Defense & Kicker Start ’em, Sit ’em for Week 7 Fantasy Football

Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR rating system in fantasy football. This column will not cover elite NFL players like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson or Ja’Marr Chase. Instead, I will look at players who might exceed or fall short of expectations at each position. For all your final Fantasy roster decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings, which will be updated daily throughout the 2025 NFL season.

1. Chiefs defense against Raiders
2. Patriots defense against the Titans
3. Steelers defense against the Bengals (Thursday)
4. Broncos defense against the Giants
5. Packers defense at Cardinals
6. Eagles defense at the Vikings
7. Browns defense against the Dolphins
8. Dolphins defense at Browns
9. Bears Defense vs. Saints
10. Seahawks defense against Texans (Monday)

Complete Week 7 Defense Rankings

Bye : Bills, crows

Start of the week

Chiefs defense vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Chiefs defense is a smart play in most leagues this week as it faces a positive matchup against Geno Smith and the Raiders. No team in the league has committed more giveaways (11) after the first six weeks, and the Las Vegas offensive line has already allowed 18 sacks to its quarterback. Look for Kansas City to post a top-10 stat line this week.

Start them

Patriots defense vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Patriots have re-emerged as a solid fantasy option among defenses, and this week’s game against the Titans makes it a stronger play. Tennessee is in flux after the firing of head coach Brian Callahan, and their offense has been the worst in the league thus far. Additionally, no offensive line has allowed more sacks (25) after six weeks.

Browns defense vs. Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Browns have one of the strongest defenses in the league, even more so on their home field, and a matchup against Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins is a solid option. Miami appears to be a team in turmoil after Tua’s comments following the loss to the Chargers, and their offense has already committed eight giveaways.

More departures

Session of the week

Buccaneers defense vs. Lions (Mon. 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC): The Buccaneers defense can be helpful when the game is going well (like last week), but facing the Lions at home is not a favorable situation. No home team in the league averaged more points (43 PPG), and Detroit also averaged the sixth-most net yards (tied) on its home field. I would keep the Bucs away.

Sit them down

Chargers defense vs. Colts (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): The Chargers defense faces a tough task this week, as Jonathan Taylor and the Colts come to town. Indianapolis has been tough to score from a fantasy standpoint, as their offense only committed four giveaways and their line allowed a league-low five sacks (tied) to their quarterbacks. Clearly, this is not the week to start the Bolts.

Texans defense vs. Seahawks (Mon. 10 p.m. ET, ESPN): Houston’s defense is one of the toughest units in the league, which is part of the reason why this game’s total opened at just 40.5 on DraftKings. Seattle allowed just seven sacks to quarterback Sam Darnold, who has committed just one turnover in his last four games. Defenses also averaged the eighth-fewest points against the Seahawks.

More seats

1. Brandon Aubrey vs. Commanders
2. Eddy Pineiro vs. the Falcons
3. Jake Bates vs. Buccaneers (Monday)
4. Will Reichard vs. the Eagles
5. Cam Little vs. Rams (London)
6. Matt Gay at Cowboys
7. Cameron Dicker vs. Colts
8. Jake Moody vs. Saints
9. Michael Badgley at Chargers
10. Chris Boswell to Bengals (Thursday)

Complete rankings of Week 7 kickers

Bye : Bills, crows

Start of the week

Will Reichard vs. Eagles (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Reichard has scored eight or more points in four of his first five games, and I like him to reach that mark (at least) in a game against the Eagles. Their defense allowed an average of more than 10 points per game to kickers, and four enemy kickers beat them for at least nine points. That includes two who recorded at least 15 points.

Start them

Cam Little vs. Rams (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Little scored a minus point last week, but he had scored at least eight points in four of his previous five games. He has a positive game this week in London against the Rams, who have allowed 14 field goals this season. What’s more, four of the six enemy kickers against their defense scored no less than 10 points.

Eddy Pineiro vs. Falcons (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Pineiro has been on absolute fire in the stat sheets since taking over as the Niners’ kicker, scoring a total of 64 fantasy points. In fact, he scored at least 10 points in all but one of his first five games. Add in a matchup against the Falcons, who have allowed nine fantasy points per game to kickers, and Pineiro is off to a good start.

More departures

Session of the week

Daniel Carlson at Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Carlson scored 10 fantasy points in last week’s win over the Titans, but he had been held to five points or fewer in each of his previous three games. I’d keep him out of Fantasy this week, as he faces a matchup against a Chiefs defense that has allowed just nine field goal conversions after six weeks. In total, only one kicker has a double-digit score against him.

Sit them down

Jason Myers vs. Texans (Mon. 10 p.m. ET, ESPN): Myers exceeded expectations last week, scoring 10 fantasy points despite a tough game against the Jaguars. Still, I would be wary of this week’s game against the Texans. No opposing kicker has scored more than five fantasy points against them this season, and no defense has given up fewer points per game to the position after six weeks.

Joshua Karty at Jaguars (9:30 a.m. ET NFL Network): Karty was a dud last week, as he missed a field goal and only scored four fantasy points. He’s now been held to five points or less three times this year, and one game against the Jaguars takes him out. Their defense allowed just one kicker to beat them for more than seven points, and three were held to just four points.

More seats