Author: Dom Cintorino
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all know, the infamous Week 17 can take many different turns. Some leagues refuse to play it, others have been riding it the whole way for years. If you do play in Week 17, you need to be able to adjust to these situations and take advantage of matchups. Let’s dive into some of the top defensive streams for week 17:
Pittsburgh Steelers
Though they are 57% owned on Yahoo, the Steelers should be considered if available in your league. Pittsburgh knows what they are up against this week in order to get into the playoffs. Some help is needed, but the Steelers have to take care of business against the Bengals first for any chance to make it in. The Bengals have not been turning the ball over as much as one would imagine with Jeff Driskel under center, but these are under different circumstances for the Steelers. They have forced at least one turnover in each of their last three games and will be looking to put this one away early as heavy favorites. Don’t expect the Bengals to put up much on the scoreboard.
Buffalo Bills/Miami Dolphins
Facing off against each other this week, neither team has very much to play for. This game features the second lowest over/under on the 16 game slate and should not have too much excitement. Both defenses are under 35% owned on Yahoo and each find themselves in a nice matchup .We have been picking on the Bills as of late and it has paid off as they have turned the ball over nine times in their past four games. The Dolphins defense has forced eight turnovers in the past five games and are second in the league in interceptions. The Bills defense hasn’t been playing too bad as of late either. They also have forced eight turnovers in their last five games. In Week 13, when these two teams met for the first time this season, there were just 38 total points scored and four total turnovers. Expect a similar outcome in this one and roll with either D/ST.
Carolina Panthers
Another game that has little to no meaning this week is the Carolina Panthers visiting the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have everything locked up as the one seed in the NFC and the Panthers have been eliminated from playoff contention. There have already been reports stating that Teddy Bridgewater is going to start and we cannot be too sure how he is going to look. The last real action Teddy got was in the preseason of 2016. I wouldn’t expect the Saints’ skill players to stay on the field Sunday very long either. The Panthers’ defense has recovered six fumbles in the last four games and will be looking to cause more turnovers against backups from the Saints offense later in the game.
Atlanta Falcons
Their ownership remains low at just 27% on Yahoo, but the Atlanta Falcons defense continues to be a top option. In their last two games, the Falcons have given up a total of just 24 points. While limiting their opponent, they have also managed to force seven turnovers and nine sacks. This week, they go gainst the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have thrown the most interceptions of any team this season (25). The Buccaneers offense has been struggling lately as they have been held to 20 points or fewer in each of their past three games. If you have been with the Falcons’ D/ST throughout the playoffs, keep rolling with them.
Featured Image:Tammy Anthony Baker