The fantasy playoffs are quickly approaching and the last thing you want to worry about is defenses, so Jonathan Fuller is here with the top fantasy football defense streamers for Week 12 to take it off your plate:
If you're living the DST streamer life, you know how difficult it can be to find options you feel comfortable putting in your starting lineup each week. Well, the good news is this article is here to make your waivers decision a bit easier this week.
I've identified three defenses you can feel good about streaming in Week 12 (and, in some cases, longer than that) that are all rostered in less than 30% of ESPN fantasy leagues.
Best Defense To Stream For Fantasy Football Week 12
Tampa Bay Buccaneers DST vs. New York Giants
- Rostered in 9% of ESPN leagues
When I'm looking for a DST streamer, there are a few things that make for an ideal candidate. I want to find a team that is favored and playing against an offense that has been prone to giving up sacks and turnovers, which is how DST points are really scored. They get bonus points if they are playing at home and if the opposing offense is dealing with injuries. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers check most of those boxes for Week 12, which makes them my favorite streaming option of the week.
The Bucs get to face a bad Giants team that just benched their starting QB and are going to roll with Tommy DeVito. New York seems to be at rock bottom and is more interested in losing games to secure a high draft pick than being competitive. Of course, most people just remember the Tommy Cutlets memes and the few big plays he made during his 15 minutes of fame, but DeVito was truly a gift to opposing defenses.
Nov 10, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (94) knocks the ball loose from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
There were six games during the 2023 season where DeVito attempted at least 20 passes. In those games, he took 33 sacks and turned the ball over five times (3 INTs and 2 fumbles), which is all I need to feel great rolling out the defense he will be playing against. It also doesn't hurt that the Giants have not been good in either of those categories in 2024, tied for the ninth-most giveaways and eighth-most sacks this season.
Tampa Bay is favored by 5.5 points in this game, which means the Giants should be in a negative game script and forced to throw to keep up. More pass attempts will lead to more opportunities for sacks and turnovers for the Bucs' defense. The only thing that could make this situation better is if the game were in Tampa Bay instead of New York.
The best part of streaming the Bucs' DST in Week 12 is that they aren't just a one-week option. Tampa Bay will face the Carolina Panthers in Week 13 and the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14, which means you won't have to worry about streaming a different defense for the next three weeks.
They have a tougher matchup against the Chargers in Week 15 but then face the Cowboys in Week 16 and the Panthers again in Week 17, so you could realistically start the Bucs defense in five of your final six matchups and feel good about it.
More Fantasy DST Streamers For Week 12
Washington Commanders DST vs. Dallas Cowboys
- Rostered in 29% of ESPN leagues
Another defense with a very favorable matchup that is widely available across ESPN leagues is the Washington Commanders. They will be hosting the Dallas Cowboys offense, which will be led by either Cooper Rush or Trey Lance. Both QBs have very little starting experience, and the experience they do have has been pretty ugly to watch. Rush is the presumed starter, so I will focus on his historical performances, but if Dallas does make the switch to Lance it doesn't change the analysis much.
In his career, Rush has played meaningful snaps in 11 games and has 12 turnovers in those contests. He actually hasn't been terrible at taking sacks because he gets the ball out quickly, but those quick passes make it difficult for the offense to create explosive plays. With the Dallas running game leaving a lot to be desired, it is difficult to see how this offense can stay on track.
We saw that play out in Week 10 during Rush's first start when the Cowboys' offense accumulated just 146 total yards against Philadelphia. The Eagles have a better defense than Washington, but the Commanders' DST has put up big scores in games against Carolina and Cleveland this year, so we should have confidence that they can dominate an inferior opponent. Considering this is also a divisional rivalry, I expect Washington to send a message in this game.
Nov 10, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) intercepts a pass intended for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) during the second half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
It's also worth noting that this Dallas team does not take care of the football as they are tied for the second-most giveaways in the NFL. Washington will also benefit from Dallas coming off a short week after playing on Monday Night Football in Week 11, and the extra preparation time compared to their opponent is yet another edge for Washington to exploit. Lastly, Washington are 10-point home favorites, so this sets up as a game where Dallas has to at least try to throw the ball to stay competitive.
The Week 12 matchup is nearly as good for Washington as it is for Tampa Bay, but the Commanders aren't a DST that you would want to roster for the rest of the season like the Bucs. However, the good news is that you can probably start them in Week 13 when they host the Titans, but their Week 14 bye makes them a worse long-term option than Tampa, which is why they settle in as my second-favorite DST streaming option.
Seattle Seahawks DST vs. Arizona Cardinals
- Rostered in 10% of ESPN leagues
The first two teams on this list are great streaming options who I would be willing to use a waiver priority or bid real FAAB on. The Seahawks don't fall into that category, but with six teams on bye in Week 12, there are only so many streaming options to go around.
Unlike the first two recommendations, this is less about Seattle's opponent (Arizona) than it is about how well the Seahawks' defense has been playing in recent weeks. After struggling to create turnovers during the first half of the season, Seattle has now forced six turnovers in their last four games—all of which came against good offenses. That has produced three usable fantasy performances (5+ points) in those games.
Arizona ranks middle of the pack in turnovers with 11 giveaways so far this season, and Kyler Murray does a good job of avoiding sacks, so the matchup isn't ideal, but Seattle does get to play at home. The defense seems to be improving under HC Mike Macdonald, and they should be up for a home game against a divisional opponent. While they aren't the DST I would have the most confidence in starting, I think they'll fly under the radar on waivers this week and aren't a bad option.
I would do everything in my power to land either the Buccaneers' or Commanders' defense on waivers this week, but if I can't add either of them (and no better options are dropped), then the Seahawks are my emergency streaming option.
