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The NFL wrapped up Week 3 on Monday, and it’s time to start figuring out where you can upgrade your roster for Week 4. Bye weeks officially begin this week, with the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers getting the week off. The 49ers and Jets both rank in the top five for team fantasy points, which is unexpected given preseason expectations.
Whether you’re looking for a regular streaming option or simply need a bye week replacement, there are some solid options on the fantasy football waiver wire heading into Week 4. It’s not always about the best defenses, but about the matchups they face. Here’s a look at some of the team defenses with solid matchups still available in more than 50 percent of leagues, based on ESPN ownership as of Monday evening.
Houston Texans (33 percent) — vs. Panthers
Kyle Allen had a monster start in place of Cam Newton against the Arizona Cardinals and will make a second straight start after Carolina ruled out Newton on Monday. Allen threw for 261 yards and four touchdowns, and I’m willing to bet money he won’t do that a second straight week against a solid Texans defense. If you need a defense this week, I highly recommend grabbing the Texans unit and fading Allen.
Pittsburgh Steelers (15.7 percent) — vs. Bengals
The Steelers dropped to 0-3 but also are coming off their best performance as a fantasy defense. They benefited from a crazy amount of turnover luck, but they now get to host a Bengals offense that has been woefully inconsistent. The Bills picked off Andy Dalton two times and added two sacks in Week 3. The Steelers are undervalued this week.
Indianapolis Colts (20.9 percent) — vs. Raiders
The Colts are quietly developing an interesting squad in the post-Andrew Luck era. The defense has been fairly meh, but they get a shaky Raiders offense. Oakland could catch the Colts off guard, but Derek Carr is always someone worth betting against.