Willie Gay

Willie Gay

26-Year-Old LinebackerLB
New Orleans Saints
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Gay heads from Kansas City to New Orleans on a one-year deal that should place him a path to make an immediate impact. Though he never held an every-down role with the Chiefs, the 6-1, 243-pounder is a dynamic athlete who saw consistent playing time in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's aggressive, blitzing defense. Gay's exact place in the Saints' scheme is yet to be seen, but his experience and versatility will make him a top contributor alongside off-ball linebackers Demario Davis and Pete Werner. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#643
ADP
#Subscriber-Only
IDP
$Signed a one-year contract with the Saints in March of 2024.
Ready for Thursday night
LBNew Orleans Saints
October 14, 2024
Gay (hand) was listed as a full participant on Monday's practice estimation.
ANALYSIS
Gay was able to play through his hand injury in the Saints' Week 6 loss to the Buccaneers, recording four total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, and defending two passes. Monday's full practice estimation indicates the first-year Saint has moved past his hand issue entirely. Expect Gay to serve as New Orleans' top strong-side linebacker in Thursday night's contest against the Broncos.
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NFL Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
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2023 NFL Game Log
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2022 NFL Game Log
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2021 NFL Game Log
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2020 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
New Orleans SaintsSaints 2024 LB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

63089%
25699%
40857%
20579%
20529%
5923%
12017%
00%
619%
00%
51%
00%
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2024 Willie Gay Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Willie Gay's measurables compare to other linebackers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 1"
 
Weight
243 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.46 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.30 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.08 sec
 
Vertical Jump
39.5 in
 
Broad Jump
136 in
 
Bench Press
21 reps
 
Hand Length
10.50 in
 
Arm Length
32.63 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Willie Gay See More
NFL Expert Picks:  New Orleans Saints at Kansas City Chiefs
47 days ago
NFL Picks and Predictions for Monday Night Football. Can Patrick Mahomes get the depleted Chiefs offense. going? Will the Saints steal a win in KC? Betting Expert Michael Rathburn here with his picks
Week 5 Friday Injury Report: Big Opportunities for Wicks, Sermon and Tracy
50 days ago
A popular waiver add this week, Dontayvion Wicks should be started in most leagues now that both Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are expected to miss Sunday's game in Los Angeles.
Box Score Breakdown: Week 4 Snaps, Routes, Personnel and Usage
54 days ago
Jerry Donabedian breaks down all the role changes, injuries and other key developments from Week 4, including increased workloads for rookie WRs Jordan Whittington and Ja'Lynn Polk.
Gameday Injuries: Week 1
76 days ago
Juan Carlos Blanco dives into the first injury report of the 2024 season and breaks down the latest on the potential availability of several big names.
2024 New Orleans Saints Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More
108 days ago
QB Derek Carr is entering his second season with the Saints with usual suspects in RB Alvin Kamara and WR Chris Olave at his disposal. Ultimately, a playoff berth is possible in a winnable NFC South.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2021
2020
Gay's selection in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft was due to his athleticism and raw talent, but a regular role didn't materialize over the first season-plus of his career. The 2022 campaign marked the first time things seemed to click in full for the talented young linebacker. Despite missing four games due to suspension, Gay still collected 88 tackles over his 13 games played, adding 2.5 sacks and an interception. He heads into the final year of his rookie deal entrenched in a starter role and figures to challenge triple digits in the tackles column if he can stay on the field.
Gay handled a rotational role as a rookie and still put up reasonably good numbers -- 39 tackles (29 solo) and a sack -- but missed the postseason due to an ankle sprain and then a torn meniscus that required surgery. He's reportedly back to 100 percent health and is expected to take over a much larger role during his second NFL campaign following the departure of Damien Wilson during the offseason.
While Gay is somewhat unproven, having played just 31 games at Mississippi State, he possesses a size (6-foot-1, 243) and speed (4.46 40-yard time) that piques the interest of scouts and earned him a second-round selection. Gay is thought to be a candidate for the weakside linebacker, but early reports indicate that he has been working as a backup strongside backer, which could limit his fantasy value in the Chiefs' defense.
More Fantasy News
Limited to open week
LBNew Orleans Saints
Hand
October 9, 2024
Gay (hand) was estimated to be a limited participant at the Saints' walkthrough Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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Won't play vs. Kansas City
LBNew Orleans Saints
Hand
October 5, 2024
Gay (hand) has been ruled out ahead of Monday's game against the Chiefs, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Won't return vs. Atlanta
LBNew Orleans Saints
Hand
September 29, 2024
Gay (hand) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Falcons, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Exits with hand injury
LBNew Orleans Saints
Hand
September 29, 2024
Gay is questionable to return to Sunday's game against Atlanta due to a hand injury, Luke Johnson of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
ANALYSIS
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Suiting up Sunday
LBNew Orleans Saints
September 8, 2024
Gay (back) is active Sunday against the Panthers.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Talks with Houston
LBFree Agent
April 22, 2020
Gay has held video conferences or phone calls with the Texans, Bengals, Browns and Ravens during the pre-draft process, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
Gay improved his outlook at the NFL Combine in February, putting up a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, 39.5-inch vertical jump and 11-foot-4 broad jump. The 6-foot-1, 243-pound linebacker is a potential second-round pick, though he appeared in only five games for Mississippi State last season due to academic violations.
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