NFL Fantasy Team Defense Rankings–Week 13

Here are the team defenses that you should go for or stay away from if your team is underperforming:

Start regardless of matchups (including teams on bye): Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers.

Two Matchups To Target

Miami Dolphins (vs. St. Louis Rams)

The Dolphins defense hasn’t been great at any one area this season.  Their run defense has been pretty good and they get decent pressure on the quarterback with 28 sacks.  They get a decent number of turnovers with 17 in 11 games, but they are far from exceptional. 

The reason they are a good play this week is they are going against the lowest scoring team in the NFL in the Rams who score just over 13 points a game.  The Rams have given up 22 giveaways, and have also allowed 37 sacks of the QB this season.  So, the Dolphins defense might not be great, but the Rams offense is so bad that it makes a slightly better than average defense look like a great play for Week 13.

Indianapolis Colts (vs. Cleveland Browns)

The Browns are forced to go back to Derek Anderson at quarterback after the injury to Brady Quinn.  The Colts are nothing special in the facets of the game that effect a fantasy defense scoring points. 

They have sacked the quarterback only 16 times through 11 games and have only forced 17 turnovers.  They do give up just over 22 points a game which also puts them about middle of the road in points allowed as a defense.

Two Matchups To Avoid

Denver Broncos (vs. New York Jets)

This one is pretty easy to figure out.  The Jets are the second highest scoring team in the NFL, Brett Favre isn’t making any mistakes anymore, and they just play a ball control offense that doesn’t turn the ball over.  In the last month New York has been excellent at 12 play, eight minute drives that just keep the opposing defenses on the field forever. 

Denver just allowed 31 points to Oakland last week, so this one doesn’t look good.  The Broncos are fifth worst in the league allowing nearly 28 points a game and they are a hideous -12 in turnover ratio.  They have sacked the QB only 20 times this year as well, putting them in the bottom half of the league.  Add all of this together and it looks like the Broncos are not a team you want on your fantasy lineup this week. 

Of course the way this season is going with all of these factors working against them, the Broncos will probably go out and pitch a shutout.

Atlanta Falcons (vs. San Diego Chargers)

Even though the Chargers are perhaps the biggest disappointment in the NFL this year, they still know how to score points.  San Diego is still in the top ten in scoring at nearly 25 points a game, and the Falcons defense just isn’t that great.  Shockingly, the Bolts aren’t out of their division race yet, so they still have plenty to play for. 

If it isn’t John Abraham getting the the quarterback there isn’t much pressure being applied as Abraham has 12 of the team’s 21 sacks.  Atlanta doesn’t force many more turnovers than Denver with just 13 on the year through 11 games, so with few sacks and fewer turnovers Atlanta doesn’t offer much in fantasy this week.

As always, your comments and questions (adds/drops, lineup advice, etc.) are welcome at [e-mail].  I guarantee a response within 18 hours.