Getting Defensive: Week 2 fantasy plays led by Rams, Broncos; top streaming defenses

Well, the first week of the 2025 NFL season is in the books. And the biggest takeaway that we as fantasy managers can take away is this…

We learned a whole bunch of nothing. Especially on defense.

Granted, in more games than not, scores were low and it was clear that at this point the defenses are ahead of the offenses (Well, except in Buffalo—and y’all were warned about starting a defense in what wound up both shootout-city and the week’s best game). That’s to be expected, especially in an era where so many star players spend the entire preseason watching from their jacuzzi at home.

Not only did we think the Denver Broncos were going to be good defensively, but most expected the Tennessee Titans to struggle on offense, at least early in the year. Sure enough, Titans quarterback Cam Ward spent most of Week 1 running backward and the Broncos had a day.

But the Titans defense had a top-five fantasy week of their own. They were joined there by the Indianapolis Colts. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals were well inside the top-10. The latter pair were used a fair amount as streaming options in Week 1, but it’s far too early to crown any as weekly starters.

That makes Dennis Green mad.

So, for now, we roll out the defenses we’re supposed to. Base matchup plays as much on 2024 as on 2025. And wait to see if what we think we know about this season is actual knowledge or just Week 1 weirdness.

Once is a fluke. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a trend.

THE NO-DOUBTERS

Denver Broncos (at Indianapolis Colts)

The Broncos played like arguably the NFL’s best defense in Week 1, holding the Titans to just 133 yards of offense and seven first downs while dropping Cam Ward six times and forcing a pair of turnovers. Now, the Broncos travel to face the juggernaut that is the Colts offense. The Denver defense may really be this good. The Colts aren’t--Indianapolis isn’t going to score on every possession in this game, and at some point “Indiana Jones” is going to remember his actual first name.

Los Angeles Rams (at Tennessee Titans)

Sunday’s meeting between the Rams and the Houston Texans in Week 1 didn’t feature much in the way of offensive fireworks, and the Rams have to be pleased with how the defense played—Los Angeles gave up just 265 yards of offense and dropped C.J. Stroud three times with a pair of takeaways. Now the Rams get a Titans team that couldn’t do anything offensively in Denver. Jared Verse, Byron Young and the Rams’ front-seven will be eating more than barbecue in Week 2.

Baltimore Ravens (vs. Cleveland Browns)

The Ravens admittedly just got roasted by a ham, allowing almost 500 yards of offense and 41 points in Sunday night’s stunning loss to the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore’s secondary is a legitimate concern—it’s long and names and short on the ability to stop anyone dating back to last season. But the Ravens aren’t taking on the reigning NFL MVP this week—they are hosting a putrid Cleveland Browns team that can’t run the ball with Zombie Joe Flacco at quarterback. Going to be a lot of anger about Week 1 worked out at M&T Bank Stadium.

San Francisco 49ers (at New Orleans Saints)

The 49ers were another team that won ugly in Week 1—thanks in large part to an outstanding performance by edge-rusher Nick Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner and the 49ers defense. San Francisco surrendered just 230 yards of offense and limited the Seahawks to a single touchdown, with Bosa’s strip-sack sealing the deal. The Saints showed more fight in a Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals than many expected, but um, Spencer Rattler is their quarterback.

Green Bay Packers (vs. Washington Commanders)

A week ago, this defense would have more likely landed in “Caveat Emptor” territory than here—Micah Parsons or no. But there wasn’t a more impressive all-around performance in Week 1 than the Packers’ dismantling of a Lions team that won 15 games and led the NFL in offense in 2024. Green Bay held that offense to one touchdown and under 250 yards of offense while dropping Jared Goff four times. Dennis Green can get bent. Crowning the Packers as a very good defensive football team.

Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Seattle Seahawks)

OK, so last week’s shootout win over the New York Jets feels like it falls into the “Week 1 fluke” category—both of those defenses are better than they played Sunday. However, Seattle’s offensive struggles against the 49ers at home may have been more foreboding. Seattle’s offensive line was a major question mark entering the season, and they got pushed around for much of their first game. Sam Darnold doesn’t do well when pressured—and T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith should get plenty at home in Week 2.

STREAMERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!

Arizona Cardinals (vs. Carolina Panthers)

When you’re Living the Stream with team defenses, sometimes you can’t be afraid to go back to the well. That’s the case this week with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Despite an underwhelming debut in a Week 1 win over the Saints in New Orleans, the Redbirds are once again among the best streaming plays available. Apparently Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has a religious objection to playing well early in the season—had Young’s third interception against Jacksonville not been called back due to a penalty, the Jaguars would have turned a good week into a ridiculous one.

New England Patriots (at Miami Dolphins)

The debut of Mike Vrabel’s new defense in Beantown was bumpy--the Patriots were lit up by Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith for 362 yards in the opener. But the Patriots were able to drop Smith four times in a seven-point loss, and frankly this has less to do with New England than the “team” they are playing. No franchise in the NFL looked worse in Week 1 than the Dolphins, who were unable to generate any offense in Indianapolis last week save one meaningless touchdown.

Detroit Lions (vs. Chicago Bears)

For 30 minutes against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, it looked like Ben Johnson’s impact as head coach of the Bears would be immediate. But after intermission, the wheels came off for Caleb Williams and Co.—just as they did for the Lions defense in Green Bay last week. The Vikings didn’t light it up on the stat sheet the way so many opponents did a season ago, but the Lions are at home and desperately want to avoid an 0-2 start. Rebound time against a Bears team that still has work to do.

Dallas Cowboys (vs. New York Giants)

I know, I know, Micah Parsons is gone and as a result the Dallas defense is dead. The thing is though, the Cowboys actually played fairly well on that side of the ball except at linebacker, where they were atrocious (Kenneth Murray Jr. stinks. Free Marist Liufau). Speaking of atrocious, did you see the Giants in their Week 1 loss to the Commanders? Fans are already lining up to run Russell Wilson out of town, the offensive line is still bad, and the Giants don’t have the muscle to push the Dallas defensive line around the way Philly did.

Minnesota Vikings (vs. Atlanta Falcons)

Week 1 ended with a weird one. The Vikings looked overmatched much of the game but somehow got the win. The Vikings didn’t get home against Caleb Williams with the regularity they did a year ago on the way to leading all NFC defenses in fantasy points, and Atlanta’s offense looked better in Week 1 than the Bears did. If that sounds like rambling, it’s because it is—frankly I’m not sure how to feel about this fantasy play. But the Vikings are at home, so SKOL! I guess?

CAVEAT EMPTOR, FOLKS

Philadelphia Eagles (at Kansas City Chiefs)

The offense for the Kansas City Chiefs looked a lot in Week 1 like it did in Super Bowl LIX—and in Super Bowl LIX the Eagles annihilated the Chiefs. Without Xavier Worthy or Rashee Rice, the Chiefs just can’t challenge teams vertically. Never mind that the last time these teams met, there was the whole annihilation thing—the Eagles completely dominated the line of scrimmage and turned the Chiefs over multiple times. But it’s Patrick Mahomes. And the Chiefs. At Arrowhead.

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