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The top Week 4 defense streamers - fantasy football D/ST pickups, streamers and starts for 2026. Target these fantasy DST streaming options with strong matchups.
Hey RotoBallers! Even though the first game of Week 4 has already started, we still have a full slate on Sunday and plenty of last-minute lineup decisions to make. One way to gain an advantage in your matchup is to stream a high-upside defense.
While these options come with some risk, if they deliver, they can be the difference between winning and losing your fantasy matchup.
Who should fantasy managers look to target on the waiver wire and plug into their starting lineup? Let's dive in!
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Top Week 4 Defense Streamers (D/ST)
Only defenses rostered in fewer than 65% of fantasy football leagues are considered potential streamers.
Green Bay Packers D/ST @ TB
40% Rostered
The Packers were a popular streaming option last Thursday when they faced Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons. Although this was Penix's first start of the season, the young QB looked comfortable, dropping 35 points on the Packers' defense at Lambeau Field. While some managers may be hesitant to start them again, they have an even more favorable matchup this weekend.
With Baker Mayfield on the sidelines with a dislocated thumb, the Buccaneers will turn to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels to lead the offense. Daniels spent six years at Kansas and finished with a modest 67:31 TD: INT. Tampa Bay has allowed the seventh-most sacks this season, which does not put the rookie QB in the best position to find success in his NFL debut.
The Packers come with risk, but they should have ample opportunities to pressure Daniels, which should provide them a high floor.
New York Jets D/ST @ CHI
2% Rostered
While it is still early in the season, the New York Jets have quietly been among the most productive defensive units. Through three weeks, they have allowed 171.1 passing yards per game and are just as sharp in the rushing game, allowing just 87.3 rushing yards per game. In Week 1, they held the Titans to only 10 points and limited the Packers to just 20 in Week 2.
While the Lions scored 31 points last Sunday, they limited Jared Goff to only 269 passing yards and shut down top wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had only 19 yards on four receptions.
This weekend, they'll face a much easier task against either Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent, as Caleb Williams is set to miss another game with a hamstring injury. Keenum was sharp in his season debut on Monday but doesn't have the longest record of consistent success. Expect this game to be relatively low-scoring, which will greatly benefit this unit.
Buffalo Bills D/ST vs. New England Patriots
41% Rostered
The Bills have allowed a hefty 26.0 points per game but have a prime matchup against a struggling New England offense. Through three weeks, MVP runner-up Drake Maye has endured significant growing pains, averaging just 195.0 passing yards per game. During this stretch, Maye has thrown just one passing score while tossing six interceptions.
Maye has also been sacked nine times, which gives defenses a higher floor in fantasy matchups.
While managers should expect this offense to gradually round into form, for now, they are a top option to target in D/ST streaming. While Buffalo does not have the best track record this season, they should find success against an offense that has struggled to move the ball. Like the Packers, they carry some risk but the upside is worth targeting.
Here are Drake Maye's 6 interceptions. There's a pattern.
Good news: it's not mechanical/footwork.
Bad news: it's all bad decisions. The fix is between the ears.
"We need to stop trying to choke the life out of every single play. We need to relax,” MIke Vrabel told @WEEI. pic.twitter.com/a9HJ10BHk2
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) September 28, 2026
Arizona Cardinals D/ST @ New York Giants
5% Rostered
Like Buffalo, the final D/ST unit we will spotlight also has a prime matchup. Jameis Winston has struggled since taking over QB1 duties in New York. Over two weeks, Winston is averaging just 114.5 passing yards per game, with no passing touchdowns and one interception. While his low yardage total last Sunday could be attributed to the weather, he has not shown any significant progress yet in this offense.
Back in 2024 (his last full-time starting gig), Winston threw 13 passing scores in 12 games but also tossed 12 interceptions. Like the Bills, the Cardinals defense has allowed a high 27.0 points per game but has a strong matchup to round into form and is worth targeting in deeper leagues.
Week 4 D/ST Rankings
| Rank | Player | Opponent |
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings | MIA |
| 2 | Baltimore Ravens | TEN |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | @CLE |
| 4 | Seattle Seahawks | LAC |
| 5 | Green Bay Packers | @TB |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills | NE |
| 7 | Chicago Bears | NYJ |
| 8 | Cleveland Browns | PIT |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | @LV |
| 10 | New York Giants | ARI |
| 11 | Houston Texans | DAL |
| 12 | San Francisco 49ers | DEN |
| 13 | Arizona Cardinals | @NYG |
| 14 | New Orleans Saints | ATL |
| 15 | Los Angeles Rams | @PHI |
| 16 | Indianapolis Colts | @WAS |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | @CAR |
| 18 | Dallas Cowboys | @HOU |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | GB |
| 20 | Denver Broncos | @SF |
| 21 | Jacksonville Jaguars | @CIN |
| 22 | Philadelphia Eagles | LAR |
| 23 | New York Jets | @CHI |
| 24 | Cincinnati Bengals | JAX |
| 25 | Atlanta Falcons | @NO |
| 26 | Las Vegas Raiders | KC |
| 27 | New England Patriots | @BUF |
| 28 | Los Angeles Chargers | @SEA |
| 29 | Miami Dolphins | @MIN |
| 30 | Washington Commanders | IND |
| 31 | Tennessee Titans | @BAL |
| 32 | Carolina Panthers | DET |
Read more defense news and updates for Week 4
Who Should I Start Tool
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You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.
Week 4 Defense Decisions. Today's focus is on specific team defenses - Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 4.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool, but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 4 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 4 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 4 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 4 for defenses like the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets:
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