Colts D/ST or Raiders D/ST: Who Should You Start?
Preliminary board2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.
Raiders D/ST has the clearer takeaway path, but neither unit is a comfortable start
Start the Raiders D/ST only as the less-bad option: the Chargers’ shakier protection and ball security give Las Vegas a clearer path to fantasy points than Indianapolis has against Kansas City. The edge is narrow, and neither unit is a real start, since both are on the road against offenses expected to score freely. The Raiders’ risk is that a few takeaways still cannot offset a shootout script, while the Colts’ higher-scoring opponent leaves even less room for error.
What flips it: A late Kansas City turnover-risk bump that narrows the giveaway gap.
AI editor
Colts D/ST
3.73.73.7 Projected Points
Raiders D/ST
3.93.93.9 Projected Points
Why Colts D/ST
SitSit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 24): Vegas has KC at 27 points, and 3.7 pts projected vs KC.
- Kansas City’s high scoring expectation makes a defensive touchdown or sack spike nearly essential.
- The Colts’ path is thin because the Chiefs have offered fewer giveaway opportunities.
Why Raiders D/ST
SitSit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 23): LAC gives up 3.8 sacks and 1.2 turnovers a game, and Vegas has them at 25.5 points.
- The Chargers’ offensive volatility gives Las Vegas the better chance to create fantasy points without needing a shutout.
- A recent ceiling game is encouraging, but the road setting and shootout risk still make this desperation-only.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Colts D/ST | Raiders D/ST |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 3.73.73.7 | 3.93.93.9 |
| Projection rank | Proj.DST24 | Proj.DST23 |
| Started in | 1% of leagues | 2% of leagues |
| Opponent sacks allowed / game | 2.9(2025) | 3.8(2025) |
| Opponent turnovers / game | 0.9(2025) | 1.2(2025) |
| Opponent implied total | 27.0 | 25.5 |
| Home / away | Away | Away |
| Start/Sit record | — | 0–0+1 toss-up |
Recent form
Colts D/ST — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs BAL | -5.0-5.0-5.0 |
Raiders D/ST — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs MIA | 14.014.014.0 |
Signal breakdown
- 3.7 vs 3.9 projected PPR pointsRaiders D/ST +
- Started rank 27 vs 23 (1% vs 2% of leagues)Raiders D/ST +
- 2.9 sacks / 0.9 TO vs 3.8 sacks / 1.2 TO per game allowedRaiders D/ST +
- Opponent implied 27.0 vs 25.5 pointsRaiders D/ST +
- Away vs Awayeven
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
- J. WilliamsJavonte WilliamsRBDALvs WSH
K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYG
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYGD. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs MIN
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs MINB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLE
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLED. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs CIN
- D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs CINJ. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARI
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARIR. StevensonRhamondre StevensonRBNEvs PIT
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYG
J. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAX
- J. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAXD. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs DET
- D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs DETJ. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs BUF
- J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs BUFL. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs MIN
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs MINM. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs MIA
- M. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs MIAC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs NYJ
- B. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LAC
K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CAR
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CARG. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs MIA
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs MIAS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUF
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUFT. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs NYJ
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs NYJT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs IND
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs INDD. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs TEN
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs WSH
J. DartJaxson DartQBNYGvs LAR
- J. DartJaxson DartQBNYGvs LARJ. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs LV
- J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs LVC. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs MIN
- C. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs MINB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs MIA
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs MIAP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs IND
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs INDB. NixBo NixQBDENvs JAX
- B. AubreyBrandon AubreyKDALvs WSH
C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs LV
- C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs LVK. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs CIN
- K. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs CINE. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs MIA
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs MIAH. MevisHarrison MevisKLARvs NYG
- H. MevisHarrison MevisKLARvs NYGH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs IND
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs INDT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs NO
- Buccaneers D/STBuccaneers D/STDSTTBvs CLE
Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs LV
- Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs LVBears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs MIN
- Bears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs MINPackers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs NYJ
- Packers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs NYJChiefs D/STChiefs D/STDSTKCvs IND
- Chiefs D/STChiefs D/STDSTKCvs IND49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs MIA
- 49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs MIAFalcons D/STFalcons D/STDSTATLvs CAR
- J. WilliamsJavonte WilliamsRBDALvs WSHB. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LAC
- B. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LACC. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs ATL
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYGD. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYG
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYGB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLE
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARIJ. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAX
- D. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs MIA
M. LloydMarShawn LloydRBGBvs NYJ
- A. Jones Sr.Aaron Jones Sr.RBMINvs CHI
S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUF - K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CARM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs NYJ
Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →
Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.