Streaming Defenses: Week 12 Fantasy Options for Team Defenses

This looks like the oust difficult week of the season for streaming defenses, at least so far, as the top matchups almost universally go to D/STs that are already rostered in most fantasy leagues. Before settling for one of the lower-listed streamers written up below, it'd be wise to take a look at the Week 12 rankings and see if one of the higher-ranked, widely-rostered defenses is available in your specific league.

Note: These recommendations are limited to team defenses that are rostered on less than 60 percent of teams on Yahoo or 45 percent on ESPN. Any references to fantasy points are based on Yahoo standard scoring, which doesn't include yards allowed.

Top Streaming Options for Week 12

1. Washington Commanders (vs. DAL)

• 20% Yahoo, 29% ESPN
• Team implied total: 28.0     Opponent implied total: 17.5
• Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 2nd (vs. TEN),  Week 14: BYE

The Commanders are an easy No. 1 for Week 12 among D/STs rostered in less than 60 percent of Yahoo leagues (and/or <45 percent of ESPN leagues). They've topped seven fantasy points just twice this season, but the real-life performance mostly has been strong since a Week 3 shootout at Cincinnati, with the Commanders subsequently allowing 19.4 points per game and ranking third in opponent EPA per dropback (-0.19). The real appeal, however, lies in this week's matchup, as the Cowboys have allowed a league-high 39 fantasy points to D/STs in two games since Cooper Rush took over for Dak Prescott (hamstring) as the starting quarterback. Dallas is the second-biggest underdog of Week 12, opening at +10.5 for a trip to Washington.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NYG)

• 13% Yahoo, 9% ESPN
• Team implied total: 23.25     Opponent implied total: 18.25
• Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 6th (at CAR),  Week 14: 5th (vs. LV)

As awful as Tampa Bay's defense has been this season, a Giants offense led by QB Tommy DeVito may be even worse. DeVito was halfway accurate last season, but he also was sacked on a league-high 15.5 percent of dropbacks — an even higher rate than Daniel Jones (14.2) and Tyrod Taylor (7.7) in the same offense — and finished bottom 10 in yards per attempt (6.2) and air yards per completion (6.2) with an average time to throw of 2.99 seconds (eighth highest). 

Much like the man he's replacing, DeVito takes a ton of sacks and doesn't create enough big plays to make up for it. It's possible he's overmatched even against a subpar defense, especially if the Bucs are healthier coming out of a bye and finally get top CB Jamel Dean (hamstring) back in the lineup. Also note that Tampa has an incredibly favorable schedule over the next month and a half, both in terms of winning games and piling up D/ST fantasy points. The combination of better health and softer matchups could return Todd Bowles' defense to competence after a miserable past two months.

3. Chicago Bears (vs. MIN)

• 51% Yahoo, 39% ESPN
• Team implied total: 18.25     Opponent implied total: 21.25
• Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 30th (at DET),  Week 14: 21st (at SF)

I don't usually recommend underdogs, but that's the route some will have to take this week, hoping a stout Chicago defense can get the best of QB Sam Darnold in a game with the second lowest over/under (39.5) on the slate. You might be surprised to hear that Minnesota has allowed the 10th most fantasy points per game to D/STs, with Darnold throwing the fourth most interceptions (10) and tied for the sixth most sacks (28). Kevin O'Connell may have unlocked him as a productive passer who can move the offense, but Darnold still accounts for more than his fair share of drive-killing plays.

4. Arizona Cardinals (at SEA)

• 4% Yahoo, 2% ESPN
• Team implied total: 24.25     Opponent implied total: 23.25
• Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 12th (at MIN),  Week 14: 12th (vs. SEA)

This is the toss-up game of the week, listed as either a pick'em or a slight advantage to the Cardinals on most betting sites. There would also seem to be a slight advantage for both offenses over the respective defenses, although Jonathan Gannon's bird gang showed big-time improvement prior to a Week 11 bye, ripping off four straight wins while averaging 8.7 fantasy points and 3.3 sacks. Arizona's two best defensive games of the season in terms of both yards and points allowed were the last two games — a 29-9 win over the Bears and a 31-6 triumph over the Jets. 

The Cardinals will face a tougher test this Sunday, but it could work out alright for fantasy even if Seattle scores a lot of points, considering QB Geno Smith has thrown a league-high-tying 11 interceptions and taken the fourth most sacks (32). While those stats are a product of elevated pass volume and poor blocking more so than Smith's personal flaws, it's a formula that's worked out well for most defenses facing Seattle — only four teams are allowing more fantasy points per game to the position. In fact, only the Falcons and Patriots have failed to score seven-plus fantasy points in matchups with the Seahawks this year.

5. Cleveland Browns (vs. PIT)

• 44% Yahoo, 37% ESPN
• Team implied total: 16.0     Opponent implied total: 20.0
• Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 18th (at DEN),  Week 14: 15th (at PIT)

The over/under for this game has plummeted to 36 on account of ugly weather forecasts, making Cleveland's defense one of the riskiest plays of the week. If the rain and wind come through, it could lead to an uncharacteristically sloppy game for Pittsburgh's offense... or it could just mean the Steelers control the game on the ground and give the Browns minimal opportunities to pile up fantasy points with sacks and interceptions. Pittsburgh has a better running game and is generally a more physical team, but if the conditions end up truly nasty it could be a 50/50 proposition nonetheless.

Week 12 Rankings

1. Chiefs (at CAR)
2. Steelers (at CLE)
3. Texans (vs. TEN) 
4. Commanders (vs. DAL)
5. Dolphins (vs. NE)
6. Vikings (at CHI)
7. Broncos (at LV)
8. Buccaneers (at NYG)
9. Lions (at IND)
10. Bears (vs. MIN)
11. Packers (vs. SF)
12. Eagles (at LAR)
13. Cardinals (at SEA)
14. Browns (vs. PIT)
15. 49ers (at GB)
16. Giants (vs. TB)
17. Seahawks (vs. ARZ)
18. Rams (vs. PHI)
19. Raiders (vs. DEN) 
20. Ravens (at LAC)

Looking Ahead to Week 13

1. Chiefs (vs. LV)
2. Commanders (vs. TEN)
3. Lions (vs. CHI)
4. Broncos (vs. CLE)
5. Texans (at JAX)
6. Buccaneers (at CAR)
7. Cowboys (vs. NYG)
8. Vikings (vs. ARZ)
9. Giants (at DAL)
10. Colts (at NE)
11. Patriots (vs. IND)
12. Cardinals (at MIN)
13. Bills (vs. SF)
14. Chargers (at ATL)
15. Rams (at NO)
16. Packers (vs. MIA)
17. Dolphins (at GB)
18. Browns (at DEN)
19. Ravens (vs. PHI)
20. Seahawks (at NYJ)

Rest-of-Season Rankings

These rankings are slightly weighted toward teams with favorable playoff matchups, but not to an extreme extent. If you're in excellent shape to qualify and looking ahead toward mid-to-late December, some of the best defenses to target for favorable matchups are the Chargers, Cardinals, Colts, Falcons, Buccaneers and Jaguars. Of course, those have also been some of the worst defenses in the leagues so far, apart from the Chargers and Cardinals, which are really the only two I'd bother stashing right now in anticipation of fantasy playoffs (some of those lousy defenses like Tampa, Indianapolis, etc. should be available a few weeks from now, in any case).

1. Kansas City Chiefs 
2. Detroit Lions   
3. Minnesota Vikings   
4. Los Angeles Chargers 
5. Houston Texans  
6. Philadelphia Eagles 
7. Miami Dolphins  
8. Buffalo Bills  
9. Pittsburgh Steelers   
10. Arizona Cardinals 
11. Denver Broncos
12. San Francisco 49ers     
13. Washington Commanders 
14. Atlanta Falcons
15. Indianapolis Colts
16. Tennessee Titans  
17. Cincinnati Bengals
18. Green Bay Packers 
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Jacksonville Jaguars