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Week 9 Fantasy Football Defense Streamers: Lions Lead Group of D/STs Poised for Productive Fantasy Games

The Lions, along with two more defenses, are the top-streaming options on the waiver wire this week.

Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) celebrates a sack of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray (1) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The waiver wire is a little thin this week with eye-popping defenses in favorable matchups, but there are still a few D/STs worth picking up this week.

Fantasy managers who prefer to stream defenses should hone in on these D/STs still available in the majortiy of leagues.

Detroit Lions D/ST

The Lions D/ST are quietly having a decent Fantasy season thanks to a multitude of adequate scoring games. The Lions have five games in the top half of positional ranks with two of those games ranking in the top-seven of positinal standings. The NFC North outfit look to add on to their strong Fantasy performances this week against an opponent that struggles on offense.

The Lions head to the Sunshine State to face the Miami Dolphins, one of the best teams to target in Fantasy football. The Dolphins continue to struggle on the offensive side of the ball as the AFC East outfit average 16.7 PPG, second-worst in the NFL.

On top of the Dolphins' offensive struggles, the Lions rank third in the NFL in sacks. The Lions should be playing with a lead, which leads to more opportunities to rack up the sacks. A game script where the Lions are leading allows the top-tier pass rush group to feast on an inefficient offense.

The Dolphins are the easiest offense the Lions D/ST will face so far this season, which could lead to a ceiling Fantasy performance for the NFC North squad. At a minimum, Fantasy managers can expect a top-half display from the Lions this week against the Dolphins.

Chicago Bears D/ST

The Bears added Jeffrey Simmons this past week and the addition of the All-Pro returned immediate dividends. The Bears limited the Seattle Seahawks to 17 points in their win over the reigning Super Bowl champions, resulting in a 8.0 Fantasy points performance for the Bears. The NFC North outfit look to carry their momentum gained from week 8 into this week with Simmons leading the pack.

The Bears host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have been one dimensional on offense lately. The Bucs made history last week in their win over the Atlanta Falcons as the Bucs were the first team since 1974 to win a game with no completions. The Bucs committed to the run since quarterback Baker Mayfield's return as the Bucs QB only has seven completions in his two games since returning from injury.

With Simmons leading the Bears front seven and the Bucs emphasizing the run game, the Bears are strong D/ST option off the waiver wire this week.

Buffalo Bills D/ST

The Bills are coming off a season-best 14.0 Fantasy performance last week against the Baltimore Ravens and look to continue the momentum into this week against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings have weapons on offense with Justin Jefferson leading the way, but have been struggling on offense all season long. The Vikings score 20.0 PPG, sixth-worst in the league. The Vikings' inability to put up points make the Bills a safe option heading into week 9.

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