Whether you are playing seasonal or daily fantasy football, tracking team defenses can be a fantastic tool for knowing which players to start in your weekly lineups.

Analysts who understand the X’s and O’s of football are developing a variety of metrics to break down player and team performances, but there is nothing wrong with just a good, old-fashioned look at the weekly scoreboards, as they reveal the trends to follow. Any team can have a bad week, but for fantasy purposes, you want to find the ones that struggle every week. The Seahawks are the perfect example.

Through five weeks, Seattle has allowed an average of 30.8 points per game. Remove Week 1, when the hapless Broncos managed to score just 16, and the Seahawks have allowed 35.3 points per game. Everyone remembers the Week 4 track meet between them and the Lions — when they combined for 93 points — but last week’s 71-point explosion in their game with the Saints shows you just where this trend is headed.

If you want data and metrics, we can provide that, too. Seattle ranks 31st in DVOA against the pass, is allowing the seventh-most passing yards per game and has allowed nine passing touchdowns, fourth-highest in football. They rank 24th in DVOA against the run, they’re allowing the most rushing yards per game this season and have allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns.

What does that tell you? Start all your Cardinals this week. Make sure you’re using guys such as Kyler Murray, Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Eno Benjamin and Zach Ertz in your DFS contests.

But don’t forget to use your Seahawks, too. They have averaged 34.3 points per game, Geno Smith is slinging the rock like an all-pro, and the Cardinals rank 27th in DVOA against the pass. That means Smith, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are very much in-play. Even tight end Will Dissly makes for a solid play this week.

Analysts and sharp bettors will tell you to let the trend be your friend, and this game is the perfect example. Invest in Seahawks and Cardinals this week with its 51-point expected game total. It’s gonna be a birdbath!

Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy sports advice, player projections, injury updates and more.