Fantasy Football Week 1 Projections: Defensive Backs (2010)

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Fantasy Football Week 1 is here, and it is time to break down the defenses you need to know about. Only this time we are taking it to a more granular level by analyzing the major players at each position. Here are two defensive backs worthy of starts in the opening week of the fantasy football season.

William Gay, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Atlanta Falcons

William Gay is the backup cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but in Fantasy Football Week 1, it looks as if he is the Steelers starter. Bryant McFadden, the cornerback that typically starts for the Steelers, will probably miss the opener against Atlanta, but he’s not that good in the first place. Thus, what you have is the backup corner, William Gay, being inserted into the starting lineup for a guy that isn’t all that good in the first place. The fact that Gay is behind McFadden on the depth chart should say something about how good Gay is. You can bet that the Falcons are going to go after Gay, and they will probably be quite successful. However, Gay is not without his good points. He is a good tackler, so he should make several tackles against Roddy White and whoever else catches the football against him. He’s also got a nose for the ball, so if Matt Ryan makes one bad throw in his direction, he could make an interception. Given how often the Falcons will go after Gay, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to make the big play. But even if he doesn’t get an interception, he’s worth a start based on the number of tackles he will make alone.

Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Atlanta Falcons

Staying in the same game and with the same team, we will move over the safety position. Troy Polamalu may be the most important defensive player in the league right now, as evidenced by his team’s defensive issues when he was out last season. Against the Atlanta Falcons, Polamalu will definitely have his hands full trying to help his inadequate cornerbacks cover the likes of Roddy White. However, the Falcons are still a run-first football team when Michael Turner is healthy, and Turner won’t be healthier this season than he will be in Week 1. But you can expect Polamalu’s presence near the line of scrimmage to limit Turner’s effectiveness. Polamalu is so good at plugging holes, scraping over the top and flying in from the secondary that he can single-handedly stop the opposing team’s run game. With Turner’s propensity for carries, Polamalu will have a lot of chances to make tackles in this game, and he usually makes the best of his opportunities. So if you have the opportunity to put Polamalu in your lineup, get it done.

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