Fantasy Football: 3 Defenses to Stream for NFL Week 7

Every point matters when it comes to winning in season-long fantasy football, meaning you can't afford to leave points on the table. While we don't spend top-notch draft capital on D/STs in our fantasy football drafts, ignoring them during the season can cost you dearly.
Streaming defenses throughout the year is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your D/ST slot. Even the best defenses draw tough weekly matchups, and even the worst defenses are capable of strong fantasy outings in the right situations.
This article is here to help you parse through all of those situations and to present you with three streamers that are available in most leagues.
All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Fantasy Football D/ST to Stream for Week 7
Kansas City Chiefs
Matchup: vs. Raiders
The Kansas City Chiefs are safely one of the top D/ST plays for Week 7 and are available in nearly half of leagues.
Moneyline
Spread
Total Match Points
Kansas City's defense hasn't had many opportunities to feast thanks to a tough early schedule that included games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Detroit Lions. Even still, the defense has forced six takeaways, four interceptions (tied for 11th-most), and 14 sacks (tied for 11th-most).
The Chiefs enter Week 7 with a seventh-ranked schedule-adjusted pass defense, which puts them in a good spot to come down on Geno Smith and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Geno leads the NFL with 10 interceptions and he's taken 18 sacks (third-most). He's thrown six picks across his last three games. Opposing D/STs have logged double-digit fantasy points in four of six games against the Raiders. Las Vegas has just a 16.5-point implied team total for this Sunday, and Geno should be forced into plenty of drop backs as an 11.5-point underdog.
New England Patriots
Matchup: at Titans
We've seen the New England Patriots D/ST take advantage of the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers this season. Can they thrive in yet another soft spot against the Tennessee Titans?
TEN Titans Total Points
Similar to Geno and the Raiders, Cameron Ward and the Titans are an easy team to beat up on. Ward has thrown four interceptions this season, but it's the league-leading 25 sacks he's taken that draws the most attention. A new head coach won't dispel those issues, and the Pats have forced the ninth-highest sack percentage across their three road games this season. New England's also logged seven takeaways (tied for 10th-most) and are favored by a touchdown this weekend.
There's a reason the Patriots carry the highest FanDuel salary ($5.0K) for the Week 7 main slate, but they are currently rostered in just 52% of leagues.
Chicago Bears
Matchup: vs. Saints
If you're looking for a deeper defensive streamer, the Chicago Bears stand out. Rostered in just 8% of leagues, the Bears D/ST could have their way against the New Orleans Saints this weekend.
Moneyline
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Total Match Points
Chicago checks in with a meh 25th-ranked schedule-adjusted defense, but they have collected eight interceptions and 12 total takeaways through five games. Chicago's 12 takeaways is second in the NFL despite them playing one fewer game than the majority of the league.
Spencer Rattler has, somewhat surprisingly, thrown just one interception this season. Though he's technically exceeded expectations despite the Saints' 1-5 record, this is nonetheless a road matchup that could spell turnovers. Rattler's had to play outside the Superdome just twice this season. He threw one pick and took five sacks in that span and the Saints scored less than 20 points in both of those road games. The Bears carry the third-highest FanDuel salary ($4.8K) for the Week 7 main slate, but they can be obtained in the vast majority of leagues.
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.