Top defenses for NFL Fantasy football managers to stream in Week 11

The world of Fantasy football rightfully revolves around standout skill players, but it's important to avoid overlooking defensive units as they make a key difference every week. A poor outing could sink a team in a loss, while a prominent one could give a team just enough of an edge to secure a victory.

That becomes especially true when teams like the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts are on a bye week. Those are two top-10 scoring Fantasy defenses, so adding a dependable streaming option to pick up the slack is as vital as ever. Let's take a look at the top options for the Week 11 NFL slate.

Stream Miami Dolphins (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)

Giving up 48 points to a division rival in Week 4 was a wake-up call for the Miami Dolphins. They have turned things around since that point, posting an average of 7.8 Fantasy points in five contests. It's impressive considering Miami has faced two top-10 offenses in yards per game within the last month.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fanfio's unit draws a much more favorable matchup in Week 10. The Las Vegas Raiders rank 31st when it comes to yards per game (275.4) and have logged the second-most turnovers in the league (18). Las Vegas has also scored more than 17 points in just three of ten games.

Miami is rested from a bye week and enters Sunday leading the AFC East. Stars like cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive end Bradley Chubb know that keeping the foot on the gas is the goal moving forward. Look for the Dolphins to frustrate rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell at Hard Rock Stadium.

Stream Minnesota Vikings D/ST (at Denver Broncos)

There is no understating how much defensive coordinator Brian Flores has changed the conversation around the Minnesota Vikings this season. A defense that was torched week after week in 2022 has been remarkable in 2023, giving up an average of 17.4 points in its current five-game winning streak.

The dominance starts up front. Minnesota ranks 10th in in quarterback pressures this year, meaning the defensive line is forcing the ball out earlier than offenses want it to be thrown. Eighth-year pro Danielle Hunter serves as a veteran captain and his 14 tackles for loss leads all NFL defenders.

It's worth noting Minnesota's secondary has turned into a group of ballhawks as well, logging a stellar eight interceptions in the last five games. Creating takeaways is the quickest way to rack up Fantasy points and the Vikings are only rostered in 23.9% of ESPN leagues. Scoop 'em up before it's too late.

Stream Washington Commanders D/ST (vs. New York Giants)

It's understandable if managers are hesitant to trust the Washington Commanders as they did trade away their two best pass rushers at the NFL trade deadline. However, any defense facing off against the New York Giants is worth streaming down the stretch given how awful their offense has been.

The Giants are averaging a league-worst 259.2 yards and 11.2 points per game this season. They are giving up the most Fantasy points to opposing defenses, too. Injuries to starting quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor have left the coaching staff reliant on an undrafted rookie in Tommy DeVito.

Washington finished with four sacks against New York in Week 7, which helped the team post a top-10 Fantasy performance. Managers can expect a similar outing on Sunday given head coach Brian Daboll's team has allowed the most sacks in the NFL (54). Now is the time to trust the Commanders.

More from Inside The Iggles