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Funnel defense report: Week 2 defenses with ample pass opportunity

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 17: Jalen Mills #31 and Ronald Darby #35 of the Philadelphia Eagles warm up prior to the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field on August 17, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Bills 20-16. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Welcome to the Week 2 Funnel Defense Report, where we examine trends in how defenses are most commonly attacked. It is meant to help narrow our focus from overall game-selection, down to the “run versus pass” level. We as fantasy gamers, like NFL game planners, ideally seek paths of least resistance.

The term “funnel defense,” or “pass funnel defense” was coined several years ago by the esteemed Adam Levitan. It has become common parlance among DFS players and other fantasy aficionados, and refers to defenses which are simultaneously soft against the pass and stout against the run.

Identifying such characteristics is not a one-time task, as injury and performance variation create an evolving landscape. In this space we will leverage, among other resources, up-to-date PFF defensive grades and metrics to stay on top of these constant changes and difference-making fantasy trends.

Week 1 did not contain major shocks to the funnel defense hierarchy, even if they all weren’t thrown on incessantly. As we will detail below, opponents play a large role in results. While that’s plainly obvious, it’s also a why we can’t overreact to a small sample and classify or declassify defenses as pass funnels in a knee-jerk manner. If they continue to display the characteristics of a funnel, it will show up in time.

Top four funnels

Chicago Bears

Chicago remains on the list, but their status bears watching. The front-seven will stomp out running games, as Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman can attest. They struggled for a combined 2.7 yards per carry on Sunday, with their longest run spanning seven yards. The only surprising detail was the Falcons elected to hand off on 51.9 percent of neutral-game-situation plays, Week 1’s sixth highest rate.

When Atlanta did throw the ball, they gained 10.3 yards per attempt (third-highest), although the average was buoyed by an 88-yard busted-coverage rumble via tight end Austin Hooper and his stiff-arm of fury. Chicago’s place on this list is tenuous not due to how teams will likely attack them, but how consistently effective – and more specifically, how explosive – opposing passing games will be.

Week 2: As Adam Levitan pointed out on Twitter, since Vic Fangio arrived in Chicago they’ve been murder on No. 1 wideouts. This week they’ll face a well-rested Mike Evans and a run-oriented Buccaneers offense in a likely slow-paced affair. Elite coverage linebacker Jerrell Freeman was lost to IR, raising additional questions. Treating this game as more of a fact-finding mission than a fruitful fantasy spot may be the prudent approach.

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