Best Week 13 Fantasy D/ST Streamers: Start 49ers Defense Against Shedeur Sanders
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Every fantasy football manager knows the stress of weekly lineup decisions, but defense and special teams (D/ST) remain one of the trickiest positions to navigate.
Outside of a few elite options, most defenses remain volatile from week to week. This makes the streaming strategy, which rotates D/ST based on matchups, game script and injuries, oftentimes more valuable.
Below are three streamable D/ST options available in many leagues that could help you survive Week 13.
*Percentage denotes roster rate on ESPN and Yahoo*
Falcons @ Jets (ESPN: 36% Yahoo: 50%)
The Falcons were one of my streamer picks last week, ahead of their matchup on the road against the Saints. They delivered 15 fantasy points in an overall dominant defensive performance. A big reason for Atlanta’s success is its ability to rack up the sacks. The unit has 23 sacks over the past four weeks, which includes a five-sack performance last week. The Falcons rank among the top 10 in virtually every metric in terms of getting after the quarterback. Therefore, they should have no problem getting after Tyrod Taylor and the Jets, who have given up the fourth-most sacks this season, in Week 13.
Chargers @ Raiders (ESPN: 30% Yahoo: 42%)
The Raiders just fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. To put things in the simplest of terms, the Raiders’ offense is a disaster. Geno Smith leads the NFL in interceptions and has been sacked the second-most times, including 20 times in just the last three games. It’s also worth mentioning that Ashton Jeanty is dealing with an ankle injury. However, whether he plays in Week 13 or not, the Chargers are a no-brainer, top-three play.
49ers @ Browns (ESPN: 21% Yahoo: 24%)
The 49ers' defense has struggled with all the injuries it has faced. Still, it has had moments of success, including Week 7 against the Falcons and Week 12 against the Panthers. San Francisco’s matchup against the Browns this week is better than both those matchups and a prime opportunity against Shedeur Sanders in his second career NFL start. The rookie has thrown an interception in each of his two appearances this season, and the Browns' offensive line has struggled to protect any and every quarterback that’s started behind them.
Check out our must-start Week 13 D/ST units.
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Michael Rovetto previously served as the staff writer for University of Maryland Athletics for nearly two years. There, he wrote, edited and managed all editorial content for all 20 of Maryland's varsity sports on umterps.com. Rovetto is recognized as a College Sports Communicators district award-winning writer. Many of his stories have also appeared on NCAA.org, garnering national attention. Before graduating from Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism in December 2023, Rovetto wrote for PressBox and Terrapin Sports Central, covering Maryland men's basketball and football. He also has experience in broadcasting, previously working as an analyst and camera operator for Big State Sports, and communication, interning for Shell Shock TBT as its Director of Communication & Content Development.