New Talents
Week 11's edition of this column addressed how situation and opportunity affect linebackers' statistical output. Fantasy gamers too often assume that tackle compilation is largely a result of player talent rather than player deployment and scheme. Two of Week 13's hot names off the waiver wire exemplify how safeties are similar to linebackers in this regard. These two players, coincidentally, the 2024 Penn State Nittany Lions' starting safeties, represent a compelling study in contrasts as NFL rookies.
Houston safety Jaylen Reed, in his first significant action as a pro, recorded 12 tackles (9 solos, 3 assists) and recovered a fumble in 55 snaps (83.3%). According to Pro Football Focus, Reed played 21 of those snaps in the box and 20 in the slot, leaving just 14 snaps to deep-safety duty. Playing near the line of scrimmage so frequently increased his opportunities to make plays.
I really liked what I saw on tape from rookie Jaylen Reed in what was basically his first defensive snaps of the season.
— Jacob (@TexansJacob) November 23, 2025
He was very physical coming downhill against the run with 3 run stops (PFF) in a tough matchup against a good Buffalo offense early in his career. pic.twitter.com/oVkBSkMKNV
A debate over whether a safety's role matters in his statistical output arises on social media over and over again. Pro Football Focus collects data that demonstrates the correlation between tackle compilation and player alignment. PFF's Jon Macri reports it on social media.
The challenge in applying this knowledge is identifying players deployed in optimal alignments. A safety's performance in the box is third in value to an NFL team after the deep and slot roles, and a full-time safety must play all three adequately well.
#FFIDP - For safety rankings/projections, knowing how unstable that fantasy production can be, rankings start with playing time and potential deployment because...
— Jon Macri (@PFF_Macri) June 16, 2025
Safety tackle efficiency by defensive alignment in 2024:
BOX: 11.3% 🔥
SLOT: 10.4% 👍
-- Average: 9.6% --
DEEP:…
Intriguing Situations
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