Start Seahawks D/ST over Broncos D/ST — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Start Seahawks D/ST: home field and a lower-scoring opponent create the safer floor

Seattle gets the nod because its home setting pairs with a lower opponent total, giving the unit more favorable conditions before the sack and turnover paths are considered. The similar giveaway profile means this is not a mismatch; the separation comes from Seattle's pressure potential in a game script that also limits scoring. Denver's popularity and KC's willingness to allow pressure keep it viable, but the road matchup against the higher implied total leaves less room for defensive points. Seattle's risk is straightforward: New England avoids pressure and turns efficient drives into a quiet defensive day.

What flips it: A late downgrade to Seattle's home status or a sharp rise in New England's implied total.

AI editor

Broncos D/ST

D/STDENvs KC

5.95.95.9 Projected Points

Sit

Seahawks D/ST

D/STSEAvs NE

7.17.17.1 Projected Points

Start

Why Broncos D/ST

Sit

Sit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 11): 5.9 pts projected vs KC.

Denver's appeal is volume of use, but popularity cannot offset the road setting and KC's stronger scoring expectation.
Its path is pressure; if KC controls the game, Denver may lack the takeaway-driven ceiling.

Why Seahawks D/ST

Start

Start — the No. 5 defensive matchup this week: 7.1 pts projected vs NE.

Seattle's home-favorite script supports a steadier defensive floor than its nearly identical giveaway matchup suggests.
The call is vulnerable if New England protects the passer and turns the lower total into efficient drives.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	Broncos D/ST	Seahawks D/ST
Projected points	5.95.95.9	7.17.17.1
Projection rank	Proj.DST11	Proj.DST5
Started in	88% of leagues	92% of leagues
Opponent sacks allowed / game	2.9(2025)	3.0(2025)
Opponent turnovers / game	0.9(2025)	0.9(2025)
Opponent implied total	22.5	20.5
Home / away	Away	Home