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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Charles Curtis

Fantasy football defense rankings, Week 12: From elite to streamable

You’ve got your fantasy football lineup all but set for the week, with a few tweaks to be made here and there as Sunday’s slate of games is ready to kick off.

But you’re trying to optimize your lineup to make sure you get the most points. And that’s why you have to make sure your D/ST position has the best possible squad to win you the week.

That’s what these rankings will help with: A look at the elite, solid, and streamable options that could win you some virtual games in your league.

Let’s break down the Week 12 D/ST tiers:

1
Elite

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

1. San Francisco 49ers (vs. Saints)

2. Denver Broncos (at Panthers)

3. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Rams)

4. Miami Dolphins (vs. Texans)

5. New York Jets (vs. Bears)

The Niners are as close to “set it and forget it” as it gets. And the others have some really good matchups.

2
Solid

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

6. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Packers)

7. Baltimore Ravens (at Jaguars)

8. Indianapolis Colts (vs. Steelers)

9. Washington Commanders (vs. Falcons)

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Browns)

We’ll get to this in a sec, but this list drops off quick since six teams already played on Thanksgiving.

3
Streaming options

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (at Colts)

12. Chicago Bears (at Jets)

13. Seattle Seahawks (vs. Raiders)

Like I said, not much to choose from after the Thanksgiving slate.

4
Throw a dart if you're desperate

Carolina Panthers (vs. Broncos)

Maybe Russell Wilson continues to struggle?

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