In the wild, unpredictable world of the 2025 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders have been stumbling through a nightmare on offense. Heading into Week 12, they’re languishing at 30th in yards per game with a measly 269.0 and dead last in points at just 15.5. But hey, every cloud has a silver lining—or in this case, a matchup against a team that’s somehow even more anemic on attack.
Enter the Cleveland Browns, the Raiders’ Week 12 foes, who are scraping the bottom of the barrel at 31st in yards (257.3 per game) and 29th in points (16.2). This clash has all the hallmarks of a defensive slugfest, where points might be rarer than a unicorn sighting. The Browns might be injecting some fresh energy—or digging their hole deeper—by handing the reins to fifth-round rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders for his first career start.
The only reason Cleveland has edged out Las Vegas in scoring this year? Their ironclad defense. The Browns rank second in yards allowed per game at 273.5 and fourth in expected points added (EPA) allowed per play at -0.09. Meanwhile, the Raiders’ D is middle-of-the-pack: 17th in yards allowed (326.8) and tied for 19th in EPA at 0.02. It’s a tale of two defenses, and Cleveland’s is the beast that’s been feasting.
Can the Raiders Ignite a Spark?
This Week 12 showdown screams trouble for the Raiders’ offense. Cleveland’s pass rush is a juggernaut, spearheaded by Myles Garrett, who’s on a tear and poised to smash the single-season sack record with 15 takedowns in just 10 games. Facing off against Geno Smith and Las Vegas’ sieve-like offensive line? It’s a recipe for disaster. Smith has already plummeted off fantasy radars this season, and starting him against the Browns? That’s straight-up fantasy suicide.
That brutal matchup casts a long shadow over the entire Raiders’ skill-position crew. Even studs like tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty feel risky in this spot—too much uncertainty, too many ways for Cleveland’s defense to dominate. But amid the gloom, there’s one shining beacon for fantasy managers: the Las Vegas Raiders’ D/ST. NFL.com’s Michael Florio is pounding the table for them this week, and for good reason.
“The Browns have been a fantasy defense’s dream matchup all season, no matter who’s slinging the ball,” Florio explains. “Now, with Shedeur Sanders stepping in for his debut start, the upside skyrockets. Sanders has raw talent, but his college days at Colorado exposed a bad habit: holding onto the ball too long and racking up sacks. Add in limited reps with the first-team offense this year, and it’s no shock he tossed an interception last week when he relieved the concussed Dillon Gabriel. For the Raiders’ D, this is a golden opportunity you can’t pass up.”
In a game where offenses might as well be on vacation, the Raiders’ defense could be the hero that turns the tide. Bench the rest, but fire up that D/ST—it’s the one man (or unit) standing tall against the Browns’ brutal front. Fantasy glory awaits those bold enough to roll with it.