Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW): Week 1

Sep 03, 2013

For those of you new to Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW), the strategy goes like this: Each week, you target a mediocre defense on the waiver wire, looking for a good matchup, preferably at home. You will typically get good defensive production without having to burn a semi-valuable pick on draft day. Or if you do draft a DT and they start to disappoint, you can use DTBWW the rest of the way. The strategy is also called streaming defenses.

I have been writing a Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW) feature for four years -- offering readers several available-on-the-waiver-wire DT picks each week -- and they averaged DT5, DT6, DT7 and DT10 numbers from 2009 to 2012. DT10 may not sound impressive, but I have been offering more picks each week which may account for the decline. Still, generating top 10 DT numbers off the waiver wire allows fantasy owners to basically ignore the position on draft day, instead focusing on more important areas.

Generally, defenses have to be available on the waiver wire in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues to be eligible. This ensures that we are talking about defenses that are readily available.

Let's take a look at the best plays for Week 1:

Colts (vs. OAK)
In case you haven't heard, Terrelle Pryor is starting for the Raiders and given his inexperience, the Colts defense should be able to create turnovers. Oakland lost tackle Jared Veldheer to a triceps injury, which only complicates matters.