Fantasy Football SHOCKER! Week 3's Defense Dominates! 🤯

Defense Wins Championships...And Fantasy Leagues!

Week 3 of the fantasy football season delivered a surprising twist: defensive units absolutely dominated the early games! After a high-scoring Week 2, offenses sputtered, paving the way for several D/STs to rack up impressive fantasy points.

In fact, the anemic offensive performances early Sunday opened the door for a defense to potentially crack the top 5 in overall fantasy scoring for the week. A remarkable eight D/ST units managed to score 10 or more fantasy points in the early window.

Vikings Feast on Bengals' Backup

The Minnesota Vikings emerged as the clear-cut top defensive performer of the week. Playing at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Vikings D/ST exploded for 28 fantasy points in the first half alone. They capitalized on the struggles of Bengals' backup quarterback Jake Browning, who filled in for the injured Joe Burrow. Isaiah Rodgers, a Vikings cornerback, had a pick-six and also returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Minnesota capitalized on four Bengals turnovers to take a commanding 34-3 lead into halftime. The Vikings also recorded four sacks in their dominant 48-10 victory, ultimately finishing the game with a whopping 30 fantasy points.

Panthers' Shutout Stuns Falcons

While the Vikings stole the show, the Carolina Panthers delivered a shocking performance of their own, shutting out the Atlanta Falcons 30-0. The Panthers forced three turnovers, including a pick-six of Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to begin the third quarter.

This dominant showing came after the Falcons were considered a top streaming option heading into Week 3, following their league-leading 21 fantasy points in a Week 2 win against (ironically) the Vikings. Was this simply an off day for the Falcons' offense, or is the Carolina D/ST a legitimate force to be reckoned with? The Panthers ultimately finished with 22 fantasy points.