Fantasy Football Week 13 best defenses: Cowboys a must-start as Eagles face 49ers and Myles Garrett questionable for Browns

Week 13 sees fantasy football managers in desperation mode with the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants on byes. With waivers tomorrow and six teams set to rest up, it's a busy day across fantasy football.

Compounding the difficulty presented by bye weeks, there are some very tough matchups and concerning injury reports for some of the league's premier defenses. While the Dallas Cowboys defense is a must-start due to their proclivity for sacks, interceptions and pick sixes, the same can't be said for other teams around the league.

The Cleveland Browns had an injury scare in the form of superstar Myles Garrett, who left Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos with a shoulder issue. While he returned a few plays later, there were concerns about the pop Garrett felt in his shoulder.

The good news is that scans showed no structural damage, but even if he plays, his health is uncertain and the Browns D is a risky start in Week 13. While the LA Rams have hardly been prolific this season, they did just put up 37 points on the Arizona Cardinals. As the Browns' offense appears stagnant at best, Cleveland's defense looks destined to be tested and might be best benched for this week.

The San Francisco 49ers travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles in a hugely important game for the battle for first seed in the NFC. With both of these offenses capable of putting up huge numbers, these defenses are risky starts in fantasy football.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an interesting game against Arizona. While Kyler Murray has looked good after returning from an ACL injury, the Cardinals are somewhat unpredictable offensively and don't often put up big scores. Add to that the Steelers' pass rush starring T.J. Watt and this could be a big week for the Pittsburgh defense.

With defenses in fantasy football, it is often a good policy to chase a poor offense. Some of the best defensive performances have come against struggling teams such as the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and New York Giants. As two of those three teams are on byes this week, fantasy football managers must look elsewhere for favorable matchups.

Based on Sunday, targeting the Jacksonville Jaguars D could be a game-changer. They face the Cincinnati Bengals, who look very vulnerable without Joe Burrow. This could be a blowout game and the prospect of Jake Browning having to take risks from early on is a tantalizing one in fantasy football.

The below defensive rankings include a multitude of factors in their calculations and as such can make a huge difference in fantasy football. Here are the best defenses to start in Week 13, ranked by their projections:

Fantasy Football Week 13 best defenses

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Panthers) - 7.82 points
2. Kansas City Chiefs (@ Packers) - 7.13 points
3. New York Jets (vs. Falcons) - 7.13 points
4. Atlanta Falcons (@ Jets) - 7.12 points
5. Dallas Cowboys (vs. Seattle) - 7.10 points
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Arizona) - 6.98 points
7. Houston Texans (vs. Broncos) - 6.96 points
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Bengals) - 6.86 points
9. Indianapolis Colts (@ Titans) - 6.82 points
10. Cleveland Browns (@ Rams) - 6.78 points
11. Miami Dolphins @ Commanders) - 6.78 points
12. San Francisco 49ers (@ Eagles) - 6.74 points
13. LA Rams (vs. Browns) - 6.71
14. LA Chargers (@ Patriots) - 6.47
15. Tennessee Titans (vs. Colts) - 6.46 points
16. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. 49ers) - 6.43 points
17. Denver Broncos (@ Texans) - 6.28 points
18. New Orleans Saints (vs. Lions) - 6.23 points
19. Detroit Lions (@ Saints) - 6.18 points
20. Seattle Seahawks (@ Cowboys) - 6.18 points
21. Carolina Panthers (@ Buccaneers) - 6.13 points
22. Green Bay Packers (vs. Chiefs) - 6.05 points
23. New England Patriots (vs. Chargers) - 6.03 points
24. Cincinnati Bengals (@ Jaguars) - 6.02 points
25. Washington Commanders (vs. Dolphins) - 5.84 points
26. Arizona Cardinals (@ Steelers) - 5.77 points