Week 12 Defense (DST) Streamers: Target Both Sides of Browns vs. Raiders Matchup

Week 12 brings four teams on bye with the Broncos, Chargers, Dolphins, and Commanders off for the week. Keep an eye out to see if Denver is dropped in your league because it is the rare case where I would consider rostering two defenses for a week in order to have them for the stretch run.

With just three weeks left in the fantasy regular season, it is time to consider the fantasy playoff schedule when making streaming decisions. Getting more than one week out of a streamer is extra valuable at this point in the year.

One good example of this is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a difficult Week 12 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, the Bucs get to take on the Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins to close out the fantasy season. They will almost certainly be a high priority for me next week because of the potential to start them for the rest of the season.

RELATED: Get all of the best Week 12 waiver wire pickups from Kendall Valenzuela!

DST Streamers For Week 12 Fantasy Football

As usual, I am looking for DSTs with the ability to create sacks and turnovers rather than minimizing points allowed to the other team, although those two things are correlated. I think this is one of the bigger mistakes fantasy managers make when thinking about fantasy defenses. As you will see in this article, I am generally focused on three things: offensive line play, QB turnover rates and game script.

A poor offensive line matched up against a strong defense line is one of the best signs for a fantasy defense. Putting the opposing QB under pressure increases the likelihood of sacks, fumbles and interceptions. However, not all QBs are created equal, so we also want to target those who have a history of turning the ball over. Lastly, a defense on a team that is heavily favored is another good sign because it means the other team may be forced to call more pass plays as a result of a negative game script, and pass plays are more likely to lead to scoring opportunities for the defense than rush attempts are.

I only consider defenses that are available in at least 50% of fantasy leagues for this article, but it is worth a reminder to always check your full waiver wire. I don't know who is available in your league, but use your judgment and check our weekly rankings to determine if there are any DSTs you should prioritize over the ones on this list.

Jacksonville Jaguars - 20% rostered

The Jaguars have been one of the more difficult-to-predict teams this season. They have had impressive wins against teams like the Chiefs and Texans, but have also been blown out by the Rams and needed overtime to beat the Raiders by one point. However, Week 11 brought their most impressive performance of the season with a 35-6 drubbing of the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Jags now face off with a 3-7 Cardinals team. Arizona is surprisingly capable as an offense with Jacoby Brissett at the helm, but they have still been a favorable matchup for opposing fantasy defenses. In five starts this season, Brissett has seven turnover-worthy plays and has taken 18 sacks.

The Jaguars aren't an elite defense, but they are above average against both the run and the pass in EPA allowed per game. Where they have been great is forcing turnovers, with 13 interceptions this season, good for the second most in the NFL.

Another reason the Jaguars are a compelling streaming option is that they get to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 13, so if you add them this week, you can feel comfortable starting them for the next two weeks.

Cleveland Browns - 48% rostered

Spoiler alert, I like both defenses in this Cleveland vs Las Vegas matchup. The Browns have a legitimately good defense being held back by an atrocious offense. Myles Garrett is an absolute force who has a good chance to break the single-season sack record this year.

Through Week 10 (the Raiders haven't played on MNF at the time of writing), Geno Smith ranks in the top five for both interceptions thrown and sacks taken. The Raiders have a below-average offensive line, and the Browns rank first in both pass rush win rate and run stop win rate, making this a significant mismatch in the trenches. The Browns should be able to get regular pressure on Geno.

The biggest issue for the Browns defense is that their offense keeps putting them in bad situations (more on that below). While that isn't ideal, it doesn't necessarily stop them from scoring points as a fantasy defense as we saw in Week 11.

The Browns are also a defense that you could play in most weeks through the rest of the season, as they don't have many daunting matchups, other than their Week 16 tilt against the Buffalo Bills.

Las Vegas Raiders - 4% rostered

On the other side of this matchup is a Raiders defense that is below average but not a total disaster. Below average should be more than enough to make some plays against whoever the Browns have at QB in this game. Dillon Gabriel has been bad this year, but he looked significantly better than Shedeur Sanders, who came in when Gabriel exited with a concussion.

I generally assume that players who are ruled out on Sunday with a concussion will miss the next week, so it seems likely Shedeur will get the start. It is difficult to express how bad Shedeur Sanders was in his first appearance, but this chart does a pretty good job of visualizing it. I'm not saying he can't improve with a week of preparation as the starter, but everything we saw in Week 11 suggests he is a matchup we want to target with the opposing DST in fantasy.

This should be a field day for Maxx Crosby and co. at home in Week 12. They are a solid streaming option this week, but their single-week appeal puts them below Jacksonville and Cleveland, teams that you could start for multiple weeks.

Week 12 Defense (DST) Streamers: Target Both Sides of Browns vs. Raiders Matchup

DST Streamers For Week 12 Fantasy Football

Jacksonville Jaguars - 20% rostered

Cleveland Browns - 48% rostered

Las Vegas Raiders - 4% rostered

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