#83 overall · PIT · 143.0 projected half-PPR pts · -2.9 Draft Value
Pittsburgh Steelers — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
The case for drafting him
Pittsburgh has been one of the most consistent sack-generating defenses in recent memory. Over the last three seasons, the unit averaged 45 sacks per year, with individual season totals of 47, 40, and 48. Turnovers have been equally reliable: 16 interceptions per year on average, 13 fumble recoveries per year, and nearly 20 forced fumbles per year across that same stretch. Those are the building blocks of DST fantasy scoring, and Pittsburgh has delivered them at a steady clip. The unit also added a touchdown in each of the last three seasons and a safety in two of them. For a drafter who wants a DST that shows up in the box score week after week, the track record here is real.
What the model projects
The projection is 143.0 half-PPR fantasy points for the 2026 season. That places Pittsburgh at DST2 and #79 overall, sitting in Tier 9. The draft value is -2.9, which means the projection lands just below replacement level at the position in a 12-team half-PPR format. Pittsburgh's bye week is Week 9.
| Sacks | INT | FF | FR | TD | Saf | PA | PA 1-6 | PA 7-13 | PA 14-20 | PA 21-27 | PA 28-34 | PA 35+ | Half-PPR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 47 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 324 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | 150.0 |
| 2024 | 40 | 17 | 22 | 16 | 1 | — | 347 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 153.0 |
| 2025 | 48 | 15 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 387 | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 134.0 |
| 3-yr avg | 45 | 16 | 19.3 | 13 | 1 | 0.7 | 352.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 129.7 |
The range of outcomes
The historical record gives a clear picture of the variance. Points allowed have climbed each of the last three seasons: 324 in 2023, 347 in 2024, and 387 in 2025. That trend matters because points allowed is one of the primary levers on DST scoring. In 2023, Pittsburgh held opponents to 13 points or fewer in five games and allowed 21 or more in just seven. By 2025, the unit allowed 21 or more in eleven games, including four in the 28-34 range and one at 35-plus. Sacks and turnovers have remained strong, but the scoring environment has gotten harder to manage. The upside is anchored by a pass rush that has not dipped below 40 sacks in any of the three seasons on record. The floor is shaped by a points-allowed trend that has moved in the wrong direction.
How to draft him
Pittsburgh is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to carry a market ADP, so there is no public draft-slot data to reference. What the model gives you is a DST2 projection at #79 overall in Tier 9, with a draft value that sits just below replacement level. In practice, that means Pittsburgh profiles as a late-round DST target: a unit with a proven sack and turnover floor that you can add after your skill-position core is set. The Week 9 bye is worth noting when you build your roster, particularly if you are in a league that requires a streaming plan at the position.
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Questions drafters ask
Very consistent. Pittsburgh recorded 47 sacks in 2023, 40 in 2024, and 48 in 2025, for a three-year average of 45 per season. No single year dipped below 40.
The projection is 143.0 half-PPR fantasy points. That ranks Pittsburgh DST2 and #79 overall in Tier 9, with a draft value of -2.9 against a 12-team half-PPR replacement baseline.
It is worth watching. Pittsburgh allowed 324 points in 2023, 347 in 2024, and 387 in 2025. The number of games allowing 21 or more points has grown each year, from seven in 2023 to eleven in 2025.
There is no market ADP available for Pittsburgh, so there is no public draft-slot benchmark to cite. The model places them at DST2 and #79 overall, which in most 12-team drafts suggests a late-round window after skill positions are addressed. Note their Week 9 bye when planning your roster.
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Beyond the rankings
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