Many say Thanksgiving is the best week of the year. You’ve got a few days off from work. There are tons of college sports on the tube. You get to eat and drink your face off. Oh yeah, there are also four days of the NFL to devour. As we press towards the fantasy playoffs, it’s time to start looking ahead to matchups we want to target. It’s not crazy to add a second D/ST for the stretch run. We’ve seen how impactful a high-scoring defense can be in fantasy. We aren’t about to leave points on the table like it’s the last piece of pumpkin pie.
As we prepare for the family gatherings with uncomfortable topics of conversation, let’s all agree on the best defenses for Week 12. I’ve ordered them as Thanksgiving side dishes.
Stuffing and Mashed Potatoes
New England Patriots (NE, 25%) – Bill Belichick vs Tommy DeVito. It sounds like something you’d see on MTV’s “Celebrity Deathmatch,” but no, it’s our post-Thanksgiving feast for DST streamers. DeVito threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns in Week 11 but was also sacked nine times. The Pats have also forced an interception in five consecutive games.
Minnesota Vikings (MIN, 29%) – We love targeting home defenses against turnover-prone QBs, and that’s exactly what we have here. Justin Fields’ brutal fumble at the end of Chicago’s Week 11 game vs Detroit is exactly why you stream against the Bears. In Week 6, Minnesota collected five sacks, forced three turnovers, and scored against Chicago.
Green Bean Casserole and Cranberry Sauce
Houston Texans (HOU, 15%) – Don’t look now, but the Texans are playing some defense. Houston has seven sacks and four takeaways over the last two games. They’ll welcome a Jaguars team that has given up three sacks in their last five contests. Jacksonville has coughed the ball up 17 times on the season.
New Orleans (NO, 46%) – The Saints travel to Atlanta for an NFC South clash. New Orleans has an impressive 12 interceptions thus far, and Desmond Ridder has given the ball away 12 times himself this year. If you don’t mind carrying two defenses, the Saints have incredible matchups in Week 14 (Carolina) and 15 (NYG).
Some Weird Stuff Your Aunt Brought
New York Giants (NYG, 3%) – Fresh off a six-takeaway performance last week, the G-Men look to keep it going vs New England. We could be seeing a changing of the guard at quarterback for the Patriots. Whether it’s Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe, it won’t matter that much. If you are desperate and feel like rolling the dice, you won’t get a much better matchup than a team with a new quarterback and zero playmakers.
Tennessee Titans (TEN, 5%) – The Titans get the Panthers, who are the equivalent of eating a PB&J sandwich for Thanksgiving dinner. Carolina stinks. They gained just 187 yards of offense in Week 11. Their offensive line allowed Dallas defenders to run wild like your brother’s kids during dinner. The seven sacks on Sunday had Bryce Young reaching for the Tylenol like you will after you go hard on Wednesday night trying to impress your high school crush. Tennessee isn’t great. This is a really low-end play, but Carolina is that bad. Close your eyes, take a nap, and wake up to fantasy points.
Fantasy Playoff Streaming Options
Los Angeles Rams
Week 15 vs Washington
Week 16 vs New Orleans
Week 17 @ NY Giants
Kansas City Chiefs
Week 15 @ New England
Week 16 vs Las Vegas
Week 17 vs Cincinnati
New Orleans Saints
Week 15 vs NY Giants
Week 16 @ LA Rams
Week 17 @ Tampa Bay
Houston Texans
Week 15 @ Tennessee
Week 16 vs Cleveland
Week 17 vs Tennessee
Atlanta Falcons
Week 15 @ Carolina
Week 16 Indianapolis
Week 17 @ Chicago
