Unless most of the teams in your league carry a backup defense, more than half of the league should be available to you every week. Perhaps instead of playing one above average defense every week, regardless of matchup, we should instead target the widely available waiver wire defenses with the best matchups in any particular week? You can always make exceptions if your rent-a-defense gets hot - heck, you might find a team worth starting all year by accident. Even if you don't, good matchups will continue to get greater in number as more QBs get injured or yanked as the season goes on. You can steal some points from bad weather come December. Each week I'll list the startable fantasy defenses on most waiver wires and rank them.
**Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and New England are assumed to be rostered**
Week 11 Results
Miami (at New York Jets) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
This one became less attractive when Joe Flacco was named the starter. The Dolphins got the win, but not with the relentless blitzing of Week 10.
A Look Ahead: CAR NYG BYE - The Dolphins will be off of our candidate list until they come through again
Carolina (vs Washington) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Taylor Heinicke was outstanding against the blitz and the Football Team controlled this game with a balanced offense and solid defense following a shaky start.
A Look Ahead: @MIA BYE ATL - The Panthers offense is getting is mojo back just as the defense is losing its mojo. Pass.
New England (at Atlanta) - 4 sacks, 4 INT, 1 DEF TD, 0 pts allowed
This one was easy to see coming. Hopefully you grabbed the Patriots if they were on the wire, which was unlikely.
A Look Ahead: TEN @BUF BYE - The Titans offense is in shambles, so there’s no way we’re going away from the Patriots now.
San Francisco (at Jacksonville) - 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries
This was a success as the 49ers are surging as a team, at least against familiar and inferior opponents.
A Look Ahead: MIN @SEA @CIN - The Vikings are more aggressive on offense than the version of the team that the 49ers thumped in the 2019 postseason. We’ll probably pass here.
Cleveland (vs Detroit) - 2 INT
Tim Boyle was bad, but so was Baker Mayfield, so this turned into a nip and tuck affair
A Look Ahead: @BAL BYE BAL - Let’s not see what the Browns can do for us the next few weeks.
Los Angeles Chargers (vs Pittsburgh) - 3 sacks
41-37 just like everyone had it.
A Look Ahead: @DEN @CIN NYG - The Broncos are as unpredictable as the Chargers defense, so we’ll look elsewhere.
Tampa Bay (vs New York Giants) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT
The Giants reminded us that they are in the bottom tier of the NFL in prime time with a Jason Garrett and Daniel Jones led offense.
A Look Ahead: @IND @ATL BUF - The Bucs have enough good matchups left that they might be worth riding from here on out.
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda
Houston (at Tennessee) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 4 INT
The Texans flustered Ryan Tannehill in the rain as he had a partial A.J. Brown and a bunch of leftovers at wide receiver.
Kansas City (vs Dallas) - 5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT, 9 pts allowed
The Chiefs have a good defense? The Chiefs D/ST is a good fantasy option? We’ll have to be open to this after the bye.
Philadelphia (vs New Orleans) - 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT, 1 DEF TD
Big Play Slay notched his third touchdown on the year to make your day if you played the Eagles D/ST against the Saints third string quarterback and backup offensive tackles.
Indianapolis (at Buffalo) - 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 3 INT
Josh Allen was pressing more with each Jonathan Taylor touchdown and Colts have settled into the top 5 in D/ST rankings.
Week 12 Candidates
**Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and New England are assumed to be rostered**
Philadelphia (at New York Giants)
The Eagles D/ST is red hot with a touchdown in three of the last four games.
A Look Ahead: @NYJ BYE WAS - The Jets matchup means the Eagles D/ST is a two week pickup
Dallas (vs Las Vegas) **Thanksgiving**
The Cowboys D/ST might have been dropped because of the Kansas City matchup, but they actually performed well and were not the reason the team lost. They should be able to get after Derek Carr as the Raiders offense appears to be sleepwalking through this part of the season.
A Look Ahead: @NO @WAS @NYG - The Cowboys have elevated to an everyweek D/ST play and there’s no upcoming matchup to interrupt that perception.
Indianapolis (vs Tampa Bay)
The Colts D/ST has been very consistent at forcing turnovers and getting to the quarterback, and Tom Brady has surrendered five turnovers in his last two road games.
A Look Ahead: @HOU BYE NE - The Colts D/ST will be among the very best options in Week 13, but carrying them through the bye will be a tough call.
Chicago (vs Detroit) **Thanksgiving**
The Bears defense has at least four sacks and a takeaway in each of the last two games, and they scored a defensive touchdown against the Steelers in Week 9. The Lions should be a suitable opponent to target with your rent-a-defense, and it gives you a reason to watch the game. Then again, maybe you’ll want to skip them, so you don’t have a reason to watch the game.
A Look Ahead: ARI @GB @MIN - Maybe in Week 17 when Chicago has a chance to lower the value of the first round pick they traded to the Giants by beating them.
Baltimore (vs Cleveland)
The Ravens might be rostered in your league, but double check as they have actually been a huge fantasy disappointment. If Lamar Jackson is over his illness, the Ravens could jump out to a lead and put the ball in Baker Mayfield’s hands, which is promising for the D/ST fantasy prospects.
A Look Ahead: @PIT @CLE GB - Ben Roethlisberger is limited enough these days to make playing the Ravens in Week 13 worth it to get another shot at Mayfield assuming the Ravens D/ST comes through this week.
Cincinnati (vs Pittsburgh)
The last time the Steelers and Bengals played, Roethlisberger was sacked four times and threw two picks in a 24-10 loss.
A Look Ahead: LAC SF @DEN - The Bengals D/ST doesn’t have any obvious smash spots from here on out.
Houston (vs New York Jets)
You might be shocked to learn that the Texans defense has forced five turnovers in each of their last two games, and they have multiple sacks in both of those games. The Jets aren’t exactly an imposing offense either.
A Look Ahead: IND SEA @JAX - The Texans D/ST could be of use to us in Week 15.
Week 13 Preemptive Pickups
Philadelphia (at New York Jets)
Los Angeles Rams (vs Jacksonville)
Indianapolis (at Houston)
Minnesota (at Detroit)
Fantasy Playoffs Preemptive Pickups
Week 14
Denver (vs Detroit)
Tennessee (vs Jacksonville)
New Orleans (vs New York Jets)
Week 15
Arizona (at Detroit)
Week 16
Los Angeles Chargers (vs Houston)
Week 17
San Francisco (vs Houston)