Lions D/ST or Vikings 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 for the better pressure-and-turnover path at home
New Orleans gives Detroit the more attackable matchup: its offense is more vulnerable to sacks and giveaways, while the lower implied total limits the damage if drives stall. That combination makes the Lions' projected edge meaningful for a defense, not just noise in the model. Minnesota has home field, but Green Bay's ball security and higher scoring expectation leave too few paths to a splash play. The risk is that New Orleans avoids mistakes and turns Detroit's favorable script into a low-event afternoon.
What flips it: A mistake-free New Orleans game that prevents Detroit from turning its home favorite status into pressure opportunities.
AI editor
Lions D/ST
7.47.47.4 Projected Points
Vikings D/ST
4.44.44.4 Projected Points
Why Lions D/ST
StartStart — the No. 5 defensive matchup this week: 7.4 pts projected vs NO.
- A projected lead should create pass-rush chances if New Orleans has to chase points.
- The matchup offers Detroit multiple routes to value: pressure, takeaways and keeping the score down.
Why Vikings D/ST
SitSit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 21): GB protects the ball (0.8 turnovers a game), and 4.4 pts projected vs GB.
- Home field gives Minnesota some stability even against a stronger opposing offense.
- Green Bay's efficiency can still force a useful floor if Minnesota creates pressure without takeaways.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Lions D/ST | Vikings D/ST |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 7.47.47.4 | 4.44.44.4 |
| Projection rank | Proj.DST5 | Proj.DST21 |
| Started in | 63% of leagues | 10% of leagues |
| Opponent sacks allowed / game | 3.1(2025) | 2.1(2025) |
| Opponent turnovers / game | 1.4(2025) | 0.8(2025) |
| Opponent implied total | 20.8 | 23.0 |
| Home / away | Home | Home |
Signal breakdown
- 7.4 vs 4.4 projected PPR pointsLions D/ST +
- Started rank 8 vs 15 (63% vs 10% of leagues)Lions D/ST +
- 3.1 sacks / 1.4 TO vs 2.1 sacks / 0.8 TO per game allowedLions D/ST +
- Opponent implied 20.8 vs 23.0 pointsLions D/ST +
- Home vs Homeeven
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More D/ST comparisons
More D/ST comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs SF
C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs DAL
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs DALJ. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs NE
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs NED. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs BUF
- D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs BUFM. LloydMarShawn LloydRBGBvs MIN
- M. LloydMarShawn LloydRBGBvs MINJ. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs ATL
- J. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs ATLB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CLE
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs TB
J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs NO
- J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs NOD. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs HOU
- D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs HOUC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs MIN
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs MINP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CLE
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CLEM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs MIN
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs MINQ. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs ARI
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NO
D. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSH
- D. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSHK. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs PIT
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs PITT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs DEN
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs DENM. AndrewsMark AndrewsTEBALvs IND
- M. AndrewsMark AndrewsTEBALvs INDJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs NYG
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs NYGI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs DAL
- J. DanielsJayden DanielsQBWSHvs PHI
M. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs SF
- M. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs SFD. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs NYG
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs NYGT. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs CLE
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs CLEC. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs CAR
- C. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs CARD. MayeDrake MayeQBNEvs SEA
- D. MayeDrake MayeQBNEvs SEAK. MurrayKyler MurrayQBMINvs GB
- C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs ARI
E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs LAR
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs LARE. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs TB
- E. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs TBT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs IND
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs INDW. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs GB
- W. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs GBH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs DEN
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs DENC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs CIN
- Jaguars D/STJaguars D/STDSTJAXvs CLE
Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs ARI
- Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs ARITitans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYJ
- Titans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYJJets D/STJets D/STDSTNYJvs TEN
- Jets D/STJets D/STDSTNYJvs TENEagles D/STEagles D/STDSTPHIvs WSH
- Eagles D/STEagles D/STDSTPHIvs WSHBears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs CAR
- Bears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs CARPackers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs MIN
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs NET. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs TB
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs TBB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CLE
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CIN
J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs NO - D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs HOUT. PollardTony PollardRBTENvs NYJ
- T. PollardTony PollardRBTENvs NYJS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NO
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NOC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs MIN
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs MIND. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSH
- D. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs WSHK. GainwellKenny GainwellRBTBvs CIN
Want full matchup analysis & AI picks? →
Save your roster and get a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up call on every player, every week — plus prop pages, matchup data, and AI-powered NFL analysis.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.