Fantasy football defense rankings: Top D/STs for Week 5, plus three viable streamers

Welcome to Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season! It’s about that time again, when you’ll need to navigate the muddy waters of start/sit decisions in a still relatively unclear fantasy football landscape.

Keep in mind that bye weeks start in Week 5, too, which means you’ll be without several options, including the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans. Most notable for fantasy football is the absence of the Chargers D/ST, currently a top-six defensive unit on the year. There’s also a certain disappointment that the Titans won’t be playing, having been a top unit to stream against this season, allowing a league-high 18.67 fantasy points per game to opposing defenses thanks to continuous bone-headed mistakes from QB Will Levis.

If you haven’t locked down a clear-cut starting defense just yet, fear not. Here are three fantasy defenses to consider streaming in your leagues, plus Week 5 defense rankings examining the top-28 options around the league.

Without Tua Tagovailoa in the lineup, this Miami Dolphins’ offense is... not the Miami Dolphins’ offense. It’s got the same personnel, sure, loaded with two superstars at wide receiver including Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Their skill aside, the absence of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continues to be a problem, having rolled way down the depth chart all the way down to new signing Tyler Huntley, who joined the team after Tagovailoa went on IR with his latest concussion. The Dolphins are allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses, producing a league-low -0.278 EPA per play while tied for a league-low four offensive touchdowns this season.

The Denver Broncos may have one of the more underrated fantasy defenses this season, available on the waiver wire in most leagues despite scoring 10+ fantasy points in three of four games this season. They’ve compiled a whopping 12 sacks over the past two weeks, holding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets to a combined 16 points. Next up is a divisional matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, who still have uncertainties at quarterback and could once again be without top WR Davante Adams in this contest.

This defense play isn’t for the faint of heart. After all, the Washington Commanders are easily one of the worst defenses when it comes to actual NFL play. Their secondary is immensely undersized, and they’re unable to get pressure up front with the seventh-lowest pressure rate (31.2%) in the league through the first four weeks of the season. However, this week, they’re getting a home matchup against the Cleveland Browns — a unit that has produced a league-low 21.7% scoring drive percentage and the second-lowest EPA per play (-0.245). Fantasy defenses are averaging 11 points per game against the Browns — the third-most in the league.

Kate Magdziuk is an editor and contributor for Yahoo Fantasy and co-host of the Locked On Dynasty Football podcast. She is also the managing editor for Behind The Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s exclusive Pittsburgh Steelers blog. Her previous bylines include Pro Football Focus, NBC Sports Rotoworld and 4for4 Football, among others.