Week 7 2025: IDP Match-up Analysis
It's Week 7, and I'm here to provide the information and data to guide you to the best lineups in your IDP fantasy football league.
Week 7 is here, and we’re nearly 40% of the way through the season. The season is flying.
The picture is starting to come into focus—trends are forming, and the data is stabilizing. We’ve only got two teams on bye this week (Baltimore and Buffalo), so plan accordingly for your IDPs.
Want my latest green dot report and full IDP projections? You can grab them over at The IDP Show.
As always, the goal here is simple: give you the context, insights, and matchup trends you need to set your lineups with confidence.
I won’t go too deep on cornerbacks in this one, but if you’re craving matchup-level analysis, check out The Cornerback Corner.
Alright, enough preamble. Let’s dive into the Week 7 matchups.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Trade rumors are swirling on Trey Hendrickson, but now he’s dealing with a back injury that limited him to 26 snaps. If Hendrickson doesn’t go, I don’t want anything to do with the Bengals’ edge rush group, even with a decent o-line matchup. I think you can find better streamers than Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy.
Shemar Stewart looks to return and could see significant snaps, especially if Hendrickson misses. Troy Fautanu should be Stewart’s primary matchup. Fautanu, even though he has a 56.4 pass block grade, hasn’t allowed a sack and has given up 9 total QBPs over 162 pass block snaps.
We, potentially, have a new dot in Cinci. Barrett Carter got the nickel/2-LB snaps in Week 6 and wore the dot. While I think he needs to be added, I’m not dropping anyone of significance. He graded out as the 2nd worst defender (34.4 grade), so we’ll see how long he lasts. If the Bengals are transitioning to a youth movement, then his leash should be long. He finished with a 16.4% tackle rate in his first go around with a three-down role.
Demetrius Knight saw 92% of the snaps as the nickel LB opposite Carter. Knight is leading the team in tackles (46) and has two games of fewer than 7 tackles. This is a good spot for both Knight and Carter. The Steelers have allowed nearly 19 tackles/gm to the LB position over the last two weeks.
Jordan Battle now has three straight games of 20+ box snaps and he’s recorded 22 tackles over that time span.
Armarius Mims held up well last week allowing just 2 QB hurries, but he’ll draw TJ Watt this week. Watt dominated the Browns in Week 6, and I think his elite play continues this week. Against Cleveland, he produced a 22.6% pressure rate with a 0.76 pass rush get off. Mims hasn’t allowed a sack since Week 4, but I think he gives on up this week.
Will the LB2 rotation continue this week? Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb rotated as the LB2 in their nickel/2-Lb defense, but Wilson ultimately came out ahead in the rotation. He finished with 5 tackles and a TFL. Wilson saw 66% of the snaps, but if the rotation continues, he’s a risky LB3/4. He’s struggling with some run fits, but is still solid in coverage.
DeShon Elliott has been dinged up, but returned in Week 6 and recorded 12 tackles with a 27% box rate. The Bengals are a tougher matchup for safeties, as an opposing safety hasn’t gone for more than 6 tackles through 6 weeks. Keep an eye on his status, as he does look to have the ‘Q’ tag heading into the week.