Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 12: Defenses - Sleepers, Fades, Matchups, DFS Bargains

Start 'em and sit 'em defenses for Week 12 from senior fantasy football expert Michael Fabiano.

Week 12 Start ‘Em: Defenses

Byes: None

Start of the Week

Saints D/ST at Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX): The Saints D/ST has been tearing up the competition lately, scoring a bananas 46 combined fantasy points over the last three weeks. As New Orleans travels to Denver to face Drew Lock and the Broncos, that trend is likely to continue. Defenses have averaged the second-most points when facing Denver, so expect the Saints to keep marching this week.

Week 12 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

• QUARTERBACKS
• RUNNING BACKS
• WIDE RECEIVERS
• TIGHT ENDS
• KICKERS
• TEAM DEFENSES

Be sure to check out my Week 12 rankings (published by Thursday morning) before finalizing any lineup decisions or if your league has special scoring rules, sign up for SI Fantasy+ for customized rankings. Members also get access to myself and our team of high-stakes winners all week long to answer your specific fantasy questions.

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Start ‘Em

Dolphins D/ST at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Dolphins D/ST was a failure in the stat sheets last week, scoring just five fantasy points against the Broncos. I’d keep the faith though, as a great matchup in New York is next on the schedule. Enemy defenses have averaged the most fantasy points against the Jets, who have averaged league lows in yards (268.6 YPG) and points (14.9 PPG) this season.

Giants D/ST at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Let’s be honest, folks … the Giants D/ST has not been a reliable fantasy option this season. However, any defense is worth streaming against Brandon Allen and a Bengals offense that will be far less effective without Joe Burrow. Allen started three games for Denver last season, and he had a gross 46.4 completion percentage. Go for Big Blue this weekend.

More Starts

• Rams D/ST vs. 49ers (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
• Browns D/ST at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains

• Giants D/ST at Bengals (DraftKings: $3,200)
• Colts D/ST vs. Titans (DraftKings: $3,000)

Week 12 Sit ‘Em: Defenses

Sit of the Week

Ravens D/ST at Steelers (Tues. 8 p.m. ET, NBC): The Ravens D/ST has stumbled in recent weeks, scoring four or fewer fantasy points in three of its last four games. That trend is likely to continue this week, as Baltimore travels to the Steel City. Defenses have averaged the fewest fantasy points when facing Ben Roethlisberger and his Steelers offense, which is averaging 29.8 points a game.

Sit ‘Em

Buccaneers D/ST vs. Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Tampa Bay fields a top-five fantasy defense, but you couldn’t get me to start the 1985 Bears against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Their offense has averaged 414.1 yards and the most points per game (32.1 PPG), and they’re tied for the third-fewest sacks allowed. In what figures to be an absolute shootout, I’d bench the Buccaneers defense.

Patriots D/ST vs. Cardinals (1 p.m. ET, FOX): The Patriots D/ST can be useful in weeks when the matchup is right. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those weeks as Kyler Murray and the Cardinals visit Gillette Stadium. Arizona is averaging 67.5 plays per game, not to mention the most total yards (414.3 YPG) and nearly 30 points per game. In what could be a scoreboard scorcher, I’m sitting the Patriots.

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More Sits

• Bears D/ST at Packers (SNF 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• 49ers D/ST at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)

DFS Fades

• Ravens D/ST at Steelers (DraftKings: $3,100)
• Buccaneers D/ST vs. Chiefs (DraftKings: $2,800)

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!

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