Streaming Defenses: Week 13 Targets

Nov 30, 2021

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I’m old enough to remember a time in TV history when cable was a luxury and adjusting the “bunny-ears” antennae was a way of life. Whenever tuning the signal dial just wasn’t cutting it, you had to adjust the tin foil crunched around the end of the “ears”. Satellite TV back then sounded like a sci-fi fever dream. Even if you had the better services, there still weren’t that many channels to choose from.

Now, though, we are firmly in the era of streaming.

So many options are just a click away these days, and all on-demand. You don’t have to get tied down to one provider. Sure, not every choice is available all the time, and you don’t always know where to look among what’s available. Still, that’s what this column is for: to guide you through the world of streaming… defenses.

More Week 13 Streaming: QB | TE | K

I explained in my introductory article to the concept that streaming defenses is one of the most sound ways to approach the position in fantasy football, as well as how to do it, and what to look for from a statistical perspective in a defensive streamer.

This column will combine that approach with our own Sam Hoppen’s analytical model for streaming defenses. Sam’s model utilizes Vegas lines for predicting points scored by the opposing defense, opposing quarterback history for interception rates, and both the offense and defense’s history of allowing sacks – the most predictive parts of defensive scoring on a weekly basis.

With all that out of the way, let’s dim the lights and press play on the main feature. Here are four defenses to consider picking up ahead of Week 13.

Week 12 Review

Top Streamers

Chicago Bears at DET – 4 pts. (t-DEF21)
Houston Texans vs. NYJ – 6 pts. (t-DEF15)

Deep Plays

Cincinnati Bengals vs. PIT – 19 pts. (DEF2)
Philadelphia Eagles at NYG – 5 pts. (t-DEF17)

This week was pretty mediocre overall, with three of our four recommendations flopping down to the “just barely startable” category (or lower), while the other went off for the second-most points among defenses in Week 12. The Cincinnati Bengals did a little of everything this week, allowing just 10 points, picking up three sacks and three takeaways, and adding on a defensive touchdown just for a bit of spice. The Bengals were by far our best call here, though the Houston Texans allowed just 21 points while racking up four sacks and a takeaway; it’s hard to be mad about that process-wise. The Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears were not as impressive, turning in just a sack apiece.

Streaming defenses has been tough the last few weeks, but let’s see if we can get you through the last few byes and into the playoffs