In most fantasy football leagues, managers tend to put the least effort into D/ST waiver pickups and start-sit decisions. This can allow you to get that extra edge it takes to win games in the most important part of the season for many -- the last game before the playoffs.
It's Week 14, and picking the right D/ST to start can mean the difference between a first-round bye, clinching the top seed, or getting into the fantasy postseason at all.
So we'll look at three D/STs that you could start this week and whether you should lock them into your lineups.
Should I Start Saints D/ST for Fantasy Football?
The New Orleans Saints D/ST is ranked just 18th in fantasy football scoring this season. They've been awful against the run, traded away their best cornerback in Marshon Lattimore (hamstring), and they're bottom-10 in yardage allowed both to the pass and the run. They're barely in the bottom half of points allowed.
Saints run defense is a major problem
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) December 1, 2024
Teams who can't stop the run aren't ideal for fantasy football. They'll face the New York Giants, though, who field one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Bad defense vs bad offense is a matchup that can be tempting. It's hard to recommend starting them unless you're in a very deep league.
Should I Start Cardinals D/ST for Fantasy Football?
They are a great start to make, even outside of deeper leagues. They still scored nine points against the Minnesota Vikings, despite the loss, by sacking quarterback Sam Darnold five times, forcing two fumbles, and recovering one. They allowed just 273 total yards on the day.
Since Week 7 the Arizona Cardinals Defense is:
2nd in PPG
2nd in yds per play
1st in YPG
1st in sacksELITE🔥 pic.twitter.com/tfcDZZIGOZ
— K1SinceDay1 (@KSzn2021) December 5, 2024
They've been one of the best defenses in the league in the 2nd half of the season. They'll get to face the Seattle Seahawks, who have a horrendous offensive line. We expect the Cards D/ST to do very well this week. Start them.
Should I Start Titans D/ST for Fantasy Football?
Probably not outside of leagues with 14 or more teams. They were gashed by the Washington Commanders in Week 13. They'll have a softer matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who will be forced to start quarterback Mac Jones again. Their starter, Trevor Lawrence (shoulder, concussion), won't play again this season.
Titans DC Dennard Wilson on the adjustments they made trying to fix the run defense: pic.twitter.com/I82F48F9L7
— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) December 5, 2024
They've had to face quite a few tough offenses in recent weeks, but the main problem has been the injuries. They've lost way too many of their starting players to injured reserve. It's hard to trust a depleted squad. At full strength, they'd be much better. The Jags could always flop, but it's not something you want to count on.
Popular Week 14 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 14 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Saints D/ST, Cardinals D/ST, Titans D/ST compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
New Orleans Saints or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints or Arizona Cardinals
Seattle Seahawks or New Orleans Saints
Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions or New Orleanssaints
Seattle Seahawks or Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals or New Orleanssaints
Detroit Lions or Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals
Minnesota Vikings or Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings or New Orleanssaints
Seattle Seahawks or Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Detroit Lions or Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills or New Orleanssaints
Cincinnati Bengals or Tennessee Titans
Kansas Citychiefs or Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins or New Orleanssaints
San Francisco49Ers or New Orleanssaints
San Francisco49Ers or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears or Tennessee Titans
Los Angeleschargers or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or Tennessee Titans
Kansas Citychiefs or New Orleanssaints
Pittsburgh Steelers or New Orleanssaints
San Francisco49Ers or Arizona Cardinals
Green Baypackers or Arizona Cardinals
Kansas Citychiefs or Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Green Baypackers or Tennessee Titans
Los Angeleschargers or Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings or Tennessee Titans
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
San Francisco49Ers or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans
Dallas Cowboys or Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys or New Orleanssaints
Jacksonville Jaguars or Tennessee Titans
Los Angeleschargers or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Pittsburgh Steelers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals or New Orleanssaints
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Baker Mayfield or Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens or Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals
Caleb Williams or Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears or New Orleanssaints
Cincinnati Bengals or Tennessee Titans
Dallas Cowboys or Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys or Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions or New Orleanssaints
Detroit Lions or Tennessee Titans
Green Baypackers or New Orleanssaints
Green Baypackers or Tennessee Titans
Kansas Citychiefs or Arizona Cardinals
Kansas Citychiefs or New Orleanssaints
Los Angeleschargers or Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeleschargers or New Orleanssaints
Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins or New Orleanssaints
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings or New Orleanssaints
Minnesota Vikings or New Orleanssaints
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Yorkjets or Arizona Cardinals
New Yorkjets or New Orleanssaints
Parker Washington or Tennessee Titans
Philadelphia Eagles or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Seattle Seahawks or Arizona Cardinals
Seattle Seahawks or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or New Orleanssaints
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or New Orleanssaints
Tennessee Titans or New Orleanssaints
Tennessee Titans or New Orleanssaints
Arizona Cardinals or New Orleanssaints
Arizona Cardinals or New Orleanssaints
Arizona Cardinals or New Orleanssaints
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans
Atlanta Falcons or Arizona Cardinals
Baker Mayfield or Tennessee Titans
Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills or New Orleanssaints
Buffalo Bills or New Orleanssaints
Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans
Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans
Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears or New Orleanssaints
Cincinnati Bengals or Arizona Cardinals
Cincinnati Bengals or Arizona Cardinals
Cincinnati Bengals or New Orleanssaints
Cincinnati Bengals or New Orleanssaints
Cleveland Browns or Tennessee Titans
Cleveland Browns or Tennessee Titans
Dallas Cowboys or New Orleanssaints
Dallas Cowboys or New Orleanssaints
Dallas Cowboys or New Orleanssaints
Dallas Cowboys or Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions or Arizona Cardinals
Detroit Lions or Arizona Cardinals
Detroit Lions or Arizona Cardinals
Detroit Lions or New Orleanssaints
Detroit Lions or New Orleanssaints
Jacksonville Jaguars or New Orleanssaints
Jacksonville Jaguars or Tennessee Titans
Kansas Citychiefs or Arizona Cardinals
Kansas Citychiefs or Arizona Cardinals
Kansas Citychiefs or New Orleanssaints
Kansas Citychiefs or New Orleanssaints
Kansas Citychiefs or New Orleanssaints
Los Angeleschargers or Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeleschargers or Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeleschargers or New Orleanssaints
Los Angeleschargers or Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings or New Orleanssaints
Minnesota Vikings or Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings or Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Arizona Cardinals
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Orleanssaints or Tennessee Titans
New Yorkgiants or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleanssaints
Philadelphia Eagles or Tennessee Titans
Pittsburgh Steelers or New Orleanssaints
Pittsburgh Steelers or Tennessee Titans
Pittsburgh Steelers or Tennessee Titans
Quentin Johnston or Tennessee Titans
Rashod Bateman or Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco49Ers or Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco49Ers or New Orleanssaints
San Francisco49Ers or New Orleanssaints
San Francisco49Ers or New Orleanssaints
San Francisco49Ers or Tennessee Titans
San Francisco49Ers or Tennessee Titans
Seattle Seahawks or Arizona Cardinals
Seattle Seahawks or Tennessee Titans
Seattle Seahawks or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Baybuccaneers or New Orleanssaints
Tampa Baybuccaneers or New Orleanssaints
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Tampa Baybuccaneers or Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans or New Orleanssaints
Tennessee Titans or New Orleanssaints
Tyler Allgeier or Arizona Cardinals
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