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Matt's must-start fantasy football waiver wire defenses (D/ST) to stream and start for Week 13 of the 2025 season. His fantasy defense start 'em, sit 'em picks.
At this point in the season, every roster decision carries a little extra weight, as many fantasy managers are fighting to earn entry into their league's playoffs. RotoBaller analyst Matt Donnelly shares his fantasy football must-start defenses (D/ST) for Week 13 of the 2025 season.
We've got you covered with Week 13 D/ST streamer options to give you the tools needed to set those winning lineups and dominate your matchups on the way to the fantasy playoffs!
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2025 Fantasy Football: Week 13 Defenses To Start (D/ST)
Matt Donnelly drops his top Defenses for Week 13 of the 2025 fantasy football season:
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Week 13 Fantasy Football Defense Outlooks
Atlanta Falcons D/ST at NYJ
The Falcons' defense continues to rack up the sacks. This unit has totaled 23 sacks over the past four weeks, which included a five-sack performance against the New Orleans Saints last week. With a top-5 pressure rate, top-3 sack rate, and a top-6 pass rush win rate, this Atlanta defense is a fantastic start against the New York Jets in Week 13.
The Jets managed to score only 10 points in Tyrod Taylor's second start of the season in Week 12, and the offensive line continues to allow pressure at a high rate. New York ranks 28th in pass block win rate and 28th in sacks allowed per game (3.5). So, make sure to keep the Falcons' D/ST in your lineups for this week.
Seattle Seahawks D/ST vs. MIN
This Seattle defense didn't have the best fantasy game last week in a great matchup against the Tennessee Titans. This unit allowed the Titans to score a season-high 24 points and didn't force a turnover in a game for the first time since Week 6. However, fantasy managers should expect this D/ST to bounce back in another fantastic matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 13.
With J.J. McCarthy in the concussion protocol, there is a chance that undrafted rookie Max Brosmer draws the start. Whoever starts for Minnesota this week, though, won't matter. McCarthy has struggled to throw the football in recent weeks, and Brosmer will be making his first career start against a Seattle defense that ranks fourth in total sacks this season (36).
Jacksonville Jaguars D/ST at TEN
The Titans had their best offensive showing of the year last week, scoring a season-high 24 points, but that shouldn't scare fantasy managers away from starting the Jaguars' D/ST in Week 13. Cam Ward has been sacked a league-leading 45 times this year and has been sacked at least three times in six consecutive games.
That works in Jacksonville's favor because this defensive group is coming off a performance in which it totaled a season-high six sacks. With the Jaguars ranking eighth in pass rush win rate, this D/ST can be trusted in all formats this week. Fantasy defenses rank first against the Tennessee offense in 2025.
Los Angeles Chargers D/ST vs. LV
The Raiders are all out of sorts on offense right now. Geno Smith has been sacked 20 times across the past three games, Ashton Jeanty is dealing with an ankle injury, and Chip Kelly was just fired as the offensive coordinator. As a result, fantasy managers should be starting this Los Angeles Chargers' D/ST in most formats this week.
Although the Chargers were embarrassed defensively in their last game before the bye, they will have a ton of potential in this matchup against the Raiders. Los Angeles has totaled at least three sacks in three of its last four contests, and the Raiders' offensive line currently ranks 21st in pass block win rate. With Smith being sacked 10 times last week, this defense is a solid play.
Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST vs. BUF
The Steelers appeared to be turning the corner after holding the Bengals to just 12 points in Week 11. In this contest, the Steelers held Joe Flacco to just 199 passing yards and tallied one sack. However, they regressed in Week 12, allowing the Chicago Bears to score 31 points.
They have a tougher matchup on paper against the Buffalo Bills. However, the Bills are coming off an underwhelming showing against the Houston Texans, in which QB Josh Allen was sacked eight times. If Pittsburgh can generate pressure, they could contain this unit. The Steelers carry sneaky upside in deeper formats.
Week 13 D/ST Rankings
| Rank | Player Name |
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 3 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 4 | Denver Broncos |
| 5 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 6 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 7 | Houston Texans |
| 8 | Miami Dolphins |
| 9 | New England Patriots |
| 10 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 11 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 12 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 13 | Detroit Lions |
| 14 | New Orleans Saints |
| 15 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 16 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 17 | Cleveland Browns |
| 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 20 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 21 | Buffalo Bills |
| 22 | Green Bay Packers |
| 23 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 24 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 25 | Tennessee Titans |
| 26 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 27 | Chicago Bears |
| 28 | New York Jets |
| 29 | New York Giants |
| 30 | Washington Commanders |
| 31 | Carolina Panthers |
| 32 | Cincinnati Bengals |
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 13 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding defenses like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 13. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 13 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific defenses like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 13.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 13 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 13 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 13 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 13 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks compared to others:
More Fantasy Football Analysis
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