Steelers D/ST or Seahawks D/ST: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Seahawks' pass-rush plays trump Pittsburgh's turnover edge in a close call
Seattle's edge here isn't about points allowed or implied totals — those actually tilt slightly toward Pittsburgh. It's the sack rate: New England is projected to give up over three sacks a game, a full sack more than Atlanta, and that kind of pressure production is gold for D/ST scoring even when the ball security numbers run the other way. The Falcons turn it over a bit less than the Patriots do, which is the one real feather in Pittsburgh's cap, but it's not enough to offset how often Seattle's front gets to the quarterback. Both units are elite plug-ins this week; the gap is closer than the record crowd share suggests, and either is a fine call.
What flips it: A material uptick in Atlanta's giveaway rate or a healthy scratch on New England's offensive line would flip this back to Pittsburgh.
AI editor
Steelers D/ST
7.57.57.5 Projected Points
Seahawks D/ST
7.17.17.1 Projected Points
Why Steelers D/ST
StartStart — the No. 2 defensive matchup this week: ATL protects the ball (1.1 turnovers a game), and 7.5 pts projected vs ATL.
- Atlanta protects the ball better than New England does, giving Pittsburgh a modest turnover-generation edge.
- Slightly lower opponent implied total and a touch higher raw projection give the Steelers a small floor advantage.
Why Seahawks D/ST
StartStart — the No. 5 defensive matchup this week: 7.1 pts projected vs NE.
- New England's line is projected to allow over three sacks, nearly a full sack more than Atlanta — huge for D/ST scoring.
- Seattle edges out Pittsburgh as the single most-started defense in the league this week, for whatever that signals about market confidence.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Steelers D/ST | Seahawks D/ST |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 7.57.57.5 | 7.17.17.1 |
| Projection rank | Proj.DST2 | Proj.DST5 |
| Started in | 91% of leagues | 91% of leagues |
| Opponent sacks allowed / game | 1.9(2025) | 3.0(2025) |
| Opponent turnovers / game | 1.1(2025) | 0.9(2025) |
| Opponent implied total | 19.8 | 20.5 |
| Home / away | Home | Home |
Signal breakdown
- 7.5 vs 7.1 projected PPR pointsSteelers D/ST +
- Started rank 2 vs 1 (91% vs 91% of leagues)Seahawks D/ST +
- 1.9 sacks / 1.1 TO vs 3.0 sacks / 0.9 TO per game allowedSeahawks D/ST +
- Opponent implied 19.8 vs 20.5 pointsSteelers D/ST +
- Home vs Homeeven
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