Broncos D/ST or Lions D/ST: Who Should You Start?
Preliminary board2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.
Start Lions D/ST: home field and a softer Saints script outweigh Denver's popularity
Start the Lions because New Orleans brings the better turnover environment into a home game Detroit is favored to control. The 1.5-point projection edge matters here: Detroit gets both the lower opponent total and a stronger chance to force mistakes, while Denver faces a less generous Kansas City offense on the road. Denver's 88% lineup share is meaningful support, but its lower takeaway path makes that popularity a poor substitute for matchup substance; Detroit's risk is that the Saints avoid turnovers and turn the favorite's defensive floor into ordinary production.
What flips it: A meaningful rise in New Orleans' implied total.
AI editor
Broncos D/ST
5.95.95.9 Projected Points
Lions D/ST
7.47.47.4 Projected Points
Why Broncos D/ST
SitSit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 11): 5.9 pts projected vs KC.
- Denver's strong lineup share shows managers trust the unit, but Kansas City's lower giveaway rate limits its ceiling.
- The road setting and higher opponent total leave Denver needing pressure to rescue a tougher script.
Why Lions D/ST
StartStart — the No. 5 defensive matchup this week: 7.4 pts projected vs NO.
- Detroit gets the most valuable defensive combination here: home field, favorite's game control and a turnover-prone opponent.
- New Orleans' giveaway profile gives the Lions multiple routes to beat a modest scoring environment.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Broncos D/ST | Lions D/ST |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 5.95.95.9 | 7.47.47.4 |
| Projection rank | Proj.DST11 | Proj.DST5 |
| Started in | 88% of leagues | 63% of leagues |
| Opponent sacks allowed / game | 2.9(2025) | 3.1(2025) |
| Opponent turnovers / game | 0.9(2025) | 1.4(2025) |
| Opponent implied total | 22.5 | 20.8 |
| Home / away | Away | Home |
Signal breakdown
- 5.9 vs 7.4 projected PPR pointsLions D/ST +
- Started rank 4 vs 8 (88% vs 63% of leagues)Broncos D/ST +
- 2.9 sacks / 0.9 TO vs 3.1 sacks / 1.4 TO per game allowedLions D/ST +
- Opponent implied 22.5 vs 20.8 pointsLions D/ST +
- Away vs HomeLions D/ST +
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