Fantasy Football Defensive Streaming: Week 12 Edition

It’s unfortunate that the Chicago Bears finally decided to crawl out of the grave the week I recommend playing their opponents’ defense. In theory, the Vikings were a solid play based on the sheer state of emergency Chicago appeared to be in.

It’s a reminder that even though Jay Cutler can morph into “Captain Indifference” at any moment, he still has extremely legitimate weapons at his disposal, when he chooses to utilize them.

On a positive note, the San Diego and Miami defenses finished with at least eight fantasy points, saving what's left of my credibility as a prognosticator.

Jacksonville, a weekly target for defensive streaming purposes, is welcomed back to the Week 12 slate after a week off and once again is worth the stream. And a defense from up north that has been coming on strong of late will be another worthwhile option for streamers this week.

With the fantasy playoffs rapidly approaching, finding a streaming defense that can give you double-digit fantasy output can help you keep stacking those wins down the stretch.

Indianapolis Colts

Owned - ESPN: 35.6%, Yahoo: 46%
Week 12 numberFire Rank: 3rd

With the Jacksonville Jaguars on bye last week, defensive streamers were left out in the cold without their most reliable standby. But heading into this week, streamers everywhere rejoice at the return of the lowly Jags and the 13.9 fantasy points per game they surrender to opposing defensive units.

The Colts were straight up gutted by Jonas Gray and the New England Patriots' offense last Sunday night and really haven’t been that impressive from a defensive efficiency standpoint all season long.

Indianapolis ranks 25th in our Adjusted Defensive Net Expected Points (NEP) metric and have been especially bad against the run, ranking 31st.

The good news for Indianapolis is that Jacksonville ranks dead-last in terms of Adjusted Offensive NEP and should pose no real threat on Sunday.

Even though the Colts’ defense isn’t overly intimidating, opposing defenses facing the Jags have failed to score double-digit fantasy points just twice in 10 games. The Colts are 14-point home favorites. Don’t second guess this one.

Green Bay Packers

Owned - ESPN: 52.2%, Yahoo: 39%
Week 12 numberFire Rank: 7th

What the Packers’ defense has done at home thus far this season is pretty remarkable. They have finished with 4, 23, 6, 17, and 26 fantasy points respectively. On the road, Green Bay has not been nearly as formidable, which is where they find themselves this week as they travel to Minnesota for a divisional showdown.

And while Green Bay won’t have Lambeau magic with them in this matchup, they will be facing an offense that has been pretty atrocious for the majority of 2014.

The Vikings rank 28th in Adjusted Offensive NEP, while Teddy Bridgewater’s lack of consistent offensive weapons has started to reflect on his statistical efficiency – Bridgewater sits at 27th in Pass NEP among 31 passers with 200 or more attempts.

The Adrian Peterson saga seems to have reached some conclusion, as the league suspended him for the rest of the season on Tuesday. The potential impact he could have had for the Vikings is tough to predict, but it’s hard to imagine they are a better offense without him.

Green Bay is favored by 9.5 points, and if they jump out in front early, Bridgewater will be put in a position without much chance for success.

San Diego Chargers

Owned - ESPN: 46.6%, Yahoo: 33%
Week 12 numberFire Rank: 17th

One word comes to mind when describing San Diego’s week 11 win against Oakland – ugly.

Both teams struggled to muster much in the way of offensive firepower, with just 533 total yards amassed by both teams combined. The Chargers’ 13-6 victory at home gives us hope that the Chargers can play good defense, especially at home, against below-average offenses.

When describing the St. Louis’ offense, below-average doesn't quite capture it. The Rams rank 29th in Adjusted Offensive NEP and have once again switched quarterbacks.

Austin Davis was benched last week in favor of Shaun Hill, and while the change did result in a win against Denver, if you remove the 63-yard touchdown to (the ghost of) Kenny Britt, Hill only managed 157 yards passing on 19 completions.

St. Louis has surrendered 12.5 fantasy points per game to opposing defensive units, giving up fewer than 8 points just three times. The Chargers are favored by 4.5 points in a game that looks to be low scoring and has a 43.5 over/under.

Deeper Streamers

Chicago Bears (vs. Tampa Bay), New York Jets (vs. Buffalo)