Top Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings (Weeks 4, 5, 6, 7) - Defense Streamers and Starts (2025)

Joey's best fantasy football defense streamers and D/ST rankings for Weeks 4, 5, 6, 7 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 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the 2025 season. Every week of the fantasy football season, we will go through the best defensive streaming options that fantasy managers have to consider picking up weeks in advance. 

In last week's article, we recommended picking up defenses like the Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, and Kansas City Chiefs. All three of those defenses then went on to score at least eight fantasy points. Streaming the right defenses each week could be the difference between a win and a loss on any given day.

In this article, we will look at several defense targets for the next four weeks of the fantasy season (Weeks 4, 5, 6, 7). If you want our D/ST fantasy football draft rankings, be sure to check out that link. So, let's dive in and analyze the best defensive streamers and starts for the coming weeks.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

D/ST Strength of Schedule: Weeks 4-7

This weekly series will focus on defenses fantasy managers should consider picking up for the coming weeks. We will look at defenses fantasy managers should pick up for one week, and some defenses to pick up for the coming weeks. Sometimes, rostering two defenses isn't the worst strategy in most leagues that have a deeper bench.

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 4
• “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 4 D/ST Streamers

New England Patriots D/ST (Part-Time Streamer)

• Week 4 Opponent: Carolina Panthers
• ESPN Rostership: 49%
• Over-Under: 44.5 points
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 19.5

If you are looking for a defense that you could use for several weeks in a row, the Patriots should be your top D/ST pickup right now. New England will play the Panthers in Week 4, the Saints in Week 6, and the Titans in Week 7. While you will need to get a defense for Week 5 when the Patriots play the Bills, fantasy managers can realistically start this unit in three of the next four games.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to roll with this Patriots D/ST because this unit is much improved from last year. The Patriots have nine sacks through three weeks, which includes a total of at least four sacks in two of three games. With Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, and Harold Landry III all generating pressure at an elite rate this season, New England's defense should have some strong fantasy performances.

HAROLD LANDRY MONSTER.

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/J4C44FFx5n

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 7, 2025

In Week 4, this unit will be a top-10 play against a Panthers offense that ranks 20th in pass block win rate. The Patriots have the talent on this side of the ball to emerge as a set-it-and-forget-it option in three of the next four weeks. Since this defense can also be used in Week 8 against the Browns, New England is one of my favorite pickups at the position.

Los Angeles Chargers D/ST (Temporary/Part-Time Streamer)

• Week 4 Opponent: New York Giants
• ESPN Rostership: 12.4%
• Over-Under: 43.5 points 
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 18.75

There is room for the Chargers' defense to be much better moving forward. This unit ranks middle-of-the-pack in both pressure rate and pass rush win rate. Part of the reason could be due to Khalil Mack's absence as he recovers from a dislocated elbow. However, this Los Angeles defense can be used in your fantasy lineup in two of the next three weeks.

The Chargers will play the Giants in Week 4 and the Dolphins in Week 6. New York has scored under 10 points in two of its three games, and Jaxson Dart will be making his first career start. That's enough to make the Los Angeles D/ST a top-5 play this week. New York's offensive line has also been sacked at least two times in every game this season.

Fast-triggering, hard-hitting, and downright violent 💥

This new-look @Chargers defense is DIFFERENT @GregCosell | @DariusJButler | @NFLMatchup pic.twitter.com/kWEccx7o7B

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) September 20, 2025

Even though fantasy managers shouldn't use this defense in Week 5 against the Commanders, holding this unit for Week 6 is a smart decision. The Dolphins have struggled offensively to begin the 2025 campaign, and this Miami offensive line hasn't been able to protect Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa has been sacked eight times over the past two games.

Indianapolis Colts D/ST (Recruit Streamer)

• Week 4 Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
• ESPN Rostership: 48.3%
• Over-Under: N/A 
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: N/A

You aren't picking up the Colts' defense to play them in Week 4 against the Rams. Los Angeles has one of the best offenses in the NFL, and it's best to sit this unit in every league this weekend. However, this defense will play the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. That's a smash start for a defense that looked solid last week against the Titans.

After ranking in the bottom 10 in pressure rate after the first two weeks, Indianapolis was all over the Titans' offensive line in Week 3. The Colts totaled four sacks in that contest while forcing an interception that went for a touchdown. Indianapolis' 15-point fantasy outing on defense marked the second time it has scored in double figures this season.

Colts Pick-6 on the 3rd play of the game!

INDvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/jzHNsXNojs

— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025

As a result, the Colts D/ST will be a top-7 play next week against the Raiders. Las Vegas ranks in the bottom 10 in pressure rate allowed, while ranking 19th in pass block win rate through three weeks. Make sure to pick up this defense a week early because Indianapolis will likely be a hot commodity on the waiver wire if you wait a week.

New Orleans Saints D/ST (Potential Recruit Streamer)

• Week 4 Opponent: Buffalo Bills
• ESPN Rostership: 0.8%
• Over-Under: N/A
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: N/A

The Saints have definitely struggled defensively over the past two weeks. They allowed 26 points to the Mac Jones-led 49ers offense in Week 2 and then gave up 44 points to the Sam Darnold-led Seahawks offense last week. New Orleans also failed to get much pressure on Darnold last week, as he was not sacked in a game for the first time this year.

Nevertheless, if you are looking for a defense with several nice matchups in a row, the Saints could be your answer. Following a tough matchup against the Bills in Week 4, they will play the Giants in Week 5 and the Patriots in Week 6. This defense could also potentially be used in Week 7 against the Bears -- depending on how Caleb Williams looks in the next two weeks.

The big problem with rolling with New Orleans is that its pass rush has been nonexistent this season. Although the Saints have totaled eight sacks in three games, this defense ranks in the bottom five in both pressure rate and pass rush win rate. The matchups against the Giants and Patriots are appealing, though.

New York has had some troubles scoring in two of its three games this season, and New England's offensive line has allowed 12 sacks through three weeks (tied for second-most in the NFL). So, the Saints D/ST should have a high enough fantasy floor in both of those contests.

Recruit Streamers

If you have Week 4 already figured out, let's look ahead at some defensive options that you could start in Week 5:

• Arizona Cardinals (27.9% rostership) - Week 5 opponent: Tennessee Titans
• New York Giants (8.1% rostership) - Week 5 opponent: New Orleans Saints
• Kansas City Chiefs (22.5% rostership) - Week 5 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

Fool’s Gold Streamers

Miami Dolphins D/ST vs. New York Jets

• Week 4 Opponent: New York Jets
• ESPN Rostership: 2%

Everyone might be going to the waiver wire to pick up this Dolphins defense. This unit not only has a fantastic matchup in Week 4 against the New York Jets, but Miami will also play the Panthers in Week 5 and the Browns in Week 7. Realistically, fantasy managers can use this D/ST in fantasy in three of the next four weeks. 

Nevertheless, fantasy managers shouldn't start this Dolphins defense in Week 4 or any of these upcoming weeks. Miami has one of the worst secondaries in the entire league and has allowed a league-leading 32.3 points per game through the first three weeks. With no turnovers forced and just six sacks so far, there are better defenses to start in fantasy in Week 4, Week 5, and Week 7.

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 4: Stream the Chargers versus the Giants
• Week 5: Stream the Cardinals versus the Titans
• Week 6: Stream the Patriots versus the Saints
• Week 7: Stream the Patriots versus the Titans

More Fantasy Football Analysis