Best Week 12 Defense Streamers - Fantasy Football DST Pickups and Starts

The top Week 12 defense streamers - fantasy football D/ST pickups, streamers and starts for 2025. Target these fantasy DST streaming options with strong matchups.

With Week 11 in the books, it's time to identify defensive streamers for the Week 12 slate of the regular season.

This week, we will spotlight four defensive units that are available in more than 65% of the fantasy leagues that can push for the top-12 upside this week.

Who should fantasy managers look to target on the waiver wire and plug into their starting lineup? Let's dive in!

Top Week 12 Defense Streamers (D/ST)

Only defenses rostered in fewer than 65% of fantasy football leagues are considered potential streamers.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. CLE
30% Rostered

Sitting on the waiver wire in nearly 70% of leagues is the top streamer of the week, the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders have allowed a hefty 25.3 PPG, but have a prime matchup to turn the corner. This weekend, they will face Cleveland rookie Shedeur Sanders in what will be his first career start.

Sanders entered in relief of Dillon Gabriel (concussion) last weekend and stumbled, going 4-for-16 with 47 yards and an interception. Even though the Raiders defense enters this game averaging just 4.3 FPTS/G they are a top-10 play in Week 12 due to their elite matchup. Expect Maxx Crosby to disrupt the rookie QB all afternoon.

Maxx Crosby wrecks the play for a turnover ‼️

DALvsLV on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/QDnAT3NUtL

— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2025

San Francisco 49ers vs. CAR
20% Rostered

The 49ers may have a modest matchup on paper, but they are worth a look in 12+ team leagues. This weekend, they will face the Carolina Panthers, who are coming off potentially their strongest offensive output of the campaign. In Week 11, Bryce Young led the way, tallying 448 yards with three passing scores in their victory over the Falcons.

However, prior to this showing, Young averaged just 124.0 yards per game over their last two contests with a 0:2 TD:INT. Like Las Vegas, the 49ers' defense enters this game holding an average of 3.7 FPTS/G clip but has the upside to shine in a favorable matchup. If Young regresses to his Week 9 and Week 10 form, the 49ers could easily end up in the top 12 this weekend.

New Orleans Saints vs. ATL
10% Rostered

While risky, the New Orleans Saints should be on your streaming radar this weekend. The Saints will face an injured Atlanta offense that will be without top wideout Drake London (knee) and starting QB Michael Penix Jr. (knee). As a result, the Falcons will turn to veteran QB Kirk Cousins to be under center.

In his lone start this season, Cousins struggled against a weak Miami defense, going 21-for-31 with just 173 yards. Before their Week 11 bye, the Saints had their best outing of the season, allowing just seven points to the Carolina Panthers. With momentum on their side, facing a veteran QB that has yet to show any sign of success this season, they are worth a look as a high-upside play.

Chicago Bears vs. PIT
30% Rostered

The final streamer of consideration has been a popular recommendation in this column. The Chicago Bears still list at 70% available in all Yahoo! leagues despite entering Week 12 with the most interceptions in the sport (15) and the 13th-highest FPTS/G (6.8).

This weekend, they have a tougher matchup on paper, facing the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, they could have an easier path to success, as QB Aaron Rodgers (wrist) has been battling an injury, and top running back Jaylen Warren (ankle) is also in danger of missing this contest.

Given the ability to force turnovers at a high rate, they offer the safest floor on this week's edition. If either Rodgers or Warren sits out, they enter must-play territory.

Kevin Byard picks off JJ McCarthy for his league-leading 5th INT!

CHIvsMIN on FOX/FOX One+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/314cxCU8SZ

— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025

Week 12 Defense Rankings

Read more defense news and updates for Week 12

Who Should I Start Tool

You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.

Week 12 Defense Decisions. Today's focus is on specific team defenses - Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and New Orleans Saints. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 12.

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's name. In the second box, search for the second player's 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 that 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, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with 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 circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.

Popular Week 12 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 12 (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 12 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 12 for defenses like the Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and New Orleans Saints:

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