The NFL fantasy football season enters Week 7 of the 2026 season, and here’s the start and sit for defenses and special teams.
Another week for fantasy football managers to make important decisions. And that includes the quarterback position. Also, let’s take a look at their starters and sit downs for fantasy defenses and special teams for Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season.
There were some easy calls on the starting list this week because of the matchups. And let’s go straight to one of the NFL’s premier defensive units.
Start them: Denver Broncos at Cardinals
We know what the Cardinals bring to the field. They have a high-volume passing attack with an emphasis on Trey McBride and Michael Wilson. But the Broncos had plenty of answers last week against Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks. Head coach Sean Payton certainly likes where his defense is at, according to denverbroncos.com.
“Defensively, we were very good,” Payton said following the Broncos’ 17-14 overtime win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks. “I don’t know how many times we hit the quarterback. We got three takeaways. We feel like that’s going to be a big thing in this game, being football smart. Two years in a row, we’ve beaten the [reigning] Super Bowl team, and that’s not easy to do.”
Quarterback Bo Nix, who made the defense difficult with his erratic play, said the unit made the difference against the Seahawks.
“They’re incredible,” Nix said. “They contributed to that win probably more than anyone else, any group for sure. We wouldn’t have won that game without them.”
And fantasy managers can count on defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
“[Defensive Coordinator] Vance [Joseph] is always elite at what he does,” linebacker Justin Strnad said. “There were so many calls tonight that he put us in the perfect position. Great calls. He does it week in, week out.”
Start these: Houston Texans vs Giants
Not even an eye. The Texans still have defensive dogs. And they will show and show this week.
The Giants have a shaky offense with major questions at quarterback. And anyone who thinks JJ McCarthy will continue to play like he did in relief of Jameis Winston is about to get a big dose of reality.
The Texans didn’t sniff a sack against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars in Week 6. That will change this week. Look for them in a fantasy feast with Winston or McCarthy.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans said Lawrence’s quick decisions made it difficult for the defensive front to get pressure, according to Texanswire.com.
“From a pressure standpoint, the ball came out pretty quick,” Ryans said. “I thought Trevor [Lawrence] did a good job of getting the ball out quickly. They had a very good game plan for our guys. The field, the surface, is slippery on both sides. Their defenders probably didn’t get a sack either. It’s hard to get that footing and get off the rushes. I give Jacksonville credit, first and foremost, for the game plan and how they executed it.”
But the Texans have to clean up the missed tackles.
“Once we secure, you have to wrap and really put your body on people,” Ryans said. “You’ve got to wrap up, and you’ve got to run your feet. You’ve got to really pick up, wrap, squeeze, and really run your feet. We didn’t run much in that game. We were just arm tackling and making plays against those backs.
“Again, this week against the Giants backs, they have two good physical backs as well. We need to improve on that very quickly.”
Other good defenses to start with: Minnesota Vikings against the Colts, New York Jets against the Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and the Titans.
Sit ’em: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Cowboys
Don’t buy this logic: The Eagles have a good defense and the Cowboys’ offense is struggling. Both are true, but from a fantasy perspective, it’s a false narrative. The Cowboys will bolster the Eagles’ defense this week.
Sure, the Eagles believe in their defense. And that unit played well against the Panthers, according to PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
“I thought (our) defense played a game,” quarterback Tanner McKee said. “It’s really hard to win in the NFL putting up only 14 points. And obviously we put that on ourselves as an offense. I put that on myself as a quarterback to create more explosive plays and put more points on the board.”
The Eagles have a flaw coming out against the Cowboys.
“I think we lacked consistency,” linebacker Zach Baun said after the loss. “We were playing well coming into this game, and then there were good times. And there were also bad times in this game. We just got to stay consistent and execute.
“Whether our offense is good or they’re not so hot, our defense always strives for perfection and always tries to get our offense back on the field and give them scoring opportunities.”
Best to avoid a fantasy matchup against Dak Prescott and those killer receivers.
Other defenses to avoid: Cincinnati Bengals at Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders against Rams, Green Bay Packers and Lions.
It’s another week for fantasy football managers to make important decisions. And that includes the quarterback position. Also, let’s take a look at their starters and sit downs for fantasy defenses and special teams for Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season. There were some easy calls on the starting list this week because of the matchups.