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It’s another week for fantasy football managers to make key decisions. And that includes the quarterback position. Also, let’s look at the start ‘em and sit ‘em for fantasy defenses and special teams for Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season.
There are some easy calls on the start list this week because of matchups. And let’s get right to one of the NFL’s premier defensive units.
Start ‘em: 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 a lot of answers last week against Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks. Head coach Sean Payton certainly likes where his defense is, according to denverbroncos.com.
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“Defensively, we were magnificent,” Payton said following the Broncos’ 17-14 overtime win against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks. “I don’t know how many times we hit the quarterback. We got three takeaways. We felt like that was going to be a big deal in this game, being smart with the football. Two years in a row, we beat the [reigning] Super Bowl team, and that’s not easy to do.”
Quarterback Bo Nix, who has made life harder for the defense with his erratic play, said that unit made the difference against the Seahawks.
“They were fantastic,” Nix said. “They contributed to that win probably bigger than anyone else, any group for sure. We don’t win 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 ‘em: Houston Texans vs Giants
Don’t even bat an eye. The Texans still have the defensive dogs. And they will show out and show up this week.
The Giants have a shaky offense with major questions at quarterback. And anybody who thinks JJ McCarthy is going to continue playing as he did in relief of Jameis Winston will 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 to fantasy feast on Winston or McCarthy.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans said quick decisions by Lawrence made things tough on the defensive front to get pressure, according to Texanswire.com.
“From the pressure standpoint, the ball was out pretty quickly,” Ryans said. “I thought Trevor [Lawrence] did a good job of getting the ball out quick. They had a really good game plan for our guys. The field, the surface, was slippery for both sides. I don’t think their defenders got any sacks either. It was hard to get that footing and get downhill in the rushes. I give credit to Jacksonville, first and foremost, for the game plan and how they executed.”
But the Texans need to clean up missed tackles.
“When we secure, you have to wrap up and truly put your body on people,” Ryans said. “You have to wrap up, and you have to run your feet. You really have to grab, wrap, squeeze, and really run your feet. We weren’t running our feet much in that game. We were just arm tackling and playing against those backs.
“Again, this week versus the Giants backs, they have two good physical backs as well. We have to improve it very quickly.”
Other good defenses to start: Minnesota Vikings versus Colts, New York Jets versus the Dolphins, Cleveland Browns at 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 standpoint it’s a false narrative. The Cowboys are going to jack up 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 heck of a game,” quarterback Tanner McKee said. “It’s really hard to win in the NFL only putting up 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 that will show up against the Cowboys.
“I think we’re lacking consistency,” linebacker Zach Baun said after the loss. “We were playing well coming into this game, and then there was good times. And there was also bad times in this game. We just got to stay consistent and execute.
“Whether our offense is doing good or they’re not doing so hot, our defense always strives for perfection and always tries to get our offense back on the field and give them opportunities to score.”
It’s best to avoid a fantasy matchup against Dak Prescott and those killer receivers.
Other defenses to avoid: Cincinnati Bengals at Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders versus Rams, Green Bay Packers at Lions.
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