his defense ready for this divisional matchup. Then, we all know this defense's potential against Shough and this Saints offense in Week 2. That makes this unit a nice part-time streamer to start the year.

.@49ers defense under Robert Saleh is not going to be Vanilla. They are going to spice it up with a variety of fronts & pressures. No sense in saving it for the season. Better to work on it now. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/PamiCy6Vyr

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 12, 2025

Washington Commanders D/ST (Temporary Streamer)

• Week 1 Opponent: New York Giants
• ESPN Rostership: 10.8%
• Over-Under: 45.5 points 
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 19.5

If you are just looking for a one-week streamer to open the season, the Washington Commanders could be a nice option. While this Giants offense did get a quarterback upgrade in Russell Wilson, that still isn't enough to push this Commanders defense away in fantasy in Week 1. New York still has a lack of weapons in the receiving game outside of Malik Nabers, and this offensive line remains a concern.

The Giants allowed 2.8 sacks per game last season, and this offensive line remains the same from a season ago. So, an ascending Commanders defense should be able to wreak havoc on a bottom Giants offense. The addition of Von Miller should also help this pass rush get to the quarterback more after this unit ranked tied for 11th in total sacks (43) in 2024.

Following the team's Week 1 matchup against the Giants, the Commanders' D/ST might not be used for a few more weeks. This unit will match up against the Packers (Week 2), Raiders (Week 3), and Falcons (Week 4) in the three weeks after. Maybe fantasy managers can rely on Washington's defense in Week 3 against the Raiders, but there are likely better defensive options to roll with this early in the season.

Los Angeles Rams D/ST (Part-Time Streamer)

• Week 1 Opponent: Houston Texans
• ESPN Rostership: 8%
• Over-Under: 45.5 points
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 21

Since the losses of Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, the Rams defense is just not as talented as it used to be. However, that doesn't mean that Los Angeles' D/ST can't be a solid fantasy option right away. The Rams have the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year in Jared Verse and begin the season with two favorable matchups against the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans.

Although the Texans do have a solid quarterback in C.J. Stroud, the rest of the offense is skeptical. The offensive line allowed 54 sacks last season (tied for the third-most), and Joe Mixon will not be available for this contest while he deals with a foot/ankle injury. Given that Houston lost two of its starting offensive linemen (Laremy Tunsil and Kenyon Green) this offseason, the sacks could pile up for the Rams in this game.

Nowhere to go here for Javonte Williams. Jared Verse is a beast pic.twitter.com/BtxRS0mkFO

— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) August 5, 2025

After this matchup against the Texans, the Rams' D/ST will have another favorable fantasy matchup in Week 2 against the Titans. Cam Ward will be making his second career start, and that's enough to roll with this defense for another week. There's definitely a major learning lesson for rookie quarterbacks early in the year. 

Recruit Streamers

If you have Week 1 already figured out, let's look ahead at some defensive options that you could start in Week 2:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13.3% rostership) - Week 2 opponent: Houston Texans
• Dallas Cowboys (6% rostership) - Week 2 opponent: New York Giants
• Los Angeles Chargers (3.7% rostership) - Week 2 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

Fool’s Gold Streamers

New York Jets D/ST vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

• Week 1 Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
• ESPN Rostership: 27.6%

A lot of fantasy managers could look to turn to the Jets D/ST in Week 1 with 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers under center. Rodgers threw double-digit interceptions in his second straight year, and the Steelers' offensive line allowed 49 sacks last season (tied for the ninth-most). Nevertheless, it's best to avoid this unit in fantasy to open the season.

Rodgers has been known to get the ball out of his hands quickly over his long 20-year career. That could lead to fewer sack opportunities for this Jets pass rush in this contest. As a result, there are better defenses to stream in Week 1.

D/ST Streaming Action Plan

Planning out your fantasy D/ST might require some work, but it might be necessary to target the best matchups every single week. Here is how I would line up my defensive streams across the first four weeks

• Week 1: Stream the Cardinals versus the Saints
• Week 2: Stream the 49ers versus the Saints
• Week 3: Stream the Packers versus the Browns
• Week 4: Stream the Chargers versus the Giants

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