Abdul Carter, Makai Lemon, and Kyren Williams are among those with big opportunities in this vital Week 7 on the NFL calendar.
Things are getting downright spooky for certain NFL squads with Halloween closing in.
The last full batch of games before trick-or-treating commences hints at the coming witching hour, one that could be the difference in form of the 2027 playoff bracket. Three perfect teams linger on the ledgers while the rest have primarily been made to fight in the wildcard races, ones that have proven equally exciting and unforgiving in the early going.
Top NFL Positional Matchups To Watch In Week 7
With that in mind, TeamFB7 has five positional matchups on Week 7’s Sunday/Monday docket that could help teams etch … or erase … their spot on the coming bracket …
Looking Back: Last week’s top individual matchups
OT Orlando Brown vs. EDGE Trey Hendrickson
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Considering Trey Hendrickson‘s sizable history with the Bengals, swapping stripes for deep purple could’ve had him tailor-made for the “right player, wrong jersey” game social media users facetiously play when they’re in need of procrastination.
But Hendrickson is making his Ravens career his own despite dealing with an early finger injury. He got back in the sack board in last week’s defensive struggle against Cleveland, playing just under 62% of snaps following a two-game absence. In his limited time, Hendrickson is one of three defenders posting a 30% win rate in edge pass rush win rate entering Week 7 next to Chop Robinson and Abdul Carter (h/t ESPN Analytics).
TREY HENDRICKSON SACK!!! Tune in on FOX. https://t.co/g1kdly9oo9
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 18, 2026
Like many a man about to face his former employers, Hendrickson has downplayed the personal stakes around this divisional duel. The fact that the Bengals refused to break open the bank for his continued services, however, likely adds further fuel to his fire and it’ll be up to the blind side anchor in Orlando Brown to put that out.
Brown, ironically enough, is no stranger to AFC North transitional drama, notably working his way from Baltimore to Kansas City in 2021 before settling with the Bengals two years later. It’s likely that the understanding will end at kickoff of this crucial clash between talented teams that have equal chances of reaching the playoffs or missing out entirely.
OT Trent Brown vs. EDGE Abdul Carter
New York Giants at Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Speaking of Carter, he faces a formidable challenge in the form of Trent Brown, who is set to partake in the interconference clash after dealing with wrist issues earlier in the week. Brown has held down the fort fairly well while taking up for the medically-departed Braden Smith, and stifling Carter’s sophomore antics will be key in keeping newfound Texan momentum alive.
Abdul Carter is stacking great games. Plays at a different speed than everyone else. Showed a mix of good hands, quickness and power. A nightmare for OL to try and prepare for. https://t.co/qmS8xytk4u
— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) October 12, 2026
Back in the win column twice after an 0-4 start, the Texans have succeeded by keeping CJ Stroud‘s pocket clean: over the last two weeks, Brown and the Houston line have allowed pressure on 6.9% of dropbacks, down over 15 full percentage points from the debut quartet.
It’s going to be vital for Carter and the Giants, who have created a fleeting NFC East lead through superior defensive antics, to interrupt such serenity, especially as they go into this game with their third quarterback of the season in J.J. McCarthy (not to mention their ongoing issues with the run game, which saw home grown franchise face Cam Skattebo get no carries before Najee Harris’ release).
DT Tonka Hemingway vs. RBs Blake Corum/Kyren Williams
Los Angeles Rams at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
Raiders fans likely would’ve turned over their spikes, scythes, and spines to have a better record than the supposed superteam in Los Angeles at this point of the season.
Defensive lapses, however, hint at lingering regrets, leading to mere moral victories against the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. Alas for Las Vegas, there are no considerations in the standings for victories of either the moral or poetic variety, so it’s forced to dance in the increasingly packed wildcard hoedown while the Chiefs assume their place atop the division.
RAMS FIND THE END ZONE AGAIN 😤 Matthew Stafford connects with Kyren Williams and Los Angeles takes a 14-0 lead vs. the Giants! https://t.co/kUNWEpXAXf
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 22, 2026
One of the biggest culprits has been the run defense headlined by top tackle Tonka Hemingway: Las Vegas is the only team in the league to give up at least 600 ground gains and 200 receiving yards to backs this season. There was something of a reprieve in last week’s loss to Buffalo but the Raiders have let up 5 yards a carry and 6 total scores since keeping things relatively clean in their Week 1 win over Miami.
Recent SoCal developments are ingredients for a dangerous recipe as the Rams seek to get back on track: with both Davante Adams and Puka Nakua dealing with injuries, Blake Corum and Kyren Williams are set to bear their largest burdens of the season. That sets the stage for a wild, wild west war that could provide instant clarity on each team’s postseason chance, a rather shocking forecast to grant this game at first preseason glance.
TE AJ Barner vs. LB Nick Bolton
Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The ground game will take center stage in Sunday’s closer: Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III will make his anticipated return to the Pacific Northwest.
In the air, however, Seattle faces a bit of a crunch: Sam Darnold‘s Cinderella story is inching toward pumpkin territory, as he has yet to re-capture the form that offered the Seahawks offensive solace en route to the Lombardi Trophy hoist. Charbonnet’s eventual return (he is listed as out this week despite some reports he could play) should help stabilize things but some will no doubt wonder if the Seahawks are better off letting Drew Lock take the reigns if they continue to lose ground to the undefeated San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West race.
BARNER FOR 6 🔥 @_ajbarner_ 📺: @NFLonFOX https://t.co/9tCQaGpfwC
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 20, 2026
That sets up a good opportunity for another Super standout in AJ Barner, who has not visited the end zone since his breakout tally against the Patriots last January. Including playoffs, the Seahawks have posted a 7-3 record when Barner scores at least once and a return to primetime could help break his active drought.
Buried beneath a perfect start for the Chiefs is an unpleasant taste of their own Travis Kelce-flavored medicine: Kansas City has allowed 39 receptions to tight ends this season, fourth-most in the league to yield 366 yards and 4 scores. It’ll be up to Nick Bolton to clog the middle and force Darnold and the struggling Seahawks to either force things to Jaxson Smith-Njigba or rely on the running backs.
WR Makai Lemon vs. CBs DaRon Bland/Joey Porter Jr.
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN (Monday)
Makai Lemon is at the center of rare collaboration between the Cowboys and Eagles: knowing that the Birds’ Keystone State rivals in Pittsburgh were going to make a play for the touted receiver prospect, Dallas engaged in a draft day swap that allowed them to take the USC alum 20th overall, a choice that was one of the yields of the infamous Micah Parsons trade.
Swapping with the enemy has yet to haunt Dallas: Lemon has seen the his targets go up in the wake of seemingly endless injuries in the Eagles’ receiving room (19 over the last three weeks after just nine in his first three) but he has yet to showcase the true big play ability that made him the target of draft boards throughout the league. Amid further green injury woes (namely the controversially departure of quarterback Jalen Hurts), Lemon could well enter Monday’s game as the Eagles’ top offensive weapon.
Makai Lemon noooooo 😭 https://t.co/NlstQqIiG7
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 29, 2026
Dallas didn’t stop dealing after the Lemon deal, acquiring another cherished first-round prospect in Joey Porter Jr. from the aforementioned Steelers. Porter’s early starred impact has been on the injury list but he has no medical designation entering this divisional duel between two disappointments that somehow linger in contention for the quartet lead and the home playoff game that comes with it.
The Cowboys’ offense has been equally guilty in its current predicament, one that has them sitting with the also-rans despite general health amid the chaos. A beleaguered Dallas secondary has a golden opportunity to help right the ship but their struggles (i.e DaRon Bland enduring a triple digit passer rating since his historic pick-six work in 2023) could create hints of a “now or never” game for Lemon.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
