D/ST Wins Championships

Drafting a D/ST early on is one of the worst possible moves a fantasy owner can make. While it may seem enticing to draft the Seahawks D/ST (ADP 55.5) or the Panthers D/ST (ADP 79.0), it’s much smarter to use those picks on players that will contribute on a week-to-week basis while playing the matchups with your D/ST. Consider that it’s a lot safer to bet against a bad offense than bet on a good defense.

In 1/4th of their games last year, the Seahawks D/ST failed to even record double digit points. However, each NFL team’s D/ST put up at least two double digit point outings last year. The high-scoring performances are there, you just have to find them. This column will aim to find those performances.

The Rules: Each week, I’ll highlight three easily-acquired D/ST’s that are worthy of a start in 12-team formats. The D/STs that I pick must be owned in less than 40 percent of leagues, so that each unit is likely available in your own league. To establish credibility over the course of the season, I’ll review how my picks from last week did. Being that this is Week 1, there is nothing to review yet, but follow the series throughout the year and hopefully it’ll become apparent that drafting a D/ST any time before the last round isn’t at all necessary for fantasy success.

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