3 Fantasy Football Defensive Streaming Options for Week 12
Hey, it's your friendly neighborhood defense streaming specialist -- here again, giving you weekly streaming recommendations. A reminder that lines are courtesy of NFL odds, and roster percentages and scores are according to ESPN's fantasy platform. Assume that the listed order is the preferred order. I'll try for defenses on 40% or fewer of ESPN rosters.
New York Giants
at Cincinnati Bengals
Spread: Giants -5.0
Rostership: 16%
It's always sad to see someone go down with a serious injury, but it's even worse when it's someone competing for Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, Joe Burrow won't see the field again this season, and that makes a bad Cincinnati Bengals team even worse.
Ryan Finley has never shown himself to be an NFL-caliber signal caller, boasting a career sack rate of 13.4% along with a 3.1% interception rate. Despite a few talented pass-catchers on Cincy, Finley has one of the league's worst rosters surrounding him. This offense will likely be brutal for the rest of the season, and the New York Giants can be the first team to capitalize.
You may expect the Giants to be bottom of the barrel defensively, but they haven't been that bad, especially against the run, where they sit 16th by our schedule-adjusted metrics. If Big Blue can stop the Bengals' run game and force Finley to the air, they could feast on Sunday. Our model ranks the Giants as the top D/ST of the week.
Green Bay Packers
vs. Chicago Bears
Spread: Packers -7.5
Rostership: 35%
It's not a lock that Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles are healthy, so if Tyler Bray ends up being the quarterback for the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers should be played ahead of the Giants. However, Foles and/or Trubisky appear likely to play. That still leaves Green Bay as an appealing option.
The Packers are playing one of the league's worst offenses and are favored by more than a touchdown. Oh, and they're at home. We have Green Bay as the number-two D/ST of Week 12.
Seattle Seahawks
at Philadelphia Eagles
Spread: Seahawks -5.0
Rostership: 20%
Horrific? No that's not original enough. Straight Garbage? No that's too bland. Putrid? That's a fun word, but it's still not enough flavor. I can't adequately describe how bad Carson Wentz's play has been, so let's just say I've found it personally offensive.
Sure, the Seattle Seahawks are among the league's worst defenses, but Seattle has Russell Wilson, who is capable of getting the 'Hawks a lead. From there, the only unknown is whether Wentz will hold the ball too long and take a sack, which could result in a fumble, or cut out a few steps and throw the ball straight to the other team.
We project Seattle as the fourth-best D/ST of Week 12.
