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With every fantasy football league in the playoffs, every defense needs to be analyzed in Week 16, including the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans'. Everyone is in win-now mode. and there's no such thing as overthinking your lineup, presuming you come to the right conclusion.
These are teams on opposite ends of the NFL spectrum, with Houston very much hopeful of a playoff spot and Chicago bottom of the NFC North. That doesn't mean the Bears will go down easy, as they hold the first pick of the 2024 draft, courtesy of the Carolina Panthers.
Let's take a look at the fantasy outlook of both these defenses, starting with the Chicago Bears:
Bears defense rank for Week 16
While it's safe to say the 2023 season has not gone the way Bears fans had hoped, there have been some bright spots and cause for optimism. A good draft could completely change their fortunes, and if they negotiate the offseason well, Chicago could threaten for the NFC North in 2024.
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One of the pieces they have added in that pursuit is Montez Sweat, who has looked superb since arriving before the trade deadline. The Bears' defense has been buoyed since his arrival, which has transcended into fantasy football.
Chicago's defense has recorded 25 sacks, 18 INTs, five fumble recoveries and two TDs this season, food for 98.00 points in fantasy football. They are the 17th-ranked D on the year but have put in three very good performances (14, 14, 17 points), so they are an interesting option.
They face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, which is a tough game to call. Both teams have the ability and weapons to score big points, but both often succumb to low-scoring defeats.
Chicago's defense has been given the No. 5 rank in fantasy football in Week 15 for projected points (fantasy.nfl.com), which puts them among the best defenses of the week.
Sportskeeda's Start/Sit projects the Bears D will record 6.3 points, which recognizes the hard-to-call nature of the Chicago-Arizona matchup. If you fancy the Cardinals to fall to pieces in Week 16, this defense could be a match-winner, This defense is a good pick, but there's a chance that it blows up in your face.
Texans defense rank for Week 16
The Houston Texans are very hopeful they can win the AFC South this season, as they're 8-6 and third in the division due to tiebreakers. They were without rookie QB C.J. Stroud in Week 15 but still overcame their rivals, the Tennessee Titans, who were wearing Oilers throwbacks for the occasion.
While Stroud is trending towards being out again in Week 16, the Texans are optimistic they can get the job done against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are not prolific offensively but have been winning a lot of games and stand at 9-5.
With Joe Flacco under center, the Browns have looked decent, but this has been a limited sample size, and Flacco had previously looked way past his prime in recent seasons.
The Texans' defense will be confident that they can find a way to wreak havoc among the Browns' offensive line and hope that they can create enough panic and confusion to cause turnovers.
The Texans D has recorded 38 sacks, 12 INTs, eight fumble recoveries and one TD on the year, totaling 97.00 points in fantasy football. This ranks 20th in NFL fantasy, and based on this Houston's defense, it's a risky start. Speaking of rankings, the Texans D is expected to be the eighth-highest-scoring defense of the week, so they could be worth a punt.
Sportskeeda's Start/Sit tool projects the Texans D to record 4.9 points, which means they are certainly a risk and likely have a low ceiling. Realistically, there may be better defenses out there in Week 16, so looking at streamers is advisable.
Bears or Texans defense: Which one's the right call in fantasy football Week 16?
Looking a the numbers, the Bears' defense is a better pick than the Texans'. Not only do they have a safer floor, but they also have a better chance of reaching their higher ceiling.
While they are a better pick in Week 16, they are not a certainty for big points. But as the Cardinals are having a lot of trouble on the year, they look to be a fairly safe pick.
It's certainly worth looking around at other defenses first because there may be better options out there for you on waivers.
