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At this point in the fantasy season, picking a defense to start is the furthest thing from rocket science. Find at least an average defense playing a bad team and start them.
Simple, right?
Well, life is a little more difficult with six teams on a bye in Week 12. The Falcons, Bills, Bengals, Jaguars, Saints and Jets all needed some extra time to get their Thanksgiving shopping finished, but they’ll be back next week.
Unlike your dinner table for next week’s holiday, this NFL slate doesn’t offer plenty of options. We’ll do our best to navigate that reality by making some tough calls on start and sit decisions. Here’s a look at four D/ST units to play and four to avoid, if you can.
NFL POWER RANKINGS:Â Where do the Chiefs land after first loss?
Fantasy football start ’em: Week 12 D/STs
Denver Broncos (at Las Vegas Raiders)
Decisions don’t always have to be difficult. You don’t have to sit in the car debating where you are going to eat just to end up at the same spot an hour later. In the case of Week 12’s fantasy defenses, the Broncos are ol’ reliable. They are the safe bet, the place that won’t screw up your order and have you firing up a one-star Yelp review.
In an increasingly divided world, the Raiders have done their best to unify the eye test apologists and the advance stats nerds. Turns out, the Raiders are a bad football team no matter how you slice it and can’t wait to make Shedeur Sanders their next quarterback. Take the wins where you get them. Order the burger and fries. Start the Broncos with confidence.
Kansas City Chiefs (at Carolina Panthers)
Speaking of subpar football teams, we present to you the Carolina Panthers. We’ve learned that Dave Canales isn’t a miracle worker, which this roster would’ve needed and then some. The Chiefs, fresh off their first loss of the season, now get to tee off against these poor Panthers, who are coming off their bye week. Carolina has won two in a row, their first winning streak in two years. However, those wins came against the Saints and lowly Giants. While Bryce Young quarterbacked those games, the experiment has still been a colossal failure. There’s no reason to believe the Panthers will be able to remain competitive with a step up in competition.
Washington Commanders (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
Dan Quinn revenge game, anyone? After an unceremonious exit from Dallas, Quinn gets his first look at his former players on the opposite sideline. The former Dallas defensive coordinator turned Washington head coach has to be feeling like he hit the lottery this season. The Commanders look playoff bound and the Cowboys are on the next flight to Cancun. That creates a lopsided matchup for fantasy managers to exploit in Week 12, continuing to attack the less fortunate NFL offenses.
Cooper Rush’s box scores look fine, but he is begging to commit some turnovers, as evidenced by Dallas’ most recent loss. A makeshift offensive line and a depleted supporting cast resulted in five sacks, a fumble recovery, interception and a touchdown for the Houston defense in Week 11. Quinn has made his newest defense a respectable unit and with a soft matchup on deck, this is a good spot to take advantage.
Houston Texans (vs. Tennessee Titans)
Speaking of the Texans, they find themselves with another chance to pad their stats, this time against a divisional foe. The Titans have managed to hit the 20-point mark twice in 10 games, going over that number just once. They typically top out at 17 points each week, so we aren’t worried about shootout potential here. Tennessee is averaging 1.8 turnovers per game, the third-highest in the league. The Texans possess both a high floor and a high ceiling in Week 12.
Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 12 D/STs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at New York Giants)
We know what you’re thinking. Don’t do it. In a battle between chef and baker, Tommy “Cutlets” DeVito battles Baker Mayfield on Sunday in the Meadowlands. The Buccaneers’ defense is an easy choice to start in fantasy, but what if we told you they were the Olive Garden of this week’s options? On paper, it’s a fine pick. It won’t win any awards, but a chain restaurant often delivers acceptable results while leaving you wanting more. In fact, there’s a chance that putting such little care into the microwaveable meal leaves you with an upset stomach. At the very least, it won’t rise to the level of an authentic, home-cooked meal at a family-owned place.
The DeVito family tailgate will be looking to cook up some magic, or at least just enough to ruin the Giants’ draft stock heading into the offseason. “Big Blue” finally admitted defeat on the Daniel Jones experiment, but that doesn’t mean DeVito is some slouch that can’t get the job done. He was 3-3 as a starter in 2023, tossing eight touchdowns to only three interceptions. Couple that with the fact that Tampa’s defense has given up at least 30 points in 4-of-6 games and you can see the writing on the wall. The Giants’ had the worst scoring offense in the league with Jones. It’s hard to imagine it getting much worse with the folk hero DeVito under center. In reality, the Giants are a sneaky upset pick on Sunday, so steer clear of Todd Bowles’ defense.
Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
The Chargers once again find themselves in sit territory this week as the “Harbaugh Bowl” takes centerstage on “Monday Night Football” in L.A. Jim Harbaugh’s defense allowed more than 20 points for the first time all season against the Bengals in Week 11. They appear ready to suffer a similar fate against the No. 2 scoring offense that hails from Baltimore. This game promises to be a good one as the brothers battle for bragging rights and playoff position in the AFC. L.A.’s defense remains a quality unit, but the matchup warrants leaving them on the bench.
Green Bay Packers (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
After posting double digit fantasy points in four of the first six games, Green Bay has failed to achieve that in four straight. They struggled against the lowly Bears and Jaguars during that span, meaning we don’t want to take our chances against a better 49ers’ offense. San Francisco has been a major disappointment in 2024, but the return of Christian McCaffrey always makes them a handful to deal with. We’ll buy into the belief that these 49ers will eventually figure it out and avoid the Green Bay defense that has struggled to create turnovers in recent weeks.
San Francisco 49ers (at Green Bay Packers)
Not only are we avoiding the Packers, but we recommend adding the 49ers to the list as well. Nick Bosa could end up missing time and even if he doesn’t, the star edge is clearly playing at less than 100% right now. San Francisco’s defense suffers without Bosa’ presence, which the Seahawks exploited en route to a comeback win in Week 11. These two offenses could end up finding their footing this week, so we’ll avoid this game entirely and enjoy watching them rack up points in the late window.
Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 12
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ Kickers are people, too: Here are some of the most clutch kickers to have on your fantasy team in Week 12.
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 12.
→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you a lot of points. Here’s who to start and who to sit in Week 12.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 12 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.
→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 12.