Week 2 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: DST
Peppers & Picks' Week 2 DST start 'em, sit 'em call for the 2026 NFL season: start Texans D/ST (HOU), our DST1 at 6.6 projected points, and sit Lions D/ST (DET) at 3.9 projected points. Every call below comes from our own weekly projection, position rank, roster and start rates, opponent and injury designation, with Sally's and Tina's reasoning attached.
Data on this page is as of September 21, 2026 at 12:13 AM ET and refreshes automatically every 30 minutes.
Sally's and Tina's Week 2 DST picks
Sally's pick
Texans D/ST DST · HOU
Sally's Week 2 DST pick: Texans D/ST. He's our DST1 at 6.6 projected points vs CIN, and the Pepper Meter has him at 2 of 5.
Tina's pick
Steelers D/ST DST · PIT
Tina's Week 2 DST pick: Steelers D/ST. 6.5 projected points at NE, started in 81% of leagues — she'll take the cheaper version of the same production.
Start 'em: DSTs to start in Week 2
Texans D/ST DST · HOU · vs CIN
6.6 proj · #1 DST2 of 5 peppers, SpicyStart Texans D/ST in Week 2: our DST1 projects for 6.6 points, 0.1 above a typical starting DST.
Rostered 95% · started 76%
Full outlook for Texans D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Texans D/ST (HOU DST) as a start in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season vs CIN, with 6.6 projected fantasy points and a spicy Pepper Meter rating, our DST1 this week. The vs CIN draw matters here — home snaps against CIN shape how often he's asked to do something. 76% of managers already start him, and the depth-chart role behind that number looks stable. D/ST clears the DST bar by about 2%, which is why he sits this high on my board. Spicy heat, high rank: reliable points without the fireworks.
Sally's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Steelers D/ST DST · PIT · at NE
6.5 proj · #2 DST2 of 5 peppers, SpicyStart Steelers D/ST in Week 2: our DST2 projects for 6.5 points, 0 above a typical starting DST.
Rostered 92% · started 81%
Full outlook for Steelers D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Steelers D/ST (PIT DST) as a start in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season at NE, with 6.5 projected fantasy points and a spicy Pepper Meter rating, our DST2 this week. D/ST clears the DST bar by about 0%, which is why he sits this high on my board. The at NE draw matters here — road snaps against NE shape how often he's asked to do something. 81% of managers already start him, and the depth-chart role behind that number looks stable. Tina keeps the Pepper Meter at Spicy here because the ceiling is capped, not the role.
Tina's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Broncos D/ST DST · DEN · vs JAX
6.4 proj · #3 DST2 of 5 peppers, SpicyStart Broncos D/ST in Week 2: our DST3 projects for 6.4 points, 0.1 below a typical starting DST.
Rostered 92% · started 74%
Full outlook for Broncos D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Broncos D/ST (DEN DST) as a start in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season vs JAX, with 6.4 projected fantasy points and a spicy Pepper Meter rating, our DST3 this week. He's still in 74% of lineups at 92% rostered, which is exactly the trap I'm trying to talk you out of. The projection sits about 2% under what a startable DST returns, so I can't pretend the price tag matches the output. At home against JAX, I expect the game to stay competitive enough that his usage holds. Spicy on the Pepper Meter reflects a steady weekly floor rather than a boom week — that's still a start.
Sally's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Ravens D/ST DST · BAL · vs NO
6.4 proj · #4 DST2 of 5 peppers, SpicyStart Ravens D/ST in Week 2: our DST4 projects for 6.4 points, 0.1 below a typical starting DST.
Rostered 88% · started 80%
Full outlook for Ravens D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Ravens D/ST (BAL DST) as a start in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season vs NO, with 6.4 projected fantasy points and a spicy Pepper Meter rating, our DST4 this week. He's still in 80% of lineups at 88% rostered, which is exactly the trap I'm trying to talk you out of. The projection sits about 2% under what a startable DST returns, so I honestly can't pretend the price tag matches the output. At home against NO, I expect the game to stay competitive enough that his usage holds. Spicy on the Pepper Meter reflects a steady weekly floor rather than a boom week — that's still a start.
Tina's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Seahawks D/ST DST · SEA · at ARI
6.3 proj · #5 DST2 of 5 peppers, SpicyStart Seahawks D/ST in Week 2: our DST5 projects for 6.3 points, 0.2 below a typical starting DST.
Rostered 98% · started 94%
Full outlook for Seahawks D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Seahawks D/ST (SEA DST) as a start in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season at ARI, with 6.3 projected fantasy points and a spicy Pepper Meter rating, our DST5 this week. 6.3 points is roughly 3% short of the DST baseline, and I rank on output, not name recognition. Facing ARI away from home, the script reads neutral to friendly, not scary. He's still in 94% of lineups at 98% rostered, which is exactly the trap I'm trying to talk you out of. Sally keeps the Pepper Meter at Spicy here because the ceiling is capped, not the role.
Sally's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Sit 'em: DSTs to bench in Week 2
Lions D/ST DST · DET · at BUF
3.9 proj · #22 DST1 of 5 peppers, MildSit Lions D/ST in Week 2 if you have an alternative — 3.9 projected points lands 2.6 under the DST starter line.
Rostered 52% · started 35%
See his full outlook for Lions D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Lions D/ST (DET DST) as a sit in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season at BUF, with only 3.9 projected fantasy points and a mild Pepper Meter rating, our DST22 this week. He grades 40% below the average weekly DST number, which is a floor problem more than a ceiling one. BUF is the opponent, and that's the part of this I'm least worried about. 35% of managers already start him, and the depth-chart role behind that number looks stable. Mild on the Pepper Meter is generous, honestly.
Tina's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Buccaneers D/ST DST · TB · vs CLE
3.9 proj · #21 DST1 of 5 peppers, MildSit Buccaneers D/ST in Week 2 if you have an alternative — 3.9 projected points lands 2.6 under the DST starter line.
Rostered 74% · started 71%
See his full outlook for Buccaneers D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Buccaneers D/ST (TB DST) as a sit in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season vs CLE, with only 3.9 projected fantasy points and a mild Pepper Meter rating, our DST21 this week. He's still in 71% of lineups at 74% rostered, which is exactly the trap I'm trying to talk you out of. The projection sits about 40% under what a startable DST returns, so I can't pretend the price tag matches the output. At home against CLE, I expect the game to stay competitive enough that his usage holds. The Pepper Meter cools him to Mild, and that reading is doing its job.
Sally's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Chargers D/ST DST · LAC · vs LV
4 proj · #20 DST1 of 5 peppers, MildSit Chargers D/ST in Week 2 if you have an alternative — 4 projected points lands 2.5 under the DST starter line.
Rostered 43% · started 37%
See his full outlook for Chargers D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Chargers D/ST (LAC DST) as a sit in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season vs LV, with only 4.0 projected fantasy points and a mild Pepper Meter rating, our DST20 this week. LV is the opponent, and that's the part of this I'm least worried about. 37% of managers already start him, and the depth-chart role behind that number looks stable. He grades 38% below the average weekly DST number, which is a floor problem more than a ceiling one. Tina keeps him at Mild until the usage says otherwise.
Tina's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Browns D/ST DST · CLE · at TB
4.4 proj · #18 DST1 of 5 peppers, MildSit Browns D/ST in Week 2 if you have an alternative — 4.4 projected points lands 2.1 under the DST starter line.
Rostered 37% · started 30%
See his full outlook for Browns D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Browns D/ST (CLE DST) as a sit in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season at TB, with only 4.4 projected fantasy points and a mild Pepper Meter rating, our DST18 this week. Nothing in the projection defends him — 32% below positional par is a bench line for me. The at TB draw matters here — road snaps against TB shape how often he's asked to do something. 30% of managers already start him, and the depth-chart role behind that number looks stable. Mild on the Pepper Meter is generous, honestly.
Sally's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
Jaguars D/ST DST · JAX · at DEN
4.7 proj · #16 DST1 of 5 peppers, MildSit Jaguars D/ST in Week 2 if you have an alternative — 4.7 projected points lands 1.8 under the DST starter line.
Rostered 36% · started 23%
See his full outlook for Jaguars D/STWhy?
Peppers & Picks lists Jaguars D/ST (JAX DST) as a sit in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season at DEN, with only 4.7 projected fantasy points and a mild Pepper Meter rating, our DST16 this week. DEN is the opponent, and that's the part of this I'm least worried about. Only 36% of leagues roster him, so this is cheap production before the price goes up. He grades 28% below the average weekly DST number, which is a floor problem more than a ceiling one. Tina keeps him at Mild until the usage says otherwise.
Tina's original analysis from our own projection, usage and status data.
This article is rebuilt automatically every week from our own Week 2 projections, position ranks, roster and start rates, opponent data, injury designations and Pepper Meter heat ratings. Commentary is written in-house by Sally and Tina.