5 MUST STREAM Defenses + 9 Waiver Wire Pickups for 2026 Fantasy Football Week 3

These are five defenses to stream in week three.

Kicking it off is the Green Bay Packers.

While I'm not typically a big fan of starting defenses playing on a Thursday night, this matchup is too favorable to overlook.

Green Bay faces an Atlanta team that leads the league in giveaways with seven and is tied for third in sacks allowed.

The Falcons are desperate for even mediocre quarterback play, with things getting so bad last week for Cooper Rush that he was benched midway through the game for undrafted rookie Jack Strand.

As expected, things did not go very well for Strand either.

Now Michael Penix Jr. is slated to start week 3, but given that he's coming off a serious knee injury, he will likely be rusty.

Meanwhile, Green Bay has racked up 7 sacks and 1 takeaway through 2 weeks, and is well positioned to turn in another solid fantasy line.

Number two on the list is the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs square off against Miami this week, the youngest team in the league, and their inexperience has shown through the first two games.

Malik Willis has taken a league-leading nine sacks, and Miami has only mustered up a combined 26 points.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo should keep Willis on his toes as he tries to move the ball downfield with a very thin wide receiver group.

One that may be without promising rookie Caleb Douglas, who was forced out of Week 2's contest with an ankle injury.

Spags did a nice job frustrating a young Bo Nix in Week 1, and the Chiefs finished the day with four sacks and two takeaways.

Number 3 on the list is the Carolina Panthers.

This is an interesting one, because I don't think Deshaun Watson's statline in Week 2 was as solid as the box score indicates.

And the Panthers are in a similar boat.

The Browns got their first win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that is looking increasingly suspect, while Carolina feasted on a Falcons team lacking competent quarterback play.

Between the two, I'm more confident in Carolina.

In two games, they've racked up four sacks, a league-leading six takeaways, and a score.

Number four on the list is the New York Giants.

The Giants square off against Tennessee, who just like last year, look much maligned on offense.

Although Cam Ward hasn't turned the ball over yet and is benefiting from using his legs more, he's still been sacked five times, a category he led the league in last year as a rookie with 55.

Between Brian Burns, provided he plays, Kayvon Thibodeau, and Abdul Carter, the Giants have plenty of firepower up front.

and should be able to pin their ears back if they can jump out to an early lead.