Top Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings (Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12) - Defense Streamers and Starts (2025)

Joey's best fantasy football defense streamers and D/ST rankings for Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12 in 2025. NFL team defense streamers and starts based on strength of schedule.

Welcome, RotoBallers, to our fantasy football D/ST streamers and starts for Weeks 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the 2025 season. Every week, we will go through the best defensive streaming options that fantasy managers should pick up for the coming weeks. 

This article has featured the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in recent weeks. The Patriots have emerged as a dominant set-it-and-forget-it defense over the last few games, and the Buccaneers D/ST headlined this article last week. That defense then went on to score 26 fantasy points against the Saints.

For Week 9, we will look at several defensive targets for the next four weeks (Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12). If you want our D/ST fantasy football draft rankings, be sure to check that out. So, let's dive in and look at the best defensive streamers and starts for Week 9 and beyond.

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D/ST Strength of Schedule: Weeks 9-12

This weekly series will focus on defenses fantasy managers should consider picking up for the coming weeks. We will look at defenses fantasy managers should pick up for one week, and some defenses to pick up for the next four weeks. Sometimes, rostering two defenses isn't the worst strategy in most leagues that have a deeper bench.

So, we will break down the best defensive streamers into a few categories (Temporary, Part-Time, Recruit, and Fool's Gold) in this article below. You can see the description of each of those streamer types down below:

• “Temporary” Streamer: D/ST with a good matchup in Week 9
• “Part-Time” Streamer: D/ST with multiple nice matchups in a row
• “Recruit” Streamer: D/ST with an easy upcoming schedule that you pick up earlier to stash on your bench
• “Fool’s Gold” Streamer: D/ST that on paper looks like a good option, but should be avoided 

Week 9 D/ST Streamers

Since this is a streamer D/ST article, we will only look at defenses that are rostered in under 60% of ESPN leagues. There are other great D/ST matchups as well for this week, so check out our Week 9 defense streamers and tiered rankings article to see the full list:

Detroit Lions D/ST (Temporary Streamer)

• Week 9 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
• ESPN Rostership: 58.5%
• Over-Under: 47.5 points
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 19.25

Despite some injuries in the secondary, the Lions have played well defensively for most of the season. They held the Buccaneers offense to just nine points two weeks ago, and this defense currently ranks fifth in sacks (23) on the year. Detroit is also averaging 3.8 sacks per game since Week 2. Those sacks should play a major role in Week 9 against the Vikings.

Minnesota ranks 31st in sacks allowed per game (4.1), and the offensive line has allowed at least five sacks in a game in two of the past four contests. So, the Lions should be able to get a ton of pressure on young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who is expected to return for this game. With a top-12 pressure rate, Detroit's D/ST will be a top-5 play in Week 9.

Among all @NFL players this season, @Lions EDGE @aidanhutch97 ranks:

- 1st in total pressures generated (48)
- 1st in QB hurries (33)
- 1st in strip sacks (3)
- t-1st in FFs (4)
- t-4th in sacks (6.0)#OnePride pic.twitter.com/HAf66YRf7N

— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) October 21, 2025

Unfortunately, this Lions D/ST is only good for one week. Detroit will play the Commanders in Week 10 and the Eagles in Week 11, and fantasy managers probably can't start this defense in either of those games. While this defense does have a solid matchup against the Giants in Week 12, it might not be worth it to hold this unit during multiple bad matchups in a row.

Los Angeles Chargers D/ST (Part-Time Streamer)

• Week 9 Opponent: Tennessee Titans
• ESPN Rostership: 41.4%
• Over-Under: 43.5 points
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 16.5

If the Chargers D/ST is on waivers right now, you need to pick them up. Los Angeles has a fantastic matchup against the Titans in Week 9 and comes in as one of the best defensive plays of the week. No quarterback has been sacked more than Cam Ward (34) this year, and this Tennessee offense ranks dead last in points per game.

That makes the Chargers D/ST a must-start this week. Los Angeles is coming off a game in which it totaled five sacks and held the Vikings offense to just 10 points. On top of that, this defense has turned it up against bad offenses this season, scoring 13 fantasy points against the Raiders (Week 2), seven fantasy points against the Giants (Week 4), and 12 fantasy points against the Vikings (Week 8).

After this matchup against the Titans, fantasy managers could also use this Los Angeles D/ST in Week 11 against the Jaguars. Although the Chargers have a tougher defensive assignment against the Steelers in Week 10, they should have a solid fantasy performance in Week 11. Jacksonville's offensive line ranks dead last in pressure rate allowed since Week 5.

Los Angeles Rams D/ST (Temporary/Part-Time Streamer)

• Week 9 Opponent: New Orleans Saints
• ESPN Rostership: 35.9%
• Over-Under: 41.5 points
• Opponent’s Implied Total Points: 15.5

The Rams' defense has been impressive in recent weeks. This group totaled four sacks and forced three turnovers against the Ravens in Week 6 and then totaled seven sacks against the Jaguars in Week 7. Therefore, this Los Angeles D/ST should be on everyone's radar heading into a Week 9 matchup against the Saints.

New Orleans turned over the ball four times last week while scoring just three offensive points. Considering the Saints' offensive line also ranks 31st in pass block win rate, the Rams defense should be all over the quarterback in this game. Los Angeles currently ranks second in total sacks (26) and 11th in pass rush win rate this season.

Jared Verse has recorded a sack and forced fumble in three of his last four games. His 8 pressures on Sunday are tied for the third-most for any defender in a single game this season and matched a career-high. pic.twitter.com/BM069XQe63

— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) October 15, 2025

Following this favorable matchup, fantasy managers could potentially use this Los Angeles D/ST again in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers. Even though that isn't as favorable a matchup, the Rams have played well enough defensively to roll them out again. The 49ers' offensive line has allowed nine sacks over the past three games.

Fool’s Gold D/ST Streamers

Baltimore Ravens D/ST vs. Miami Dolphins

• Week 9 Opponent: Miami Dolphins
• ESPN Rostership: 29.5%

Some fantasy managers could be looking to add the Ravens D/ST this week. This group has a solid matchup against the Dolphins in Week 9 and has been playing better recently. Baltimore held the Rams to just 17 offensive points in Week 6 and then held the Chicago Bears to just 16 points last week.

However, it's best to roll with another D/ST this week in fantasy. The Ravens aren't really getting much pressure on the quarterback, as they rank in the bottom half of the league in both pressure rate and pass rush win rate. With only nine sacks as a team on the season, there are plenty of better defenses to play in fantasy this week.

Planning Ahead for Week 10

Cleveland Browns D/ST (Recruit Streamer)

• Week 9 Opponent: BYE
• Week 10 Opponent: New York Jets
• ESPN Rostership: 45.8%

With the Browns on a bye this week, fantasy managers should be looking to pick up this defense. If they aren't available in your league right now, chances are someone in your league will drop them while they are on a bye. That makes this the perfect opportunity for you to scoop them up off the waiver wire.

That's because the Browns' defense has multiple favorable matchups following the Week 9 bye. Cleveland will play the Jets in Week 10 and the Raiders in Week 12. In both of those weeks, this D/ST will be a top-5 fantasy play.

a history-making sack for @flash_garrett!!#CLEvsNE on FOX and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/xxivvX2I98

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 26, 2025

The Browns have totaled at least three sacks in six of their eight games and just tallied a season-high six sacks in last week's loss to the Patriots. Although that was largely in part due to Myles Garrett's five-sack performance, this is a defense that has been elite through the first eight weeks. As a result, Cleveland's defense should feast on both of those bottom offenses in Week 10 and Week 12.

D/ST Streamers for Week 10

If you have Week 9 already figured out, let's look ahead at some defensive options that you could start in Week 10:

• Buffalo Bills (44.1% rostership) - Week 10 opponent: Miami Dolphins
• Chicago Bears (23.4% rostership) - Week 10 Opponent: New York Giants
• New York Jets (15.1% rostership) - Week 10 opponent: Cleveland Browns

D/ST Streaming Action Plan: Next Four Weeks

Planning out your fantasy D/ST might require some work, but it might be necessary to target the best matchups every single week. Here is how I would line up my defensive streams across the first four weeks.

• Week 9: Stream the Chargers versus the Titans
• Week 10: Stream the Browns versus the Jets
• Week 11: Stream the Ravens versus the Browns
• Week 12: Stream the Browns versus the Raiders

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