DFS: Are the Big Week 1 Defenses Legit?

How much can we really trust in NFL defenses so far?

The sample size for each team will never be smaller but that doesn't stop us from taking a look at the highlight defenses of Week 1.

The 49ers, Panthers and Dolphins all entered the season with several lingering questions. Could the 49ers survive the retirements of several defensive leaders? Would the Panthers maintain a pass defense that just cracked the top-10 in 2014? And can mercurial defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh stay out of trouble for the 'Phins?

All three of these teams impressed over the weekend but their opposition provided more questions than answers.

Minnesota, Jacksonville and Washington could be politely described as offenses in transition. Each team featured young, shaky quarterbacks and few veteran leaders. Adrian Peterson can't do everything for the Vikings and on Monday night, All-Day did nothing. The Blake Bortles-led Jags tallied a league-worst 15.6 points per game in 2014. Regardless of who Washington-owner Dan Snyder prefers between Robert Griffin III and the middling Kirk Cousins, neither should be booking a ticket to the Pro Bowl any time soon.

With those caveats in mind, let's take a look at who these Week 1 standout defenses will line up against in Week 2 (all times ET):

San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m.

The honeymoon might be over for the new-look 49ers, who take on two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger. That would be a tough task in itself, but the nature of the dramatic time-zone shift means the west-coast 49ers will be playing at what will feel like 10 a.m. Pacific time at Heinz Field.

Play the Steelers' offensive players with confidence; Big Ben, Antionio Brown and Heath Miller will have had over a week to plan for the Niners' defense.

Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m.

Carolina bottled-up Bortles in northern Florida and now return home to face a team ripe with QB drama: is Brian Hoyer still the man in Houston or has he been supplanted by Ryan Mallett? Both threw TD passes to blue-chipper DeAndre Hopkins, one of the great Week 1 performers. If two-time All-Pro middle linebacker Luke Kuechly can return from his concussion for the Panthers' home opener, whoever is starting at QB will struggle to get the ball to Hopkins; the WR seems like an obvious fade after a massive Week 1.

Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:05 p.m.

Miami doesn't seem likely to see a set-back in Week 2. Suh shores up the front-end of a good defense that already featured elite pass rusher Cameron Wake; Bortles should have nightmares leading up to Sunday. Jags' RB T.J. Yeldon could be in for a long day, especially if offensive coordinator Greg Olson reigns in the leash on the passing attack; 20 carries won't mean much if Yeldon can't break through the D-line.