Dolphins D/ST or Saints 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.
Saints D/ST wins a bad matchup, but neither unit belongs in your lineup
Neither defense is a recommended start, but New Orleans is the better fallback if you must choose. The Saints face a slightly friendlier setup because Baltimore allows more pressure and carries a lower scoring expectation, while Miami needs splash plays against a careful San Francisco offense. New Orleans still has limited upside, so this is a narrow head-to-head win rather than a usable streaming spot.
What flips it: A meaningful late shift toward San Francisco turnovers.
AI editor
Dolphins D/ST
2.72.72.7 Projected Points
Saints D/ST
3.23.23.2 Projected Points
Why Dolphins D/ST
SitSit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 32): SF protects the ball (1.3 turnovers a game), and Vegas has them at 28.5 points.
- San Francisco's low giveaway profile leaves Miami needing a splash play to salvage value.
- The 28.5-point expectation creates a harsh floor if Miami cannot score a defensive touchdown.
Why Saints D/ST
SitSit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 30): Vegas has BAL at 27 points, and 3.2 pts projected vs BAL.
- Baltimore's higher sack allowance gives New Orleans a more realistic pressure path.
- The Ravens' 27-point expectation still makes New Orleans a desperation stream, not a confident start.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Dolphins D/ST | Saints D/ST |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 2.72.72.7 | 3.23.23.2 |
| Projection rank | Proj.DST32 | Proj.DST30 |
| Started in | 0% of leagues | 1% of leagues |
| Opponent sacks allowed / game | 1.8(2025) | 2.6(2025) |
| Opponent turnovers / game | 1.3(2025) | 1.4(2025) |
| Opponent implied total | 28.5 | 27.0 |
| Home / away | Away | Away |
| Start/Sit record | 0–0+1 toss-up | — |
Recent form
Dolphins D/ST — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs LV | 6.06.06.0 |
Saints D/ST — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs DET | 1.01.01.0 |
Signal breakdown
- 2.7 vs 3.2 projected PPR pointsSaints D/ST +
- Started rank 31 vs 24 (0% vs 1% of leagues)Saints D/ST +
- 1.8 sacks / 1.3 TO vs 2.6 sacks / 1.4 TO per game allowedSaints D/ST +
- Opponent implied 28.5 vs 27.0 pointsSaints 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.