No byes this week! Hallelujah!
Fantasy football rankings, 2016: Defense/special teams for Week 12
The SB Nation fantasy team reveals which defense/special teams rank in the top 25 heading into Week 12.
Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Now for two more (in most leagues) weeks of nerve-racking defense decisions before the field starts getting cut down in the playoffs.
Sitting atop our list is New England — who haven’t been able to really put together any consistent form in 2016 — but face a New York Jets team that has been the best matchup for fantasy defenses this season.
Baltimore’s matchup against Cincinnati got so much better for Ravens owners when Giovani Bernard and A.J. Green went down with injuries last weekend. The Bills also are a great option this week against Jacksonville, and the Giants play the Browns — enough said there.
Tennessee and Miami both deserve a look this week as streamers, with the Titans going up against a Bears team that has no clue who will be at quarterback. The Dolphins are at home against a San Francisco 49ers team that gives up a lot of points to fantasy defenses.
Pittsburgh is certainly an intriguing option after their impressive performance against Cleveland, where they scored a touchdown, allowed just nine points in the game, recorded eight sacks, and picked up two turnovers (an interception and fumble recovery). They face a Colts team this week that still isn’t sure who their starting quarterback will be. Should Andrew Luck not pass concussion protocol, Scott Tolzien will be under center for Indianapolis.
Defense/special teams, Week 12
(ZS: Zach Senvisky, JM: Jason Marcum, SK: Scott Kaliska, JG: Jeff Goldberg, KB: Kyle Bennett, DG: Derek Gordon)
| Rk | Consensus | Opp. | ZS | JM | SK | JG | KB | DG |
| 1 | New England Patriots | @ NYJ | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Baltimore Ravens | vs. CIN | 9 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 3 | Buffalo Bills | vs. JAC | 2 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| 4 | Seattle Seahawks | @ TB | 4 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | New York Giants | @ CLE | 1 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 7 |
| 6 | Kansas City Chiefs | @ DEN | 10 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 3 |
| 7 | Denver Broncos | vs. KC | 6 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 8 |
| 8 | Minnesota Vikings | @ DET | 8 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 5 |
| 9 | Tennessee Titans | @ CHI | 7 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 11 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins | vs. SF | 3 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 17 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh Steelers | @ IND | 12 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 18 |
| 12 | Houston Texans | vs. SD | 15 | 6 | 17 | 12 | 12 | 6 |
| 13 | Arizona Cardinals | @ ATL | 14 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 13 |
| 14 | Atlanta Falcons | vs. ARI | 17 | 13 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
| 15 | Detroit Lions | vs. MIN | 11 | 21 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 23 |
| 16 | Green Bay Packers | @ PHI | 25 | 14 | 22 | 17 | 17 | 14 |
| 17 | Philadelphia Eagles | vs. GB | 13 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 19 |
| 18 | Dallas Cowboys | vs. WAS | 19 | 15 | 20 | 24 | 19 | 15 |
| 19 | Cincinnati Bengals | @ BAL | 20 | 23 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 21 |
| 20 | Carolina Panthers | @ OAK | 18 | 19 | 24 | 25 | 20 | 10 |
| 21 | Los Angeles Rams | @ NO | 23 | 17 | 23 | 18 | 21 | 16 |
| 22 | San Diego Chargers | @ HOU | -- | 22 | 16 | 21 | 16 | 20 |
| 23 | New Orleans Saints | vs. LA | -- | 20 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 25 |
| 24 | Washington | @ DAL | 16 | 24 | -- | 22 | 24 | 22 |
| 25 | Oakland Raiders | vs. CAR | 24 | -- | 12 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Jacksonville Jaguars | @ BUF | 22 | 25 | -- | 23 | 25 | 24 |
| -- | Indianapolis Colts | vs. PIT | 21 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Chicago Bears | vs. TEN | -- | -- | 25 | -- | -- | -- |
