#206 overall · ARI · 86.4 projected half-PPR pts · -42.6 Draft Value
Arizona Cardinals — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
The case for drafting him
There is not a strong affirmative case here, and the facts say so plainly. The Arizona Cardinals DST checks in at DST31 and #206 overall, sitting in Tier 9 with a draft value of -42.6 — well below replacement level at the position. The three-year averages tell a consistent story: 34.7 sacks, 10 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, and 7.7 fumble recoveries per season, with points allowed averaging 440.7. The 2024 season showed a genuine uptick — 41 sacks, 17 forced fumbles, and only 379 points allowed — but 2025 pulled back sharply, with sacks dropping to 30, points allowed climbing to 488, and forced fumbles falling to 13. The three-year average smooths those swings into a picture of a middling unit. If you are building a case, it rests entirely on the 2024 data point as a signal of upside, but the surrounding seasons temper that argument considerably.
What the model projects
The projection is 86.4 half-PPR fantasy points for the 2026 season. That is the headline number, and it places the Cardinals DST at #206 overall and DST31. The draft value of -42.6 reflects a unit projected to finish meaningfully below the replacement-level baseline for the DST position in a standard 12-team half-PPR format. The bye week falls in Week 14, which is a common fantasy playoff week — a practical consideration for any manager who does roster this unit.
| INT | Sacks | FF | FR | TD | PA | Half-PPR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 11 | 33 | 6 | 6 | — | 455 | 73.0 |
| 2024 | 9 | 41 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 379 | 98.0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 30 | 13 | 9 | — | 488 | 81.0 |
| 3-yr avg | 10 | 34.7 | 12 | 7.7 | 0.3 | 440.7 | 83.9 |
The range of outcomes
No simulation band data is available in the facts for this unit, so the projection of 86.4 points stands as the single reference figure. What the historical record does illustrate is genuine season-to-season variance: points allowed ranged from 379 in 2024 to 488 in 2025, sacks ranged from 30 to 41, and forced fumbles ranged from 6 to 17 across the three seasons on record. That spread suggests the floor and ceiling are meaningfully apart, but the central projection at DST31 reflects where the weight of evidence lands.
How to draft him
The Cardinals DST is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to carry a market ADP. That absence is itself informative — this is a unit that is largely going undrafted in public 2026 snake drafts. At DST31 and #206 overall with a negative draft value, the Cardinals are a late-or-never option. If you are in a league that requires a DST to be rostered from draft day, this is a deep-bench consideration at best. In most formats, the wiser path is to target a higher-ranked unit and revisit the waiver wire as the season develops. The Week 14 bye is worth noting if you do roster them, as it falls during a stretch when fantasy playoff rosters are under pressure.
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Questions drafters ask
The projection is 86.4 points with a draft value of -42.6, placing them at DST31 and #206 overall in Tier 9. That is below replacement level at the position, and they carry no consistent market ADP. In most formats, they are not a recommended draft-day target.
The three-year averages (2023–2025) are 34.7 sacks, 10 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, 7.7 fumble recoveries, and 440.7 points allowed per season. 2024 was the strongest year — 41 sacks, 17 forced fumbles, 379 points allowed — while 2025 regressed to 30 sacks, 10 interceptions, and 488 points allowed.
There is no market ADP available — the Cardinals DST is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to produce one. They are effectively an undrafted unit in public 2026 snake drafts.
Week 14 is a common fantasy playoff week, so a bye that week means you would need a streaming option if you roster the Cardinals DST. It is a practical roster-management consideration on top of their DST31 projection.