Texans D/ST or Raiders D/ST: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

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

Texans D/ST is started in more leagues (started rank 5 to 26) and projects 5.2 to the Raiders's 4.8. the Raiders's edge is the opponent total, 19.3 to 23.5 opponent implied points. The gap is comfortable.

Texans D/ST

D/STHOUvs BUF

Projected Points

Sit

Raiders D/ST

D/STLVvs MIA

Projected Points

Toss-Up· medium

Why Texans D/ST

Sit

Sit — a bottom-tier defensive matchup this week (No. 15): 5.2 pts projected vs BUF.

  • BUF's offense gives up 2.9 sacks and 1.1 turnovers a game (2025), near league average.
  • Vegas has BUF at 23.5 points as 1.5-point favorites.
  • Over-started: 87% of leagues have them in, 5th among defenses, against a No. 15 matchup.

Why Raiders D/ST

Toss-Up· medium

Miami's 19.3 implied total is a prime streaming spot, but a DST18 projection at 4.8 points is barely above replacement.

  • MIA's offense gives up 2.9 sacks and 1.4 turnovers a game (2025), near league average.
  • Vegas has MIA at 19.3 points as 3-point dogs.
  • Under-started: only 1% of leagues have them in, 26th among defenses, against a No. 18 matchup.

The call

  • The matchup is the sell: Miami carries just a 19.3 implied total and the Raiders are home 3-point favorites, with the model projecting only 17.2 points allowed — the game script points to leads and pass-rush chances.
  • The Dolphins offense coughs it up enough to matter, at 2.9 sacks allowed and 1.4 turnovers per game, which feeds the 2.4 sack / 0.6 INT projection.
  • The problem is the ceiling: 4.8 projected points ranks DST18, outside the 12 starting slots, and only 1% of leagues roster this unit (crowd rank 26 of 32).
  • Tiebreaker: if your rostered defense draws a top-tier offense or you need a cheap streamer, the low Miami total makes Vegas Raiders playable; if you already hold a top-12 unit, leave them on the wire.

Head-to-head stats

MetricTexans D/STRaiders D/ST
Projected points
Projection rankProj.DST15Proj.DST18
Started in87% of leagues1% of leagues
Opponent sacks allowed / game2.9(2025)2.9(2025)
Opponent turnovers / game1.1(2025)1.4(2025)
Opponent implied total23.519.3
Home / awayHomeHome
Start/Sit record—0–0+1 toss-up

Signal breakdown

  • 5.2 vs 4.8 projected PPR pointsTexans D/ST +
  • Started rank 5 vs 26 (87% vs 1% of leagues)Texans D/ST +
  • 2.9 sacks / 1.1 TO vs 2.9 sacks / 1.4 TO per game allowedRaiders D/ST +
  • Opponent implied 23.5 vs 19.3 pointsRaiders D/ST +
  • Home vs Homeeven

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