Below are RotoBaller's Week 13 defense tiers and rankings, or which defenses to stream, start and target at the end of your 2016 drafts for Week 13 of the NFL and fantasy football season. Our tiered defense rankings are your guide to drafting defenses, making waiver wire pickups/adds to improve your lineups, and to decide which defenses to start, sit, target, avoid or stream for Week 13.

Any and all _____ or ______ questions can be answered by the rankings--whoever I have ranked higher is who I would start. Starting the right defense every week can be a difference-maker, so we have broken out our defense rankings into tiers with analysis on each matchup.

Some of these Week 13 defenses have good matchups and are not widely owned, representing fantasy scoring opportunities if they are available on your league's waiver wire for a Week 13 pickup or add. Good luck in Week 13, RotoBallers!

Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 13 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

 

Week 13 Defenses To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings

Teams on bye: Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns (thank goodness)

Tier 1 Defenses

1. Denver Broncos (@ JAX)
2. Seattle Seahawks (vs. CAR)
3. Miami Dolphins (@ BAL)

The Seahawks defense has developed a nice high floor, and as of Week 12 had allowed the fewest real points in the NFL. The Panthers rank fourth in the NFL in total giveaways, and are ninth in sacks allowed. Plenty of reasons to love this DST this week.

Justin Tucker seems to be the most productive player in the Baltimore offense--mostly because he is. The Ravens rank in the bottom 10 in the NFL in total offense, and Joe Flacco has thrown for multiple touchdowns in just two games this season. The Dolphins are top five in the NFL in generating pressure on opposing QBs, and I can smell the sacks from here.

 

Tier 2 Defenses

4. San Diego Chargers (vs. TB)
5. Baltimore Ravens (vs. MIA)
6. Philadelphia Eagles (@ CIN)
7. New England Patriots (vs. LA)

The Ravens defense has been excellent in both real life and fantasy, and the good times should continue to roll in Week 13 in a home matchup with the Dolphins. Jay Ajayi looked mortal against the porous San Francisco defense this past Sunday, and the Ravens front line is much more imposing. Combine that with their top-five takeaway ranking and I like their chances of a solid fantasy day.

The Bengals without A.J. Green and Giovani Bernard are simply not as dangerous, and they looked below average against the Ravens in Week 12. They'll draw the Eagles in Week 13, who are still top ten in sacks, takeaways and total yards allowed despite an underwhelming November. I'll take Philly in what should be a fairly low-scoring affair.

 

Tier 3 Defenses

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@ SD)
9. Carolina Panthers (@ SEA)
10. Kansas City Chiefs (@ ATL)
11. Atlanta Falcons (vs. KC)
12. Arizona Cardinals (vs. WAS)

The Panthers DST was disappointing in Week 12, but if you were expecting much out of them in a nightmare matchup in Oakland then you need more than this article to help you. The Seahawks, on the other hand, present some opportunity for fantasy DST production. Their wretched offensive line was exposed against the Bucs in Week 12, and the fearsome Panthers pass rush should be able to put Russell Wilson on his keister a few times while keeping the score down.

The Chiefs defense just plain puts up fantasy points, and hasn't yielded more than 21 real points since their Week 5 bye (Sunday Night Football pending). They're much lower in my rankings than usual thanks to a rough matchup in the Georgia Dome, but if there is any defense that can stop the red-hot Atlanta offense, it's the Chiefs. Justin Houston looks like he's back to 100%, which means that pass rush got a huge boost.

 

Tier 4 Defenses

13. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. PHI)
14. Dallas Cowboys (@ MIN)
15. Washington Redskins (@ ARI)
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (@ NYG)
17. Chicago Bears (vs. SF)

The Bengals have been surprisingly useful in recent weeks, and should be streamable against the Eagles in Week 13. Carson Wentz has been unproductive since September ended, and the Eagles' running game is still in flux. The Bengals have at least one interception in each of their last five games, so you could do worse this week if you're looking for a waiver wire option and you don't have priority.

The Cowboys certainly aren't the most productive fantasy DST, but there is some legit upside in Week 13 in a matchup with the Vikings. The Vikes are top-five in sacks allowed, and Sam Bradford has only tallied 455 total yards in his last two weeks, along with a 1:1 TD-INT ratio. Basically, the Minnesota offensive line is incompetent and Sam Bradford poses very little threat--you can stream the defense that they oppose.

 

Tier 5 Defenses

18. Houston Texans (@ GB)
19. New York Giants (vs. PIT)
20. Minnesota Vikings (vs. DAL)
21. Buffalo Bills (@ OAK)
22. Green Bay Packers (vs. HOU)

 

 

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