Top defenses for NFL Fantasy football owners to stream in Week 7

The world of Fantasy football rightfully revolves around standout skill players, but it's important to avoid overlooking defensive units as they make a huge difference every week. A poor outing could sink a team in a loss, while a great one could give the team just enough of an edge to secure a victory.

That becomes especially true when teams like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets are on a bye week. Those are two top-five-scoring Fantasy football defenses, so adding a reliable streaming option to pick up the slack is as vital as ever. Let's take a look at the top options for the Week 7 NFL slate.

Stream Seattle Seahawks D/ST (vs. Arizona)

The Seattle Seahawks have been sneaky on the defensive side of the ball as they have logged 17 sacks over their last three contests alone. The defensive line is feasting and should have no trouble keeping that success going against an Arizona offensive line that has allowed the third-most quarterback hits (27).

The Arizona Cardinals rank 25th in passing yards per game (190.7) and have been at their best when rushing the ball. Running back James Conner remains out with a knee injury. That puts the pressure on a group that includes Damien Williams, Keontay Ingram, and Emari Demercado. Talk about shallow depth.

Seeing Arizona get anything going on the ground against a Seattle defense that allows the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game (79.2) would be shocking. Not only is Seattle's floor incredibly high this week, but its ceiling is as well as it only takes a takeaway or two for an exceptional Fantasy score.

Stream Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST (vs. Atlanta)

Much like Seattle, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are home to a defense that knows how to rush the quarterback. It averages 3.3 sacks per home game (tied-sixth in NFL) and now gets to face a familiar opponent in the Atlanta Falcons. The Buccaneers racked up five sacks in their last home game versus the Falcons in October of 2022.

Atlanta's quarterback, Desmond Ridder, has shown struggles on the road this season. His completion percentage drops by a little over 9.0% when away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and he has only tossed one touchdown across two away contests (two interceptions). He has yet to figure out how to fix it all.

Keep in mind the Falcons have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses (9.5 average), which makes the Buccaneers a must-start unit on Sunday. Everything points to another solid outing from head coach Todd Bowles' squad. Pick Tampa Bay up before someone else does.

Stream Las Vegas Raiders D/ST (at Chicago)

This pick is more about the lackluster Bears offense than it is about the Las Vegas Raiders defense. Quarterback Justin Fields suffered a dislocated thumb in Week 6 and remains doubtful to suit up on Sunday. Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent is expected to draw his first start after appearing in relief last week.

Bagent averaged only 5.9 yards per attempt versus the Minnesota Vikings and also threw a discouraging interception. Facing off against Las Vegas presents a bigger challenge. The Raiders rank 11th in terms of total yards allowed per game (315.3) and tied for 10th when it comes to interceptions (five).

The Raiders enter Week 7 on a bit of a hot streak, too, holding each of their last two opponents to 17 points or less and tallying a total of six sacks in that span. The Las Vegas defense is rostered in just 31.6% of ESPN leagues, making it a great option for managers still searching to fill in the D/ST spot.

Check out a few other Eagles stories as well!