Unless most of the teams in your league carry a backup defense, more than half of the league should be available to you every week. Perhaps instead of playing one above average defense every week, regardless of matchup, we should instead target the widely available waiver wire defenses with the best matchups in any particular week? You can always make exceptions if your rent-a-defense gets hot - heck, you might find a team worth starting all year by accident. Even if you don't, good matchups will continue to get greater in number as more QBs get injured or yanked as the season goes on. You can steal some points from bad weather come December. Each week I'll list the startable fantasy defenses on most waiver wires and rank them.

Week 13 Results

Kansas City (vs Oakland) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD, 1 2 pt conversion

Yahtzee! The Raiders continued to snooze their way through and the Chiefs defense was happy to make the easy pick six.

A Look Ahead: @NE DEN @CHI - I’m ok with playing the Chiefs D/ST from here on our and seeing what happens

Seattle (vs Minnesota) - 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT

Jadeveon Clowney is playing through a hernia, so this D/ST lost some oomph but still at least got three takeaways

A Look Ahead: @LAR @CAR ARI - Jared Goff has been known to melt down, but we’ll probably drop them

Philadelphia (at Miami) - 3 sacks, 1 INT

Not only did the Eagles not win, and give up touchdowns on five straight possessions (not counting a halftime kneeldown), they also had the best fake field goal I’ve ever seen work against them

A Look Ahead: NYG @WAS DAL - They are out of our circle of trust now

New Orleans (at Atlanta) - 9 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT

Boom! Pow! The Falcons offense was on the field for over 90 plays which just meant more chances to tee off on Matt Ryan

A Look Ahead: SF IND @TEN - It’s not a terrible idea to stick with the Saints in the Superdome, but not a lineup lock either

New York Jets (at Cincinnati) - 1 sack

That’s what we get for trusting the Jets

A Look Ahead: MIA @BAL PIT - Nope. Not gonna go there again

Carolina (vs Washington) - 5 sacks

Whoda thunk that Washington would be the better half of this one? Well perhaps folks that have been watching Kyle Allen and the Panthers run defense lately.

A Look Ahead: @ATL SEA @IND - The Falcons were a great D/ST matchup last week but...

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

Tampa Bay (at Jacksonville) - 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT, 1 DEF TD

Nick Foles told Jameis Winston to hold his beer when someone said Winston has the most careless turnovers of any quarterback in the league

Los Angeles Rams (at Arizona) - 6 sacks, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD

And just like that, Kyler Murray looked like a rookie and the Rams looked like one of the best fantasy D/STs again

Tennessee (at Indianapolis) - 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INT, 1 ST TD

A blocked field goal return for a score turned the game, but the Titans defense was also able to get some takeaways to close this one out

Minnesota (at Seattle) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 DEF TD

Two Russell Wilson pick sixes in a year? That’s like a neon green moon

Washington (at Carolina) - 7 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT

Your reminder that any defense in any week can be a hit against Kyle Allen

Week 14 Candidates

**San Francisco, New England, Pittsburgh and Baltimore are assumed to be rostered**

**Consider benching New England and San Francisco this week for a rent-a-defense, but hold them for Week 15**

Minnesota (vs Detroit)

The Vikings defense has underperformed all year but they need this home game to stay in the sixth seed and the Lions are still starting a third string quarterback.

A Look Ahead: @LAC GB - Hope Philip Rivers stays in if you want to stick with Minnesota

Tennessee (vs Oakland)

The Titans are much more dangerous D/ST when Derrick Henry is rolling. The Raiders season is swirling down the drain. Perhaps the home crowd can revive them, but the trends are too strong to ignore here.

A Look Ahead: HOU NO - It’s not a good idea to start the Titans D/ST against these offenses

New Orleans (vs San Francisco)

The Saints are at home and except for the everything that can go wrong did game against the Falcons, they have been a solid to strong D/ST all year. Jimmy Garoppolo can melt under pressure and the Saints can bring it.

A Look Ahead: IND @TEN - Another reason to stick with the Saints despite playing a good offense is getting Jacoby Brissett in the Superdome next week.

Green Bay (vs Washington)

The Packers D/ST’s hot open to the season is small in the rear view mirror and Washington’s running game could make this one more interesting than we expect, but if they get a chance to come after Dwayne Haskins, the sacks and takeaways should ensue.

A Look Ahead: CHI @MIN - A date with Mitchell Trubisky has potential

Kansas City (at New England)

The idea of the Patriots as a D/ST target seems absurd, but this is about the upcoming schedule and roster economics of carrying only one D/ST. The Ravens also had 2 sacks, 2 takeaways and a defensive score against the Patriots when they played from ahead, so if Patrick Mahomes II starts hot in this one…

A Look Ahead: DEN @CHI - If they can do it against Oakland, they can do it against Drew Lock and Mitchell Trubisky

Houston (vs Denver)

Drew Lock wasn’t bad in his debut, but that’s the Chargers for you. He could come back to earth against the Texans trying to hold onto the division lead at home.

A Look Ahead: @TEN @TB - Week 16 looks good if the Bucs have starting making January tee times by then

Tampa Bay (vs Indianapolis)

If you have to go to a D/ST with nothing to play for this week, make it the Bucs. They are the highest scoring D/ST over the last two weeks and the Colts offense is in freefall

A Look Ahead: @DET HOU - If the Bucs D/ST stays hot, we will stick with them

Playoffs Preemptive Pickups

Week 15

Kansas City (vs Denver)

Green Bay (vs Chicago)

New Orleans (vs Indianapolis)

Minnesota (at Los Angeles Chargers)

Buffalo (at Pittsbugh)

Week 16

Kansas City (at Chicago)

Houston (at Tampa Bay)

Seattle (vs Arizona)