Getting Defensive 2024: Week 5

Well, we’re a month into the season, and just as everyone predicted the Minnesota Vikings are 4-0 and have the highest-scoring team defense in fantasy football.

No, really, it’s true.

The Vikings haven’t played great defense—especially of late. As a matter of fact, after four weeks, there isn’t a team in the NFL allowing more passing yards per game than the 274.3 the Vikes are giving up after Jordan Love’s huge game Sunday.

But even in a 32-29 shootout, the Vikings were still able to salvage a decent fantasy outing thanks to three interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery. Through four weeks, the Vikings are second in the NFL with 10 takeaways and lead the league with 14 sacks. When it comes to the big plays that are the bread and butter of fantasy production, the Vikes just keep piling them up.

Is that pace sustainable? Frankly, probably not—especially if Minnesota’s secondary turns out to be a long-term issue (as it was a year ago). But right now, Jonathan Greenard, Camryn Bynum and the Vikings are absolutely a hot hand worth riding when a Jets offense that couldn’t find the end zone last week against the Denver Broncos comes to US Bank Stadium in Week 5.

THE NO-DOUBTERS

Chicago Bears (vs. Carolina Panthers)

That the Bears are a .500 football team a month into the season says a lot more about the Bears defense than it does Caleb Williams’ development as a quarterback—the Bears are allowing less than 300 yards of offense per game, rank 10th in points allowed, have logged the NFL’s third-most takeaways and rank second in fantasy points behind the aforementioned Minnesota Vikings. The Carolina Panthers have been better offensively since Andy Dalton took over at quarterback, but Chicago is still a solid fantasy start in a week short on relatively safe bets at the position.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

The Steelers suffered the first loss of the season last week in Indianapolis, but at 3-1 Pittsburgh is off to a better start this year…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/getting-defensive-2024-week-5-060934818.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-01 06:09:34

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