It was tough sledding for owners who streamed defenses in Week 6, although savvy ones were still rewarded. The Titans made for an unlikely play after returning a fumble from a botched Seahawks field goal attempt for a touchdown, and the Cowboys' special teams dominance over the Redskins made for a great spot start. But the stream of the week went to the St. Louis Rams, who dominated the Texans and scored two defensive touchdowns, recovered two fumbles and gave up just 13 points. More of that could be in store this week, and a few intriguing options present themselves with big plays in mind:
Miami Dolphins (vs. Buffalo Bills): Whether it's Matt Flynn, Jeff Tuel or Thad Lewis with a foot injury, the quarterback situation in Buffalo is a dismal one. However, to the surprise of many, the Bills hung tough with a stout Bengals defense and put up 24 points. Despite that, the Bengals weren't without their share of fantasy points, notching five sacks and recovering a fumble while applying pressure all game long. The Dolphins have a pass rush to be reckoned with as well, and though they have only cashed in on 13 sacks through five games, they've logged a robust 78 hurries according to Pro Football Focus. If Cameron Wake returns to action, it will be likely that they continue that trend versus an inexperienced quarterback, with turnovers and sacks being in store for them. Just nine percent of Yahoo! leagues own the Dolphins defense, and owners could do much worse than snatch it from the wire this week.
San Diego Chargers (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars): Though Chad Henne and Justin Blackmon showed signs of life for the Jaguars versus the Broncos last week, their efforts only resulted in one touchdown on offense. They should be able to find room to run versus a porous Chargers defense this week, but that defense will have the benefit of facing the offense that has put up the fewest yards and points per game, while also being sacked over four times per game and giving the ball away at a rate of over two times per game. Even if the Chargers, who are owned in just 26 percent of Yahoo! leagues, give up a reasonable point total to the Jags, it's fair to expect a few splash plays in the meantime. Sometimes, that's all it takes to put up a good fantasy point total.
Minnesota Vikings (vs. New York Giants): The Vikings haven't stopped anyone this year, allowing over 30 points per game and generating just 10 sacks in the team's first five games. So why are they being considered for fantasy purposes? Their opponents, the hapless New York Giants, have been nothing short of abysmal this season. Eli Manning remains on pace to surrender 40 interceptions this season, and the Giants have turned the ball over a league-worst 23 times. The Vikings aren't turning any heads with their takeaways, but 12 through five games is nothing to scoff at. Playing an offense that is in shambles might just be what it takes to instill confidence in a bloodied and bruised defense, and in turn, fantasy owners who are in need of a defense for Week 7. The Vikings defense is owned in 36 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Honorable mentions: Atlanta Falcons (13 percent, vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers); Buffalo Bills (11 percent, at Miami Dolphins)
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