Fantasy football D/ST outlook for Weeks 9-12: Fire up Texans, and how 'bout them Cowboys?

Every four weeks in this space, the D/ST Road Map helps fantasy managers navigate a streaming defense strategy through the upcoming month's games.

If streaming team defense/special teams is a new concept to you, consider the numbers so far in 2026: The top five D/STs selected on average in the preseason have averaged 6.7 fantasy points. To put that into perspective, D/STs that have faced the five offenses that have surrendered the most points have averaged 9.4.

With this being the peak of the bye weeks -- "bye-mageddon" (six teams on bye) arrives in Week 11 -- every manager is surely in need of at least a one-week plug-in. To help you navigate these important weeks just ahead of the fantasy playoffs, what follows is my updated D/ST Road Map for Weeks 9-12, spanning the remainder of November.

Top 10 offenses to exploit

Here are the 10 offenses that, over the past five weeks, have been the best against which to stream D/STs:

1. Los Angeles Chargers: added 6.6 fantasy points to a D/ST's score on average

2. Minnesota Vikings: +4.8

3. Carolina Panthers: +4.4

4. Indianapolis Colts: +4.1

5. Baltimore Ravens: +3.8

6. Cleveland Browns: +3.5

7. Seattle Seahawks: +3.1

8. Philadelphia Eagles: +2.4

9. Tennessee Titans: +2.2

10. Arizona Cardinals: +1.9

It might be puzzling to see the Vikings, tied for the league's best record (6-1) and fifth in point differential (+47), high on the list, but much more of the credit for their hot start should be attributed to their outstanding defense. Offensively speaking, the Vikings are a bottom-10 team in points scored and total yards per game, and they have an above-average sack rate. Avoid their defense with your skill-position players, but have little fear of streaming your defense against Kyler Murray and company.

The New York Jets (+1.5), tied for the second-most sacks in the league, narrowly missed the cutoff but are another worthy streaming target.

Top 10 offenses to avoid

1. Detroit Lions: subtracted 6.4 points from a D/ST's score on average

2. Houston Texans: minus-4.0

3. Buffalo Bills: minus-4.0

4. Cincinnati Bengals: minus-3.8

5. Las Vegas Raiders: minus-3.8

6. New England Patriots: minus-3.4

7. Kansas City Chiefs: minus-3.3

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: minus-2.6

9. Denver Broncos: minus-2.4

10. Dallas Cowboys: minus-2.0

The surprising Raiders, the No. 2 offense against which to stream entering the season, enter the list after scoring 30-plus points for the second time in three weeks. All this despite 38-year-old Kirk Cousins doing a fine job as their starting quarterback, and despite their benching their starting running back, Ashton Jeanty, for the start of their Week 8 win. Should the Raiders surrender to the occasional calls for rookie Fernando Mendoza to take over for Cousins, this stance will almost assuredly change, but for now, temper your expectations from D/STs that face the Raiders.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (minus-1.7), once an offense against which to stream while Baker Mayfield was sidelined with a dislocated thumb, narrowly missed the cutoff.

The D/ST to lock in for November: Texans

You couldn't ask for a softer schedule than what the Texans face. In Week 9, they visit the reeling, 0-7 Chargers. In Week 10, they've got a road game against the most sack-prone team in the Browns. In Week 11, they return home to host the rebuilding Colts. And in Week 12, they'll get another home game, this time against a Ravens team that lost its top two quarterbacks to injuries Sunday.

The Texans were heavily drafted in the preseason, but as things stand they're available in more than one-third of ESPN leagues. If they're out there in yours, snatch them up for what's a full November of must-start matchups.

The other D/ST to lock in for November: Cowboys

They're one of the two more widely available, exiting Week 8 still out there in more than 80% of ESPN leagues. The Cowboys do have one middling-to-tough D/ST matchup, a Week 10 home game against the San Francisco 49ers, but other than that should be in your lineups for the other three. Those include a road game against the Colts and home games against the low-scoring Titans and injury-riddled Eagles.

D/ST week-by-week Road Map

Here's a handy guide for streaming the position on a weekly basis, and we'll also have an updated version to help steer you through Weeks 13-17. All D/STs are ranked in my order of preference, regardless of roster rate in ESPN leagues, so that you won't miss out on a higher quality defense if it becomes available in yours.

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Defenses rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues are both italicized and bolded, to identify optimal streaming matchups, while those to avoid are over 50% rostered.

Week 9

1. Texans (@LAC)

2. Jaguars (@BAL)

3. Broncos (@CAR)

4. Seahawks (ARI)

5. New York Giants (@PHI)

6. New Orleans Saints (CLE)

7. Bills (@MIN)

8. Cowboys (@IND)

Bye weeks: Pittsburgh Steelers, Titans.

Avoid: Vikings (BUF), Ravens (JAX).

Week 10

1. Ravens (LAC)

2. Green Bay Packers (MIN)

3. Texans (@CLE)

4. Jaguars (@TEN)

5. Los Angeles Rams (@ARI)

6. Chargers (@BAL)

7. Miami Dolphins (@IND)

8. Washington Commanders (@NYG)

Bye weeks: Chicago Bears, Broncos, Eagles, Buccaneers.

Avoid: Patriots (@DET), Browns (HOU), Steelers (@CIN), Seahawks (@LV).

Week 11

1. Jets (@LAC)

2. Texans (IND)

3. Steelers (@PHI)

4. 49ers (MIN)

5. Chiefs (ARI)

6. Ravens (@CAR)

7. Jaguars (@NYG)

8. Panthers (BAL)

Bye weeks: Atlanta Falcons, Browns, Packers, Rams, Patriots, Seahawks.

Avoid: Broncos (LV).

Week 12

1. Patriots (@LAC)

2. Giants (@IND)

3. Buccaneers (CAR)

4. Texans (BAL)

5. 49ers (SEA)

6. Jaguars (TEN)

7. Falcons (@MIN)

8. Raiders (@CLE)

Avoid: Chiefs (@BUF), Ravens (@HOU), Browns (LV).