Familiar teams return to the top of our defense and special teams rankings, as the Vikings come back from a bye week to travel to Philadelphia and the Buffalo Bills travel to South Beach to take on a Dolphins team that found a way to beat the Steelers in Week 6.
Fantasy football rankings, 2016: Defense/special teams for Week 7
The SB Nation fantasy team reveals which defense/special teams rank in the top 25 heading into Week 7.
Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images
Washington, who has been a middle-of-the-road defense all year fantasy-wise, got after Carson Wentz five times last week. The Vikings are tied for third in the league in sacks, and the Vikings will put Wentz to the test and make every other defense he’s faced thus far look like a pop quiz.
Also at the top of the list is the New England Patriots. Prior to last Sunday, the Patriots would’ve been ranked in the bottom of the top 10, or perhaps into the teens. But an injury to Ben Roethlisberger forces Mike Tomlin to put Landry Jones under center this week. Jones has thrown four interceptions in 54 pass attempts.
Looking for a streamer? The Green Bay Packers seem like the perfect option this week. They’re 10-point home favorites against the Chicago Bears and Brian Hoyer, who is leading the league in completion percentage. Other viable streamers include Baltimore (at Metlife against the Jets) and Tennessee (vs. Indianapolis).
Defense/special teams, Week 7
(ZS: Zach Senvisky, JM: Jason Marcum, SK: Scott Kaliska, JG: Jeff Goldberg, KB: Kyle Bennett, DG: Derek Gordon)
| Rk | Consensus | Opp. | ZS | JM | SK | JG | KB | DG |
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings | @ PHI | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Denver Broncos | vs. HOU | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | New England Patriots | @ PIT | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | Buffalo Bills | @ MIA | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Cincinnati Bengals | vs. CLE | 4 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 6 | Green Bay Packers | vs. CHI | 6 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| 7 | Seattle Seahawks | @ ARI | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| 8 | Arizona Cardinals | vs. SEA | 9 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 13 |
| 9 | Baltimore Ravens | @ NYJ | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 |
| 10 | Philadelphia Eagles | vs. MIN | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| 11 | Tennessee Titans | vs. IND | 12 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 7 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Rams | vs. NYG | 10 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 |
| 13 | New York Jets | vs. BAL | 20 | 9 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 9 |
| 14 | Houston Texans | @ DEN | 15 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 |
| 15 | New York Giants | @ LA | 11 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| 16 | Kansas City Chiefs | vs. NO | 17 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 20 |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | vs. WAS | 14 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 |
| 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | vs. NE | 21 | 16 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 14 |
| 19 | Jacksonville Jaguars | vs. OAK | 16 | 17 | 24 | 20 | 18 | 17 |
| 19 | Washington | @ DET | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
| 21 | Atlanta Falcons | vs. SD | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 24 |
| 22 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | @ SF | 18 | -- | 18 | 25 | 25 | -- |
| 23 | Oakland Raiders | @ JAC | 24 | -- | 19 | 23 | 23 | -- |
| 24 | Chicago Bears | @ GB | -- | 24 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 23 |
| 25 | San Francisco 49ers | vs. TB | -- | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 |
| 25 | San Diego Chargers | @ ATL | 25 | 20 | -- | -- | -- | 21 |
| -- | Indianapolis Colts | @ TEN | 23 | 25 | -- | -- | -- | 25 |
