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

Start the Broncos — the lineup-share and projection edges are too wide to ignore.

Broncos D/ST is started in more leagues (started rank 4 to 17) and projects 5.9 to the Bears's 5.7. the Bears's edge is the opponent total, 21.0 to 22.5 opponent implied points. The gap is comfortable.

Bears D/ST

D/STCHIvs CAR

5.75.75.7 Projected Points

Toss-Up· medium

Broncos D/ST

D/STDENvs KC

5.95.95.9 Projected Points

Sit

Why Bears D/ST

Toss-Up· medium

DST12 projection and a 21.0 opponent total keep Chicago in play, but 2.2 sacks allowed per game and 21.5 projected points against cap the ceiling.

CAR's offense gives up 2.2 sacks and 1.4 turnovers a game (2025), near league average.
Vegas has CAR at 21 points as 2.5-point dogs.
Under-started: only 7% of leagues have them in, 17th among defenses, against a No. 12 matchup.

The call

The projection puts Chicago at DST12 with 5.7 points — right on the 12-team starter line, so this is a genuine coin flip rather than a clear lineup lock.
Carolina's line has been sturdy at 2.2 sacks allowed per game, and the model only forecasts 2.1 sacks and 0.8 interceptions — modest big-play equity for a unit that needs splash plays to score.
Game script is workable but not dominant: Chicago is a 2.5-point road favorite against a 21.0 implied total, with 21.5 points allowed projected, which would wipe out most of the points-allowed bonus.
Tip it toward start if you have no streamer facing a sub-20 implied total; sit it if a home defense with a better sack profile is available on waivers — only 8% of leagues are rostering this play.

Why Broncos D/ST

Sit

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

KC's offense gives up 2.9 sacks and 0.9 turnovers a game (2025), near league average.
Vegas has KC at 22.5 points as 2.5-point favorites.
Over-started: 88% of leagues have them in, 4th among defenses, against a No. 11 matchup.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	Bears D/ST	Broncos D/ST
Projected points	5.75.75.7	5.95.95.9
Projection rank	Proj.DST12	Proj.DST11
Started in	7% of leagues	88% of leagues
Opponent sacks allowed / game	2.2(2025)	2.9(2025)
Opponent turnovers / game	1.4(2025)	0.9(2025)
Opponent implied total	21.0	22.5
Home / away	Away	Away
Start/Sit record	0–0+1 toss-up	—