Bengals D/ST or Seahawks D/ST: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Start Seattle: Washington’s turnover risk gives its defense the stronger path

Seattle gets the edge because Washington gives the opposing defense more chances to score through takeaways, while also carrying the lower implied total. That makes the difference more than a projection gap alone, though D/ST scoring is volatile enough that it is not a runaway call. Cincinnati still has a workable road matchup against a near-even game, but Pittsburgh’s lower turnover rate gives the Bengals less upside.

What flips it: If Washington’s turnover rate falls toward Pittsburgh’s, Cincinnati’s manageable matchup could close the gap.

AI editor

Bengals D/ST

D/STCINvs PIT

Projected Points

Start· medium

Seahawks D/ST

D/STSEAvs WSH

Projected Points

Start
CIN@
PITSun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
SEA@
WSHSun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why Bengals D/ST

Start· medium

DST9 projection (6.5 pts) at PIT outpaces its 13% start rate; opponent's 22.5 implied total is manageable in a near pick'em.

  • Pittsburgh’s manageable implied total keeps Cincinnati viable even without a strong turnover case.
  • The near-even spread supports a competitive game script for the Bengals’ defense.

The call

  • Projection ranks DST9 of 32 at 6.5 points, a startable tier in 12-team leagues, while only 13% of leagues start it (crowd rank 19), so it's a sneaky streamer.
  • Pittsburgh gives up 2.4 sacks and 0.9 turnovers per game, which lines up with the projected 2.4 sacks and 0.7 INTs. That's a solid floor, not a ceiling.
  • Game script is neutral: Cincinnati is -1.5 on the road and Pittsburgh's implied total is 22.5, with 20.8 points allowed projected. That's not a shutdown spot, which caps upside.
  • The risk is being on the road with a mid-20s opponent total. Still, the projection edge over typical waiver defenses supports the start-lean.

Why Seahawks D/ST

Start

Start — the No. 2 defensive matchup this week: 7.4 pts projected vs WSH.

  • Washington’s greater turnover tendency gives Seattle a clearer route to splash plays.
  • Seattle has the stronger overall defensive outlook, not just the more popular lineup choice.

Head-to-head stats

MetricBengals D/STSeahawks D/ST
Projected points
Projection rankProj.DST10Proj.DST2
Started in29% of leagues96% of leagues
Opponent sacks allowed / game2.4(2025)2.3(2025)
Opponent turnovers / game0.9(2025)1.4(2025)
Opponent implied total22.521.5
Home / awayAwayAway
Start/Sit record1–0—

Recent form

Bengals D/ST — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs HOU
Week 1vs TB

Seahawks D/ST — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs ARI
Week 1vs NE

Signal breakdown

  • 6.4 vs 7.4 projected PPR pointsSeahawks D/ST +
  • Started rank 14 vs 1 (29% vs 96% of leagues)Seahawks D/ST +
  • 2.4 sacks / 0.9 TO vs 2.3 sacks / 1.4 TO per game allowedSeahawks D/ST +
  • Opponent implied 22.5 vs 21.5 pointsSeahawks D/ST +
  • Away vs Awayeven

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