Fantasy football defense rankings, Week 12: From Elite (Texans) to streamable (49ers)

You’ve got your fantasy football lineup all but set for the week, with a few tweaks to be made here and there as Sunday’s slate of games is ready to kick off.

But you’re trying to optimize your lineup to make sure you get the most points. And that’s why you have to make sure your D/ST position has the best possible squad to win you the week.

That’s what these rankings will help with: A look at the elite, solid, and streamable options that could win you some virtual games in your league.

Let’s break down the Week 12 D/ST tiers:

Elite

1. Houston Texans (vs. Titans)

2. Kansas City Chiefs (at Panthers)

3. Denver Broncos (at Raiders)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers )at Giants)

5. Detroit Lions (at Colts)

Pretty much all of the best defenses are on the road this week. I don’t like it either, but it would be foolish to fade the Broncos or Texans at this point — especially considering their opponents.

Solid

6. Philadelphia Eagles (at Rams)

7. Minnesota Vikings (at Bears)

8. Miami Dolphins (vs. Patriots)

9. Chicago Bears (vs. Vikings)

10. Baltimore Ravens (at Chargers)

More solid defenses on the road. The Bears-Vikings game should be a delightful mess as winter weather finally descends on Chicago. If Baltimore can stop the run effectively, the Chargers are in for a tough day as well.

Streaming Options

11. Green Bay Packers (vs. 49ers)

12. Arizona Cardinals (at Seahawks)

13. Washington Commanders (vs. Cowboys)

14. San Francisco 49ers (at Packers)

15. New York Giants (vs. Buccaneers)

The Cardinals are rolling right now and the Seahawks are stuck in the mud, but division rivalry games are always hard to predict — which is exactly why Commanders-Cowboys is on this list, too.