The D/ST position in fantasy football is often overlooked. However, selecting the right defense can be the critical factor that determines victory or defeat each week.
Never start an elite NFL defense in a poor matchup, as it may not always produce fantasy points for the D/ST position. The best approach is to focus entirely on matchups.
Here are our Week 12 D/ST fantasy rankings, best starts, sleepers, and some matchups to avoid.
➕ UPGRADE YOUR TOOLS: Sign up for Yahoo Fantasy Plus
Fantasy Football Defense Rankings Week 12: Who to start, sit at D/ST
📋 Week 12 Fantasy Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | PK | Flex Half-PPR Cheat Sheet
Updated 11/21:
| Rk | Team Defense | OPP | Rk Chg |
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | @TEN | |
| 2 | Baltimore Ravens | NYJ | ⬆️ 1 |
| 3 | Detroit Lions | NYG | |
| 4 | Green Bay Packers | MIN | |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns | @LV | |
| 6 | New England Patriots | @CIN | ⬆️ 1 |
| 7 | Chicago Bears | PIT | |
| 8 | San Francisco 49ers | CAR | |
| 9 | Carolina Panthers | @SF | |
| 10 | Houston Texans | BUF | TNF |
| 11 | Buffalo Bills | @HOU | TNF |
| 12 | Los Angeles Rams | TB | |
| 13 | Atlanta Falcons | @NO | |
| 14 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | @LAR | ⬇️ 1 |
| 15 | Arizona Cardinals | JAX | |
| 16 | Kansas City Chiefs | IND | ⬆️ 1 |
| 17 | Minnesota Vikings | @GB | |
| 18 | New Orleans Saints | ATL | |
| 19 | Pittsburgh Steelers | @CHI | |
| 20 | Jacksonville Jaguars | @ARI | |
| 21 | Las Vegas Raiders | CLE | ⬆️ 1 |
| 22 | Tennessee Titans | SEA | |
| 23 | Philadelphia Eagles | @DAL | |
| 24 | Indianapolis Colts | @KC | |
| 25 | New York Giants | @DET | |
| 26 | Cincinnati Bengals | NE | |
| 27 | New York Jets | @BAL | |
| 28 | Dallas Cowboys | PHI | |
| BYE | Denver Broncos | BYE | |
| BYE | Los Angeles Chargers | BYE | |
| BYE | Miami Dolphins | BYE | |
| BYE | Washington Commanders | BYE |
Which D/STs have a bye in fantasy Week 12?
- Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Miami Dolphins
- Washington Commanders
BEST PICKUPS: Week 12 waiver wire
Who are the best fantasy defenses in Week 12?
This week is full of targetable matchups at the D/ST position. You truly could not go wrong with any of the units in the top five of these rankings.
Seattle has been outstanding for fantasy football this season, and it’s the best possible matchup with the Tennessee Titans—the Titans average just 14.4 points per game, the lowest in the NFL.
Who are the best fantasy D/ST sleepers in Week 12?
The matchup between the Falcons and Saints is fascinating. Neither defense is that great, but the offenses are inconsistent at best.
If this is a low-scoring game, both units could find opportunities for fantasy points.
FANTASY TOOLS: NFL Player Stats | NFL Transactions | NFL Depth Charts | Fantasy Injury Reports
