Top 3 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Defenses (Week 1)

We will have you covered throughout the fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential fantasy football waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top fantasy football waiver wire defenses to target for the week below. And here are all of our fantasy football waiver wire targets for Week 1.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Defenses

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Defenses

Written by Pat Fitzmaurice

San Francisco 49ers: 32% rostered

The 49ers’ defense averaged 0.9 fantasy points per game over its last seven games of the 2024 season and produced negative points in four of those games. Heck of a sales pitch, huh? But the 49ers finished a respectable 13th in defensive DVOA last season. What we’re really trying to do here is get out in front of a Week 2 matchup with the Saints, a team that fantasy managers are going to be targeting with team defenses all season long. The Saints’ Week 1 starter at quarterback, Spencer Rattler, took 22 sacks, threw five interceptions and lost three fumbles in six starts last season. The 49ers also have a playable Week 1 matchup against QB Sam Darnold and the Seahawks.

Los Angeles Rams: 22% rostered

Jared Verse has become one of the top edge rushers in the league, and Verse might pick his teeth with the Texans’ Swiss cheese offensive line in Week 1. The Rams also have a favorable Week 2 matchup against rookie QB Cam Ward and the Titans.

Arizona Cardinals: 35% rostered

The Cardinals’ defense gets a running start into the season, with a Week 1 road matchup against the Saints and a Week 2 home date with the Panthers. Led by ball-hawking safety Budda Baker, the Cardinals have a solid defense that ranked 14th in defensive DVOA last season.