Week 4 Fantasy Football D/ST & Kicker Rankings: Top Streamers & Stashes
Theo Gremminger breaks down Week 4 streaming defenses, highlighting bad offensive situations to attack (New England, Tampa Bay, New York Giants) and top rostered units in great matchups (Seattle, Baltimore, Minnesota), plus a look ahead at defenses to stash for Weeks 5-6 (Dallas, Washington, Cleveland). He closes with kicker recommendations, pointing to hot streaming options like Spencer Schrader and Chase McLaughlin plus must-roster studs like Evan McPherson.
# RotoWire Week 4 D/ST & Kicker Streaming Brief
Theo Gremminger runs through his weekly defense streaming board plus a kicker update, built around a simple thesis: target bad offenses rather than chase name-brand defenses, because low-rostered units can swing a fantasy week when they land against a struggling offensive situation. He also revisits two preseason kicker calls that have hit, and flags fresh waiver-wire kicker options worth prioritizing.
The arguments
Minnesota is the top streaming defense of the week if you can find it. Gremminger notes the Vikings are 80-85% rostered in Yahoo/ESPN leagues but still available in a handful of FFPC/NFFC leagues, and he's calling them a plug-and-play unit against a Miami offense playing without Devon Achane. He points to their 9-6 win over Chicago as proof they're a weekly matchup-proof defense right now.
The Thursday-night Steelers-Browns game offers a two-way streaming angle. Pittsburgh is rostered in far fewer leagues (76% owned) than people realize after a bad Cincinnati week, but Gremminger likes them in a tricky short-week spot in Cleveland. He flips to the Browns as the smarter side given Cleveland's 7-0 record on Thursday Night Football since 2018 and 6-1 mark at home against Pittsburgh since 2019.
Several offenses once considered untouchable are now streaming targets. Tampa Bay (with Baker Mayfield out, Jalen Daniels making his first start), New England (Drake May turnover-prone, Mack Hollins his top target), and the Giants (Jameis Winston possibly playing his last week before J.J. McCarthy) are all flagged as offenses any streaming defense can exploit. Gremminger explicitly walks back last week's Green Bay recommendation against Atlanta, calling it a bad miss, but still likes Green Bay this week against Daniels' Tampa Bay debut.
Buffalo and Arizona are the two widest-available streaming plays. Buffalo is 69% available in Yahoo leagues and gets a beat-down spot against New England; Arizona is the lowest-rostered defense discussed and travels to face Winston and the Giants, a matchup Gremminger thinks will force more pressure situations than New York saw against Tennessee's low-scoring offense last week.
Kansas City remains in play but has lost some shine. Gremminger had pushed KC as a stash two weeks ago; Miami played better than expected against them last week, but this week's trip to Las Vegas against Kirk Cousins (nine touchdowns, but also turnover-prone) keeps KC as his top overall defensive option.
Dallas and Washington are stash candidates for Week 5, but one is much stronger than the other. Dallas gets Tampa Bay on a short week next Thursday, a spot Gremminger likes if Daniels struggles this week; Washington gets Winston and the Giants at home, which Gremminger is lukewarm on and says can basically be ignored. Cleveland is also mentioned as a potential Week 5 stash if they build momentum against Pittsburgh, since they'd then draw a Jets offense that's performed well through the air but hasn't been tested without Breece Hall.
Two preseason kicker calls are paying off, and two new names deserve waiver attention. Will Reichard (Vikings) and Evan McPherson (Bengals) were both preseason recommendations; McPherson is a perfect 8-for-8 on field goals with five 50-plus-yarders and averaging 14 points per game. Spencer Schrader and Chase McLaughlin are the newer adds Gremminger pushes, citing their long-field-goal volume as the specific edge he looks for at the position.
What it means for your roster
- Priority add: Minnesota D/ST if available in your format — Gremminger's top streamer against a Devon Achane-less Miami offense.
- Streaming plays this week: Cleveland (Thursday favorite over Pittsburgh), Buffalo (vs. New England), Arizona (vs. Giants/Winston), and Kansas City (vs. Las Vegas) all get the green light; Pittsburgh is a viable alternate side of the Cleveland game if you prefer the road dog angle.
- Bench/fade: Green Bay was a miss last week (Atlanta) — don't chase defenses based on name value; matchup is king.
- Stash for Week 5 if roster size allows: Dallas (home vs. Tampa Bay on a short week) is the stronger stash; Washington (vs. Giants) is weak enough to skip despite the Winston matchup.
- Kicker priority adds: Spencer Schrader (12.7 PPG, perfect on 40+ yard attempts) and Chase McLaughlin (74% available in Yahoo, 9-for-9 on field goals) — Gremminger says pivot off Cairo Santos, Matt Boswell, or Matt Gay-type kickers to grab these two.
- Kicker holds: Will Reichard and Evan McPherson are performing at preseason-projected elite levels and should not be available on any competent waiver wire — check your league immediately if they are.
“It's not where you have been. It's where you are for this week right now.” — Theo Gremminger
Players in this episode
↓ His absence is cited as a major reason Miami's offense is struggling and why Minnesota's defense is a top streaming play this week.
↓ Extremely turnover-prone, with Mack Hollins as his top target; Patriots offense struggling badly and set up to be shredded by Buffalo's defense.
↓ Referred to as Jalen Daniels making his first NFL start for Tampa Bay this week, creating a defensive exploit opportunity for opponents.
↓ Out for Tampa Bay, paving the way for the rookie QB's first start and making the Buccaneers offense more exploitable.
↑ Hit the game-winner in Brazil against Dallas and is averaging double-digit points, but likely already rostered in most leagues.
↑ Perfect on extra points and 8-for-8 on field goals with five 50+ yarders; averaging 14 points per game and should be rostered everywhere.
↑ Averaging double-digit fantasy points with two 50+ yard and two 40+ yard field goals; recommended add if available.
↑ 9-for-9 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points with multiple 50+ yard kicks; still available in 74% of Yahoo leagues and a good streaming add given Tampa's expected reliance on field goals.
↑ Back from injury and Atlanta looked much better, removing them from the list of exploitable offenses for streaming defenses.
→ Has nine touchdown passes with Brock Bowers back, but also has had several interceptions, making Kansas City a solid streaming defense against him.
↑ Averaging 12.7 points per game, perfect on field goals including two 40-yarders and three 50-yarders; recommended pickup over kickers like Cairo Santos, Boswell, or Bass.
↓ Could be in his last week starting for the Giants with J.J. McCarthy now on the roster; expected to be pressured heavily by Arizona's defense.