The Pittsburgh Steelers have much to discuss on the drawing board after their Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Had it not been for such a favorable matchup against a team down to their third-string quarterback—and with one missing their top two edge rushers—we could have been looking at a much different final result.
The rocky performance shook our trust in some notable players on the team. Meanwhile, several others did more than enough to earn our trust in Week 1.
As we get set for the Steelers' Week 2 road contest against the New England Patriots, several players are surging on our first Steelers trust index, while others can only be trusted as far as we can throw them.
- How the Steelers' trust index works
- Trust with your life on the line
- Trust to be among most consistent performers
- Trust is building fast
- Trust is waning
- Trust as far as I can throw
How the Steelers' trust index works
When constructing this trust index, I consider multiple factors, such as a player's performance level from the previous week and what we know about their week-to-week inconsistencies from the previous season. It also considers the level of trust the team seems to have in an individual player, based on snaps played, miscommunications, or comments from a coach.
Not every player on the active roster has moved up and down on the my first Steelers trust index—only players who helped us gain trust or who hurt our confidence level in Week 1.
Trust can waver from week to week; thus is the nature of the NFL. But these players either gained or lost our trust as we get set for Week 2.
Trust with your life on the line
T.J. Watt, EDGE
Yeah, this man needs no introduction. Watt didn't look like the same player last season, and I'll be the first to admit that my trust in the veteran edge rusher had wavered. Thankfully, Watt made me a believer once more with his sensational performance against the Falcons. I still don't know how consistent he'll be in terms of getting pressure on a play-by-play basis, but Watt can always be counted on for the big play when it matters most.
Cameron Heyward, DL
Father Time has no grip on Cam Heyward yet. The 37-year-old is coming off an excellent performance against the Falcons, in which he routinely held his ground at the line of scrimmage and batted down a whopping three passes. Heyward is the epitome of consistency in Pittsburgh.
Trust to be among most consistent performers
Alex Highsmith, EDGE
No category has ever suited Alex Highsmith better. While he's never quite reached true stardom, Highsmith is routinely one of the most reliable Steelers performances, game in and game out. Watt may have stolen the show, but Highsmith quietly collected a pair of sacks of his own in Week 1 while constantly harassing left tackle Jake Matthews.
Zach Frazier, C
To nobody's surprise, Zach Frazier looked like the best and most consistent offensive lineman on the Steelers in Week 1. This is what we've become accustomed to seeing over his first two NFL seasons.
Trust is building fast
Payton Wilson, LB
Perhaps nobody did more to improve their stock among Steelers fans in Week 1 than Payton Wilson. The third-year linebacker is coming off an up-and-down season in 2025, but his run defense and pursuit of the ball carrier in Week 1 were exceptional. Wilson logged 13 tackles and stands to be a pivotal piece of the puzzle on defense moving forward.
Jamel Dean, CB
Despite being new to the team, Jamel Dean is already building trust quickly. We knew he was a good cornerback from his days in Tampa Bay, but we wanted to hold off on judgment until we saw him in a new scheme in Pittsburgh. His first performance was encouraging, as he looked the part of a top-level CB both in coverage and run support.
Aaron Rodgers, QB
After how things ended for him last season, my trust in Aaron Rodgers was shot. Thankfully, not all hope is lost. Rodgers' performance against the Falcons was encouraging, as his 10.49 average depth of target ranked 6th among all quarterbacks in Week 1, per SumerSports. Rodgers didn't connect on most of his deep throws, but that was more on his receivers than on him.
Jaquan Brisker, S
In his first game with the Steelers, safety Jaquan Brisker made a splash play with an interception over the middle of the field while logging six tackles and two stops. He's already looking as advertised.
Trust is waning
Yahya Black, DT
On 18 defensive snaps, Yahya Black failed to make a positive impact in Week 1. Despite his massive frame and long arms, Black was arguably the worst run defender among the Steelers' defensive linemen against the Falcons. He needs to be more consistent at the point of attack and start showing us the flashes that had fans excited during his rookie preseason.
Troy Fautanu, OT
I hate slotting the Steelers' 2024 first-round pick in this category, but after watching Troy Fautanu's all-22 tape, I have some major concerns. Fautanu fails to hold a consistent anchor against speed-to-power rushes. If an offensive lineman is only as good as his 4-5 worst reps in a game, then Fautanu had a miserable performance in Week 1. Right now, I just can't trust the athletic offensive tackle.
Rico Dowdle, RB
In terms of debuts, this was about as bad as we could have imagined. In his first game with the Steelers in Week 1, Rico Dowdle rushed for 1.9 yards per carry on eight attempts. He was just as inneficiant in the passing game, earning just six yards on five targets. He'll need to turn things around quickly to start building our trust.
Germie Bernard, WR
It might have been more the game script (and Aaron Rodgers) than Germie Bernard himself, but the rookie wide receiver was only able to get on the field for a measly three of 67 offensive snaps. Steelers fans didn't expect him to explode with a monstrous performance in his rookie debut, but we expected a bit more.
Trust as far as I can throw
DK Metcalf, WR
If you want to talk about one of the highest-variance receivers in the NFL, look no further than DK Metcalf. In Week 1, the veteran hit rock bottom with an ugly performance that included as many combined drops and offensive penalties (four) as receptions. Metcalf earned just 40 yards on 10 targets, and he was terrible at the catch point. This isn't to say that he can't work toward building our trust again, but right now, I can trust him about as far as I can throw him (which isn't far at all).
Patrick Queen, LB
Patrick Queen has been in the NFL long enough now to know that he doesn't have much of a shot at regaining our trust. Queen missed multiple tackles in Week 1 while making half the impact of Payton Wilson despite playing a nearly identical number of snaps (60 to 57).
Rayshawn Jenkins, S
There's a reason Rayshawn Jenkins has suited up for four different teams over the past four years. The veteran safety can't stay in one place because he's a liability in the secondary. Despite playing just 31 defensive snaps (roughly half of the team total), Jenkins surrendered a 23-yard touchdown reception. Jenkins will go back to a limited role once DeShon Elliott returns from IR, but until then, he gives us reason to worry in the secondary.
Spencer Anderson, G
I had low expectations for Spencer Anderson to begin with, but somehow, he managed to disappoint me. The starting right guard simply couldn't hold up in pass protection with any sort of consistency, and his work as a run blocker in Week 1 was nearly as bad. This might be what you get when you entrust a seventh-round pick and career backup with a starting role. He won't keep his job for long at this rate.
Add us as a preferred source on Google