Getty T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree of the celebrate on the field.
Welcome to our Fantasy Football Defense Rankings for Week 12 of the 2020 NFL regular season. The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints have been brilliant for much of the year. Can they keep their stellar play going this week? Plus, an unheralded Giants unit gets a dream matchup against a Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon-less Bengals team on Sunday.
* If you’re looking for more information on how to best set your lineup this coming week check out our Week 12 Defense Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.
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Defense Outlook Week 12
The Saints (DEF1) has been the hottest unit in football over the last three weeks of play. Since Week 9, New Orleans has not scored below 14.0 points in any game, averaging a unit-high 15.3 ppg. Since Week 8 they’ve collected a staggering 18 sacks and 10 takeaways. They get yet another mouth-watering matchup this coming week against the Denver Broncos.
Yes, Denver held Miami to just 5.0 points in Week 11. Still, they are just one of four teams to allow more than 9.0 ppg to opposing defenses this season. Drew Lock is also just one game removed from tossing four interceptions and has turned the ball over 12 times in eight games this season.
This just in, the Steelers (DEF6) is damn good. Scoring 12-plus points in four of their seven games since their Week 4 bye, Pittsburgh averages a unit-high 11.6 ppg and is one of just two units (Colts – 10.6) to average double-digit points this season. There’s just one slight problem. they take on the Baltimore Ravens this week. While the Lamar Jackson-led offense for the Ravens has been far less explosive this season, they’ve still held all but two opposing defenses below 6.0 points and all but one under 8.0 points. With that said, the one unit to surpass 8.0 points against Baltimore this year? The Steelers, who mustered up a staggering 18.0 points back in Week 8. I wouldn’t bank on Pittsburgh enjoying as much success as they did four weeks ago. Still, they’re talented enough to warrant a spot in your lineup against an offense that would otherwise be avoided at all costs.
Week 12 Fantasy Rankings: Defense
Rankings
[QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
Start-Sit
[QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
Matchup: Great l Avg l Tough
|
# |
Defense TEAM |
Opp. |
|
1 |
New Orleans Saints NO |
@ DEN |
|
2 |
New York Giants NYG |
@ CIN |
|
3 |
Miami Dolphins MIA |
@ NYJ |
|
4 |
Los Angeles Rams LAR |
vs. SF |
|
5 |
Cleveland Browns CLE |
@ JAC |
|
6 |
Pittsburgh Steelers PIT |
vs. BAL |
|
7 |
Washington Football Team WAS |
@ DAL |
|
8 |
Seattle Seahawks SEA |
@ PHI |
|
9 |
Green Bay Packers GB |
vs. CHI |
|
10 |
Carolina Panthers CAR |
@ MIN |
|
11 |
Las Vegas Raiders LV |
@ ATL |
|
12 |
San Francisco 49ers SF |
@ LAR |
|
13 |
Arizona Cardinals ARI |
@ NE |
|
14 |
Indianapolis Colts IND |
vs. TEN |
|
15 |
Houston Texans HOU |
@ DET |
|
16 |
Cincinnati Bengals CIN |
vs. NYG |
|
17 |
Baltimore Ravens BAL |
@ PIT |
|
18 |
Dallas Cowboys DAL |
vs. WAS |
|
19 |
Tennessee Titans TEN |
@ IND |
|
20 |
Kansas City Chiefs KC |
@ TB |
|
21 |
Jacksonville Jaguars JAC |
vs. CLE |
|
22 |
Minnesota Vikings MIN |
vs. CAR |
|
23 |
Buffalo Bills BUF |
vs. LAC |
|
24 |
Los Angeles Chargers LAC |
@ BUF |
|
25 |
Chicago Bears CHI |
@ GB |
|
26 |
New York Jets NYJ |
vs. MIA |
|
27 |
Philadelphia Eagles PHI |
vs. SEA |
|
28 |
New England Patriots NE |
vs. ARI |
|
29 |
Detroit Lions DET |
vs. HOU |
|
30 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB |
vs. KC |
|
31 |
Atlanta Falcons ATL |
vs. LV |
|
32 |
Denver Broncos DEN |
vs. NO |