Should I Start The Broncos DST In Week 1? Fantasy Football Defenses

Defenses in fantasy football are sometimes a total toss-up in your lineup. It might just be best to stream defenses every week depending on matchups. Early in the season, you'll likely want to target the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, or Carolina Panthers offenses. 

The Broncos DST could be a sneaky nice start in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. With a supporting cast of Patrick Surtain II, Justin Simmons, and Randy Gregory, they might be a solid streaming option to begin the year. 

So, should I start the Broncos DST in fantasy football Week 1? Let's take a closer look. 

What Did The Broncos DST Do In 2022? 

The Broncos DST wasn't the best fantasy option in 2022. However, they did start the season strong and averaged 10.6 fantasy points through the first five games. During that stretch, Denver had four games with at least eight fantasy points.

After that, though, they had just three games over seven fantasy points in the final 12 weeks of the year. It was a very up-and-down 2022 campaign for the Broncos DST in fantasy, and they likely hurt those fantasy managers who started them in Week 16 against an injury-riddled Rams offense. The defense winded up with negative four fantasy points. 

On the year, the Broncos DST finished 22nd overall while averaging 6.5 fantasy points per game. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks (36) but did provide an encouraging 15 interceptions in 2022. 

Should I Start The Broncos DST In Week 1?

On paper, it looks like the Broncos DST could be a good start in Week 1. They'll be facing new Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, and Denver's secondary has plenty of strong playmakers. However, this defense isn't necessarily a must-start in Week 1.

The Raiders allowed just 35 sacks last season which tied for the ninth fewest in the NFL. With Las Vegas keeping most of its offensive line from a season ago and with a Broncos defense that didn't sack many quarterbacks in 2022, there could be fewer fantasy points for Denver DST in Week 1. 

Garoppolo is also a quarterback who loves to get the ball out quickly, dating back to his San Francisco days. So, if that continues, Denver's defense could see fewer sacks than expected. There are certainly better defenses like the Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, or the Jacksonville Jaguars that could put up more fantasy points than the Broncos DST in Week 1. 

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