Best fantasy football D/ST plays over $3,000 in Week 13

Paying up for a D/ST in daily fantasy can work. It isn’t my preferred method, but picking a defense that ends up with a huge game is going to boost your lineup over the competition no matter the price you paid. So, if a higher-priced option that you love fits, then don’t be afraid to pull the trigger.

Panthers ($3,800) vs. Washington

Dwayne Haskins doesn’t have much to work with in Washington, but he’s also not elevating his team to any degree. In his four games with 17 or more pass-attempts, Washington has scored 19, 17, 9, and 3 points, and on the season he has six yards per attempt, two touchdown passes, and six interceptions. The Panthers have scuffled defensively of late, but at home against the rookie, they’re poised for a strong outing.

Eagles ($3,600) at Miami

Ryan Fitzpatrick gives the Dolphins enough offense to keep them from giving up huge D/ST numbers each week, but they are consistent in the numbers they do allow. Not once had a D/ST facing the Dolphins dipped below six fantasy points, and on the year, teams average ten fantasy points against them. Philadelphia has been all over the place as far as their fantasy D/ST goes, but they’ve played better of late, with scores of 11 against Seattle, four against the Patriots, nine versus the Bears, and 13 at Buffalo. They should be one of the safer plays this week.

Steelers ($3,500) vs. Browns

The Steelers D/ST has been dominate this season, with seven of their last eight games topping 13 fantasy points. The Browns were the only outlier in that stretch two weeks ago. That game was in Cleveland, and Mason Rudolph was beyond horrible, putting his defense in tough positions. This week they return to Pittsburgh with a Duck Hodges as the new starting quarterback. Plus, Pittsburgh and their fans will be fired up after the end of the game fight that took place the last time they played. The Browns offense has improved, but there’s a good chance for some big defensive plays at Heinz Stadium in Week 13.