Defense & Kicker Start 'Em, Sit 'Em For Fantasy Football Week 7

Michael Fabiano | Oct 17, 2025

Eddy Pineiro is a start in fantasy Week 7. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

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

Fab's Top 10 Fantasy Defense Rankings Week 7

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

Complete Week 7 defense rankings

Byes: Bills, Ravens

All Positions: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs

Week 7 Start ‘Em Defenses

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 plus matchup against Geno Smith and the Raiders. No team in the league has committed more giveaways (11) after the first six weeks, and Las Vegas’ offensive line has already allowed 18 sacks of its quarterback. Look for Kansas City to post a top-10 stat line this week.

Start ‘Em

Patriots defense at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Patriots have re-emerged into a solid fantasy option among defenses, and this week’s matchup against the Titans makes it a stronger play. Tennessee is in a state of flux after firing head coach Brian Callahan, and their offense has been the worst in the league to this point. Also, 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 toughest defenses in the league, even more so on their home field, and a matchup against Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins makes is a solid option. Miami seems to be a team in a state of turmoil after Tua’s postgame comments after a loss to the Chargers, and their offense has already committed eight giveaways.

More Starts

• Steelers defense at Bengals (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Bears defense vs. Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Packers defense at Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Week 7 Sit ‘Em Defenses

Sit of the Week

Buccaneers defense at Lions (Mon. 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC): The Buccaneers defense can be useful when the matchup is right (like last week), but facing the Lions at home is not a favorable situation. No home team in the league is averaging more points (43 PPG), and Detroit has also averaged the sixth-most (tied) total net yards on their home field as well. I’d keep the Bucs on the sidelines.

Sit ‘Em

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 hard to score on from a fantasy standpoint, as their offense has committed just four giveaways and their line has allowed a league-low (tied) five sacks of their quarterbacks. Clearly, this isn’t the week to start the Bolts.

Texans defense at 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 the total for this game opened at just 40.5 on DraftKings. Seattle has allowed just seven sacks of their quarterback, Sam Darnold, who committed just one turnover in his last four games. Defenses have also averaged the eighth-fewest points against the Seahawks.

More Sits

• Vikings defense vs. Eagles (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Commanders defense at Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Cardinals defense vs. Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Fab's Top 10 Fantasy Kicker Rankings Week 7

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

Complete Week 7 kicker rankings

Byes: Bills, Ravens

Week 7 Start ‘Em Kickers

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 hit that mark (at least) in a game against the Eagles. Their defense has allowed an average of more than 10 points per game to kickers, and four enemy booters have beaten them for at least nine points. That includes two who have recorded at least 15 points.

Start ‘Em

Cam Little vs. Rams (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Little scored negative one fantasy points last week, but he had scored at least eight points in four of his previous five games. He has a plus matchup this week in London against the Rams, who have surrendered 14 field goals this season. What’s more, four of the six enemy kickers to face their defense have scored no fewer 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 combined 64 fantasy points. In fact, he’s scored at least 10 points in all but one of his first five games. Couple that with a matchup against the Falcons, who have allowed nine fantasy points per game to kickers, and Pineiro is a solid start.

More Starts

• Ryan Fitzpatrick at Jets (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Michael Badgley at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Matt Gay at Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Week 7 Sit ‘Em Kickers

Sit 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 or fewer points in each of his previous three games. I'd keep him on the fantasy sidelines this week, as he faces a matchup against a Chiefs defense that's allowed just nine field-goal conversions after six weeks. In all, just one kicker has double digits against them.

Sit ‘Em

Jason Myers vs. Texans (Mon. 10 p.m. ET, ESPN): Myers exceeded expectations last week, scoring 10 fantasy points despite a tough matchup against the Jaguars. Still, I’d beware 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 scored just four fantasy points. He’s now been held to five or fewer points three times this year, and a matchup against the Jaguars makes him a fade. Their defense has allowed just one kicker to beat them for more than seven points, and three have been held to just four points.

More Sits

• Nick Folk vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Chad Ryland vs. Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
• John Parker Romo at 49ers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)