Fantasy Football Week 7 Defense Rankings and Streamers feat. Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and more
Streaming defenses is a popular strategy in fantasy football, but picking the wrong one can make or break your scoring week. The NFL is a week-to-week business with new matchups to exploit and avoid to maximize our weekly point total.
At Sportskeeda, we'll take you through the best weekly defensive streaming options, plus give you an overview of how the top defenses rank heading into the new fantasy week. For streamers, we consider all defenses under the 70% threshold in ESPN and Yahoo! Sports leagues.
Fantasy Football Week 7 Defense Rankings
Fantasy Football Defense Streamers for Week 7
1] Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans
ESPN 37% | Yahoo! 79% | FAAB Range 1%
The Will Levis circus will be in Buffalo this weekend, and fantasy managers should include the Bills in their weekend plans. Levis and the Titans offense has been a consistent target to stream against this year, and this week will be no different.
Tennessee's offense will come into this matchup with the fewest passing yards (784), 30th in sack percentage (10.1%), 26th in pressure rate (33.5%), and 29th in QB Hits (20.9%). Levis has been a turnover machine as he has more interceptions (7) than passing touchdowns (5) this season and owns the third-worst yards per attempt for qualified quarterbacks at 5.5.
Levis will have a tough challenge against the Bills secondary as it has allowed the fifth-least passing yards (1,075) and the fifth-best yards per attempt (6.2) through six games this season. The Bills have generated the eighth-highest pressure rate (34.4%) despite only using the blitz on 17.7% of its defensive snaps (31st). If the Bills were floating around on the waiver wire, ensure you secure its services this weekend.
2] Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
ESPN 22% | Yahoo! 16% | FAAB Range 1%
The Cleveland offense is the gift that keeps on giving. The Browns decided to trade its All-Pro wide receiver Amari Cooper in conference to the Buffalo Bills this week. Cleveland was already considered one of the best matchups for streaming defenses, and this new development only improves that stance.
Even with Cooper as Deshaun Watson's top target, the Browns were generous at allowing fantasy points to opposing defenses. Up front, the offensive line has struggled to protect Watson and has allowed a league-worst in sacks (31), pressure rate (61.5%), and QB hit rate (29%). Watson has experienced the third-most blitz rate at 38.1%, unsurprisingly resulting in poor numbers this season. Watson is 28th in passing yards (1,036), 27th in completion percentage (61.5%), and dead-last in yards per attempt (5.2) through six games.
Cleveland's running game has yet to get on track this season and is 26th in rushing yards (583), but hopes to get All-Pro back Nick Chubb to return to the field this week. The capacity at which Chubb will contribute this season remains unclear. Until further notice, the Browns will remain one of the premier offenses to stream with our fantasy defenses.
The Cincinnati defense is not a great defense by any stretch of the imagination, but it will be in play this weekend against the Browns. The Bengals have struggled to rush the quarterback this season despite blitzing the 9th highest rate (24.5%) of its defensive snaps.
Cincinnati ranks 30th in sack percentage (3.9%), 20th in QB hits rate (14.2%), and has generated the 28th most pressure rate (24.5%) through six games. The Bengals have also faced two of the most elusive quarterbacks in football, Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels, already this season, so those two dynamic talents have impacted those metrics.
As for Sunday's game, this contest has an over/under of 41.5, the fourth lowest total of Week 7, with the Bengals favored by 5.5 points. Cincinnati may only be a start-then-drop defense, but it is one of the premier streaming defenses this weekend.
3] Indianapolis Colts vs Miami Dolphins
ESPN 27% | Yahoo! 26% | FAAB Range 1%
Listen. We never thought we would recommend this Colts defense twice this year. Not only will we accomplish the feat by Week 7, but to do it in two straight weeks just proves the fantasy football landscape is a wild place. Before last week, Indianapolis allowed three consecutive 300-plus-yard performances to Caleb Williams (363), Justin Fields (312), and Trevor Lawrence (371).
Just typing Indianapolis pass rush metrics was painful, but our guy, Will Levis, came through with just 95 passing yards and that turnover we were looking for. We're returning to the well again this week as the Colts have the fortune to face a Tua Tagovailoa-less Miami offense that has struggled this season. The Dolphins own the 8th highest pressure rate (33.3%), 27th in sack rate (9%), and the ninth highest QB hit rate at 16.9%. Tagovailoa owns the only two passing touchdowns on Miami's ledger this season.
At the same time, Tyler Huntley turned in the best performances of the quarterback fill-ins, with 18 completions and 194 passing yards against New England last week. Maybe it's best not to watch the game if you ultimately decide to play the Colts this week. But you can do worse than Indianapolis in Week 7.
Also read: Isiah Pacheco injury update: Should fantasy managers be concerned about Chiefs RB for Fantasy Football Week 7?