Streaming Defenses: Week 12 Options

It's usually suboptimal to carry more than one D/ST on a fantasy roster, unless your league has deep benches or uses an unorthodox scoring format intended to emphasize the position. But that strategy changes late in the season, especially for fantasy teams that are clearly headed to the playoffs.

If things are going well for your team, you probably have at least one bench player who is highly unlikely to find his way into the starting lineup over the next month and a half. A defense to stash for the playoffs is more valuable than that sixth wide receiver or fifth running back, even if it's a player who will quickly be scooped up on waivers by an inferior team.

With that in mind, you'll find a new section at the bottom of the page this week — estimated D/ST ranks for Weeks 14-16. We'll give special attention to any teams that land inside the Top 10 more than once in that three-week stretch.

For injury/ranking updates throughout the week, follow me on Twitter (@JerryDonabedian).

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. New York Giants (at CIN)

12% rostered on Yahoo, 22% on ESPN

Team implied total: 23.25

Opponent implied total: 18.75

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 29th (at SEA),  Week 14: 25th (vs. ARZ)

A competent defense has been a bright spot amidst another lost season in New York, with the Giants ranking 12th in points allowed, 17th in yardage, t-7th in takeaways (15) and t-11th in sacks (25). The Giants D/ST has scored four or more fantasy points in all but one game this season, and it shouldn't have much trouble continuing the streak against Bengals QB Ryan Finley, who has completed just 44 of 97 passes (45.4 percent) in the NFL while being sacked on 13.4 percent of his dropbacks.

2. Green Bay Packers (vs. CHI)

33% Yahoo, 42% ESPN

Team implied total: 26.25

Opponent implied total: 18.75

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 9th (vs. PHI),  Week 14: 15th (at DET)

The Packers are a strong choice if you need a viable streamer for the next two weeks. The Bears aren't sure if Nick Foles (hip) or Mitchell Trubisky (shoulder) will be available for Sunday's game, while the Eagles aren't sure if Carson Wentz is still a franchise quarterback (even if they won't admit it). Anyway, both teams are in the bottom 10 for fantasy points allowed to team defenses.

3. Dallas Cowboys (vs. WAS) 

13% Yahoo, 8% ESPN

Team implied total: 24.5

Opponent implied total: 21.5

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 24th (at BAL),  Week 14: 6th (at CIN)

Resurgent would be an overstatement, but we can at least say the Cowboys have temporarily stopped embarrassing themselves, with their last two games being a close loss to the Steelers and a road win over the Vikings. Dallas will now play host to a Washington team that's given up the seventh-most fantasy points to team defenses, despite having one of the easiest schedules in the league through 11 weeks. Washington's offense looked a little better with Alex Smith at quarterback the past two weeks, but keep in mind that he was facing the Lions and Bengals.

4. Washington Football Team (at DAL)

41% Yahoo, 51% ESPN

Team implied total: 21.5

Opponent implied total: 24.5

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 22nd (at PIT),  Week 14: 14th (at SF)

The betting odds don't look great here, but we've already seen the Washington pass rush absolutely dominate an injury-ravaged Cowboys O-line this year, knocking Andy Dalton out of the Week 7 game and forcing Ben DiNucci into action. The Cowboys looked much better last week in Minnesota, but they've otherwise been a sloppy team all year long, plagued by fumbles, drops and missed blocks even when Dak Prescott was providing high-level QB play back in September and October.

5. Seattle Seahawks (at PHI)

27% Yahoo, 22% ESPN

Team implied total: 28

Opponent implied total: 23

Upcoming Ranks (Projected) — Week 13: 10th (vs. NYG),  Week 14: 1st (vs. NYJ)

The Seahawks finally seem to have found a pass rush, piling up 16 sacks over their past four games while facing the 49ers, Bills, Rams and Cardinals. The most recent of those contests was arguably Seattle's best defensive showing of the season, given the quality of the opponent (Arizona) and importance of the game. Now, the Seahawks will have three extra days of rest before they face the flightless Eagles. Only three teams have allowed more fantasy points to D/STs. 

(BTW, the Seahawks face three NFC East teams and the Jets over the next four weeks, so they should be a viable starter throughout that stretch.)

Week 12 Rankings 

1. Miami Dolphins at NYJ
2. New Orleans Saints at DEN
3. Los Angeles Rams vs. SF
4. New York Giants at CIN
5. Cleveland Browns at JAX
6. Green Bay Packers vs. CHI
7. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. BAL
8. Minnesota Vikings vs. CAR
9. Dallas Cowboys vs. WAS
10. Washington Football Team at DAL
11. Seattle Seahawks at PHI
12. Cincinnati Bengals vs. NYG
13. Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN
14. Buffalo Bills vs. LAC
15. Arizona Cardinals at NE
16. Tennessee Titans at IND
17. Denver Broncos vs. NO
18. Baltimore Ravens at PIT
19. New England Patriots vs. ARZ
20. Kansas City Chiefs at TB

Looking Ahead to Week 13

1. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. WAS
2. Miami Dolphins vs. CIN
3. Baltimore Ravens vs. DAL
4. Kansas City Chiefs vs. DEN
5. Minnesota Vikings vs. JAX
6. Chicago Bears vs. DET
7. Las Vegas Raiders at NYJ
8. Buffalo Bills at SF
9. Green Bay Packers vs. PHI
10. Seattle Seahawks vs. NYG
11. New Orleans Saints at ATL
12. Indianapolis Colts at HOU
13. Los Angeles Rams at ARZ
14. Tennessee Titans vs. CLE
15. San Francisco 49ers vs.BUF
16. Detroit Lions at CHI
17. Los Angeles Chargers vs. NE
18. New England Patriots at LAC
19. Houston Texans vs. IND
20. Cleveland Browns at TEN

Preparing for the Playoffs

Week 14

1. Seattle Seahawks vs. NYJ
2. San Francisco 49ers vs. WAS
3. Los Angeles Rams vs. NE
4. New Orleans Saints at PHI
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. MIN
6. Dallas Cowboys at CIN
7. Chicago Bears vs. HOU
8. Baltimore Ravens at CLE
9. Carolina Panthers vs. DEN
10. Tennessee Titans at JAX
11. Houston Texans at CHI
12. Arizona Cardinals at NYG
13. Cincinnati Bengals vs. DAL
14. Washington Football Team at SF
15. Green Bay Packers at DET

Week 15

1. Pittsburgh Steelers at CIN
2. Los Angeles Rams vs. NYJ
3. Baltimore Ravens vs. JAX
4. Minnesota Vikings vs. CHI
5. Chicago Bears at MIN
6. Indianapolis Colts vs. HOU
7. Miami Dolphins vs. NE
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at ATL
9. Green Bay Packers vs. CAR
10. San Francisco 49ers at DAL
11. Buffalo Bills at DEN
12. Arizona Cardinals vs. PHI
13. Seattle Seahawks at WAS
14. Cleveland Browns at NYG
15. Tennessee Titans vs. DET

Week 16

1. Baltimore Ravens vs. NYG
2. Chicago Bears at JAX
3. New Orleans Saints vs. MIN
4. Cleveland Browns at NYJ
5. Houston Texans vs. CIN
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at DET
7. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. IND
8. Los Angeles Chargers vs. DEN
9. Washington Football Team vs. CAR
10. Kansas City Chiefs vs. ATL
11. Dallas Cowboys vs. PHI
12. Buffalo Bills at NE
13. Philadelphia Eagles at DAL
14. Carolina Panthers at WAS
15. Arizona Cardinals vs. SF

San Francisco 49ers

 Week 14: No. 2 vs. WAS

Week 15: No. 10 at DAL

Week 16: No. 17 at ARZ

You won't want to use the 49ers for Fantasy Super Bowl week, but they're a great choice if you're looking to cover Weeks 14 and 15.

Los Angeles Rams

Week 14: No. 3 vs. NE

Week 15: No. 2 vs. NYJ

Week 16: No. 19 at SE

The Rams are my favorite playoff stash, as they easily have the best Week 15 matchup among defenses that aren't already rostered in the vast majority of leagues. There's no Week 16 if we don't win Week 15. Unfortunately, the Rams face Russell Wilson in Week 16, so we'll either need to stash two defenses or hit the waiver wire again during championship week.

Houston Texans

Week 14: No. 10 at CHI

Week 15: No. 26 at IND

Week 16: No. 5 vs. CIN

The Texans defense is awful, but so are Nick Foles and Ryan Finley. If you've got the roster space, consider stashing SF or LAR for Weeks 14-15, plus HOU or CLE for Week 16.

Note: The Saints, Steelers, Ravens, Bucs and Bears also get top-10 rankings in multiple weeks, but those defenses are already rostered in a comfortable majority of fantasy leagues.