The Defensive Line – Week 12 D/ST Streaming

Four teams that you should consider streaming as your fantasy football defense in Week 12.

Michael James
Streaming Defenses A Year Ago

Welcome to the first holiday week of the season!  Make sure your lineups are set before digging into that feast your family worked so hard for (or in our family’s case, ordered so hard for).

First, let’s do our self-accountability check.  The Chiefs did great, the Commanders were fantastic in absolutely brick-walling Houston.  However, the Packers and Bengals… not so much.  Last week was a situation where the good defensive matchups were rostered around 55-65%, which technically can’t be used.  They were only recommended as a footnote because of that.  This week still has the same thing going on (check the end of the article for them), but it also has a few defenses we can zone in on and highlight.  So let’s see if we can find some streaming defenses that will also be feasting this week.  As always, we’re looking for teams rostered around 50% or lower rostered.

Please note that there is a good chance better teams are out there in your league than these four, but we cannot assume they’re out there for every league. Stay active and monitor the league home page, there is also a chance someone will drop a defense after the waivers clear for this week as well.

 

Kansas City Chiefs

Opponent: vs. Los Angeles Rams

ESPN % Rostered: 18%

Yahoo % Rostered: 48%

 

They got the job done for us last week, and this week they have a great-looking matchup on paper hosting the Rams.  What does the paper say?  There’s no Cooper Kupp!  Also, it lists the injury report, which has their starting quarterback, backup quarterback, and what might be the most banged-up offensive line in the NFL all listed on it.  In the four games after their bye week, the Rams have given up 13 sacks to go along with 2 turnovers.  Since their bye week, the Chiefs have gotten 13 sacks and 2 turnovers as well, but in the span of three games.  The Chiefs have the fifth-most blitzes, hurries, and sacks in the league, leading them to a fifth-best quarterback pressure rate.  This is good news going against a team that’s already struggling with their line.  Great news if Matthew Stafford can’t suit up in this game.  Look for Chris Jones, who is tied for the fifth-highest sack count this season, to continue getting into the backfield.  Los Angeles is second-worst in the league in offensive yards on the season, and third-worst in points scored.

 

 

Miami Dolphins

Opponent: vs. Houston Texans

ESPN % Rostered: 32%

Yahoo % Rostered: 27%

 

Now we move to the team facing the Texans, who since their bye have allowed opposing defenses to score an average of 11 points per game in fantasy.  Miami is coming off its bye week with extra time to rest and prepare.  They are bringing the 7th-highest blitz rate in the league against David Mills who has been sacked 15 times in their last four games.  He has also thrown an interception in every game since their bye week with 7 in the span of those five games.  The Texans are the worst team in the league in total offense.  Before their bye last week, the Dolphins were averaging 7 points per game in fantasy in their last four games, while the Texans are giving up the 5th most points to fantasy defenses this season.

 

Carolina Panthers

Opponent: vs. Denver Broncos

ESPN % Rostered: 6%

Yahoo % Rostered: 3%

 

Since getting a wake-up call in Cincinnati, the Panthers’ defense has scored 20 points in fantasy in their last two games.  They now host the Broncos who are giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses on the season.  The Panthers have sacked the quarterback 12 times in their last four games and now face a Broncos offensive line that has allowed 12 sacks in their last three games.  Russell Wilson has only thrown two more touchdowns this season than Joe Flacco.  Carolina has the sixth-most blitzes this season that have brought about the seventh-most quarterback hurries.  This should play to the strengths of Brian Burns, who has 8 sacks on the season and the 4th-most tackles for loss.  Look for the Panthers to make this offense one-dimensional, as the Denver backfield is a chaotic mess.

 

 

Indianapolis Colts

Opponent: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

ESPN % Rostered: 39%

Yahoo % Rostered: 30%

 

The Colts’ defense comes into this home game averaging 6 fantasy points in their last three games.  This is where the pickings get a little slimmer.  They will be hosting a Pittsburgh team that just ran over a Bengals defense, but before that were averaging giving up 9 fantasy points per game this season.  They had allowed opposing defenses to score double-digit fantasy points in 5 of the last 7 games before last week.

The Steelers have given up 14 sacks in their last three games. Indianapolis has sacked the quarterback 9 times in their last three games.  Zaire Franklin, who leads the league in total tackles and has the third-highest solo tackles on the season, leads a Colts defense that is the best in air yards per completion allowed.  This stems from having the lowest blitz percentage in the league, allowing them to pressure the quarterback with a standard rush and maintain tight coverage downfield.  They also have the second-best rushing yards per attempt allowed on the season.  The Steelers have the fifth-lowest offensive yards in the league.

 

 

These teams did not meet the consideration threshold for the main highlight section, but you should check to see if they’re available in your league:

New York Jets – ESPN: 72% Y!: 46%
Denver Broncos – ESPN: 46% Y!: 63%
Washington Commanders – ESPN: 52% Y!: 58%

 

 

Hit me up with some feedback @MikeoftheFF on Twitter

 

 

Photos by Zach Bolinger & Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire | Design by Michael Packard (@designsbypack on Twitter @ IG)

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