#73 overall · PIT · 129.0 projected half-PPR pts · +0.0 Draft Value
Pittsburgh Steelers — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
The case for drafting him
Pittsburgh has been one of the most consistently productive defenses in football over the past three seasons. From 2023 through 2025, the Steelers averaged 45 sacks, 16 interceptions, 19.3 forced fumbles, and 13 fumble recoveries per season. That is a unit that generates turnovers and pressures quarterbacks at a reliable clip, year after year. Each of the last three seasons produced exactly one defensive touchdown and the sack totals have stayed elite — 47 in 2023, 40 in 2024, and a three-year-best 48 in 2025. For a DST slot, that kind of floor is the whole argument.
What the model projects
The model projects Pittsburgh at 129.0 half-PPR fantasy points for the 2026 season. That projection places them at DST1 — the top-ranked defense by draft value — and #73 overall. Their draft value sits at exactly +0.0, meaning they project right at replacement level for the position. They land in Tier 9 on the full board. The bye week falls in Week 9.
| INT | Sacks | FF | FR | TD | Saf | PA | Half-PPR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 16 | 47 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 324 | 128.0 |
| 2024 | 17 | 40 | 22 | 16 | 1 | — | 347 | 134.0 |
| 2025 | 15 | 48 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 387 | 127.0 |
| 3-yr avg | 16 | 45 | 19.3 | 13 | 1 | 0.7 | 352.7 | 129.7 |
The range of outcomes
Pittsburgh's three-year history tells a story of a defense that is durable in its strengths but not immune to drift. Sacks have ranged from 40 to 48, interceptions from 15 to 17, and points allowed have crept upward — from 324 in 2023 to 347 in 2024 to 387 in 2025. That rising points-against trend is the primary downside risk. On the upside, the pass-rush has actually improved, and the turnover machinery — forced fumbles, recoveries, and interceptions — has remained steady. A season closer to the 2023 defensive profile (fewer points allowed, high takeaways) represents the ceiling; a continuation of the points-against trend with a sack regression represents the floor.
How to draft him
Pittsburgh is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to carry a market ADP, so there is no pick-cost signal to report. What the model does say is clear: DST1 with a 129.0-point projection and a three-year track record of elite sack and turnover production. In a 12-team snake draft, DST is typically a late-round afterthought, and Pittsburgh's ranking suggests they are worth targeting in that window. Their Week 9 bye is mid-season and manageable with a handcuff plan in place.
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Questions drafters ask
Yes. Pittsburgh is DST1 by draft value and sits #73 overall on the full board.
Very consistent. They recorded 47 sacks in 2023, 40 in 2024, and 48 in 2025, for a three-year average of 45 sacks per season.
Points allowed have risen each of the last three seasons — 324 in 2023, 347 in 2024, and 387 in 2025 — which is the clearest downside trend in the historical record.
Week 9. Plan a streaming option for that week.