Streaming Defenses Week 15: D/ST Picks for Fantasy Football This Week

Find top fantasy D/ST streamers for Week 15, with matchup-based analysis, waiver targets and sneaky plays to help you with your fantasy football roster.

December 9, 2025

Streaming Defenses Week 15: D/ST Picks for Fantasy Football This Week

By:

Jerry Donabedian

December 9, 2025

Streaming Defenses

Per usual, there are some key situations to watch with injury reports and NFL breaking news. QB injuries are of particular importance for weekly projections and team defense rankings, which means we'll want to keep an eye on updates regarding Commanders QB Jayden Daniels (elbow), Jets QB Tyrod Taylor (groin), Raiders QB Geno Smith (shoulder) and Colts QB Riley Leonard (knee).

Playoff Grid

Teams in bold/colors are projected to rank in the Top 10 for at least two of the three playoff weeks.

	W15	W16	W17
1	Eagles (vs. LV)	Texans (vs. LV)	Rams (at ATL)
2	Jaguars (vs. NYJ)	Chiefs (at TEN)	Patriots (at NYJ)
3	Seahawks (vs. IND)	Bills (at CLE)	Lions (at MIN)
4	49ers (vs. TEN)	49ers (at IND)	Steelers (at CLE)
5	Texans (vs. ARZ)	Saints (vs. NYJ)	Jaguars (at IND)
6	Bears (vs. CLE)	Lions (vs. PIT)	Saints (at TEN)
7	Buccaneers (vs. ATL)	Cardinals (vs. ATL)	Seahawks (at CAR)
8	Cowboys (vs. MIN)	Jets (at NO)	Titans (vs. NO)
9	Panthers (at NO)	Packers (at CHI)	Browns (vs. PIT)
10	Steelers (vs. MIA)	Broncos (vs. JAX)	Texans (at LAC)
11	Chiefs (vs. LAC)	Rams (at SEA)	Chargers (vs. HOU)
12	Packers (at DEN)	Seahawks (vs. LAR)	Chiefs (vs. DEN)
13	Saints (vs. CAR)	Giants (vs. MIN)	Buccaneers (at MIA)
14	Broncos (vs. GB)	Vikings (at NYG)	49ers (vs. CHI)
15	Rams (vs. DET)	Eagles (at WAS)	Bills (vs. PHI)

Note: These recommendations are limited to team defenses that are rostered on less than 60 percent of teams on Yahoo or 80 percent on NFFC. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring, which doesn't include yards allowed.

Top Streaming Options for Week 15

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. NYJ)

38% Yahoo, 91% NFFC
Team implied total: 26.5 Opponent implied total: 15.0
Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 16: 17th (at DEN) , Week 17: 5th (at IND)

The Jaguars were already going to be in the Top 10 this week, and they now look like a top-five play after the Jets lost Tyrod Taylor to a groin injury. Justin Fields (knee) was inactive this past Sunday, leaving undrafted rookie Brady Cook to take over under center in a 34-10 loss to Miami. Cook threw two interceptions while completing just 14 of 30 passes for 163 yards (with no TDs). The possibility of facing Fields or Cook rather than Taylor in Week 15 is a big upgrade to Jacksonville's outlook, though a matchup with Fields wouldn't be quite as favorable as facing Cook.

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2. San Francisco 49ers (vs. TEN)

23% Yahoo, 70% NFFC
Team implied total: 28.5 Opponent implied total: 16.0
Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 16: 4th (at IND), Week 17: 14th (vs. CHI)

The 49ers were supposed to take the No. 1 spot in our D/ST rankings this week, but then injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor led to a major shake-up. The 49ers still grade as an A+ play, coming out of a bye to host the woeful Titans, but it just so happens that there are three other A+ plays on the same slate (PHI, JAX, SEA). Of the four, only San Francisco projects as a top-10 option again for Week 16, getting a massive boost in those rankings after Jones' Achilles injury left Indianapolis with arguably the worst QB situation in the league.

3. Chicago Bears (vs. CLE)

21% Yahoo, 76% NFFC
Team implied total: 24.0 Opponent implied total: 16.5
Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 16: 18th (vs. GB), Week 17: 22nd (at SF)

The Bears are 7.5-point favorites, with Cleveland's implied total (16.5) tied for fifth-worst on a slate full of low numbers (three teams are projected at 15 or lower, and 10 teams are below 20). Chicago's defense is the healthiest it's been all season, and turnovers have been a regular feature even when opponents don't have too much trouble moving the ball. Don't expect much from Shedeur Sanders and Co. this Sunday in Chicago.

4. Dallas Cowboys (vs. MIN)

11% Yahoo, 40% NFFC
Team implied total: 27.0 Opponent implied total: 20.5
Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 16: 21st (vs. LAC), Week 17: 21st (at WAS)

It turns out the Quinnen Williams trade didn't fix all of the Cowboys' defensive issues, but we've at least seen enough improvement on the whole to consider Dallas as a streaming option in the right spots. A home game against Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy certainly qualifies, even after McCarthy finally put together a decent performance in a blowout win over Washington this past Sunday.

5. Carolina Panthers (at NO)

4% Yahoo, 27% NFFC
Team implied total: 21.5 Opponent implied total: 19.0
Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 16: 22nd (vs. TB), Week 17: 23rd (vs. SEA)

The Saints have looked better with Tyler Shough under center, but the rookie still makes for a friendly D/ST opponent, recording three straight games with an interception and at least three sacks. My only hesitation here is that Shough's last game before the streak was a 282-yard, two-TD performance in a 17-7 win at Carolina in Week 10. It's no secret that the Panthers have been wildly inconsistent, so you kind of know what you're getting into at this point if you decide to play them. The ceiling is lovely; the floor, not so much.