Week 13 Defense (DST) Streamers: Target The Jaguars Against Cam Ward

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We all have a lot to be thankful for, including the fact that there are no teams on bye in Week 13. That should make for some fun fantasy matchups this week with all non-injured starters available. It also makes things easier on the waiver wire, particularly for those of us who need to stream a DST. We have several good DST streaming options this week, which is great news if you need to win to keep your playoff hopes alive.

DST Streamers For Week 13 Fantasy Football

As always, 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.

As a reminder, we have three games on Thursday and one on Friday, so be sure to get your lineups set and keep an eye on inactives while you're enjoying the holiday. And lastly, 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 DST - 42% rostered

The Jaguars played another odd game, needing OT to beat the Arizona Cardinals, but they did ultimately find a way to win and move to 7-4 on the season.

Jacksonville's DST has now scored double-digit fantasy points in three consecutive games and gets to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 13. After struggling to get pressure on opposing QBs for the first half of the season, the Jags sacked Jacoby Brissett six times on Sunday and have 11 sacks over their last three games. This performance now has them in the desired upper right quadrant of the EPA per play chart that I like to reference.

They should be able to keep the momentum going on Sunday against the most sacked QB in the NFL, Cam Ward. The rookie did play his best game of the season in Week 12 against a good Seahawks defense, but he still took four sacks and had an average time to throw of more than three seconds for the fifth time this season. The early week lines have Jacksonville favored by 6.5 points in Tennessee, so this matchup checks all the boxes I look for in a streaming defense.

Los Angeles Chargers DST - 39% rostered

It is always nice to have the rest and preparation advantage coming out of a bye week. The Chargers will have that plus a soft matchup against the Raiders in Week 13.

The Chargers have had a boom-or-bust fantasy defense this year. In their past five games, they have two outings with negative fantasy points and two with double-digit fantasy points. That makes it somewhat difficult to know what version of the team will show up, but they have been pretty good when they have a favorable matchup, so I think they are more likely to boom this week.

One complicating factor is that the Raiders just fired their offensive coordinator. This makes it slightly harder for the Chargers to gameplan for the Las Vegas offense, and it does create some scenarios where the Raiders are better than expected with a fresh face in charge of the offense.

However, the change at OC won't fix the Raiders offensive line, which is the biggest problem for their offense. Geno Smith has played under constant pressure and hasn't made the best decisions at times, resulting in him being tied for the most interceptions this year while also taking the second most sacks of any QB.

This sets up well for a Chargers defense with a sub-20% blitz rate but an above-average pass-rush win rate. That combination suggests they can get pressure with just their defensive line, and with Geno's high pressure-to-sack rate, this looks like a matchup where Los Angeles can get home with four or five sacks.

Miami Dolphins DST - 3% rostered

I always like to include a DST that is available in the large majority of leagues for those who play in deep leagues or leagues where other managers roster multiple DSTs.

The Miami Dolphins are this week's desperation streaming option, and they are one of the better options we have had this year. They have quietly been playing good defense recently, scoring 13 and nine fantasy points in the two games before their Week 12 bye, thanks to the five turnovers they forced in those matchups.

Turnovers are volatile, so we can't expect them to continue forcing them at such a high rate, but they also get a much easier matchup in Week 13 against the New Orleans Saints, so that helps offset some of the regression that we should expect.

The biggest matchup note that stands out to me is the fact that Miami blitzes at the third-highest rate in the league, and Tyler Shough has just a 39.4% completion percentage when blitzed this season. This creates a high-variance matchup where Miami's defense could make some big plays and create turnovers if their pressure gets home. The floor isn't nearly as high as with Jacksonville or the Chargers, but the Dolphins have a solid ceiling in this game and you definitely earn some style points if they help you win your matchup.

What makes Miami even more intriguing is the fact that after the Saints this week, they get to face the Jets in Week 14. If the defense shows up again on Sunday you can feel reasonably confident starting them again in the final week of the fantasy regular season. That is pretty rare for a DST that is rostered in just 3% of leagues and makes them a sneaky waiver wire pickup for Week 13.

Week 13 Defense (DST) Streamers: Target The Jaguars Against Cam Ward

DST Streamers For Week 13 Fantasy Football

Jacksonville Jaguars DST - 42% rostered

Los Angeles Chargers DST - 39% rostered

Miami Dolphins DST - 3% rostered

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