49ers' Fred Warner the victim of an egregious snub following incredible start to 2024 season

It has been an up and down start to the season for the San Francisco 49ers, but one player who has maintained his brilliant best across the first four weeks of the season is linebacker Fred Warner. The All-Pro, who is a doubt for Sunday's Week 5 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals with an ankle […]

Nicholas McGee
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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) pursues the ball during the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium.
David Gonzales-Imagn Images

It has been an up and down start to the season for the San Francisco 49ers, but one player who has maintained his brilliant best across the first four weeks of the season is linebacker Fred Warner.

The All-Pro, who is a doubt for Sunday's Week 5 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals with an ankle injury, has a strong case for being considered the best player in the NFL so far this campaign, having thrived with his playmaking ability.

Here's a list of the splash plays Warner has made already this season:

  • 1 sack
  • 1 tackle for loss
  • 3 forced fumbles (league-high)
  • 4 pass breakups
  • 2 interceptions, including 1 returned for a touchdown

His pick-six in the blowout win over the New England Patriots last week was an encapsulation of everything that makes Warner the pre-eminent linebacker in the modern game.

Warner's numbers to this point are those of a Defensive Player of the Year contender, however, he was overlooked for the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September.

That award instead went to Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

Hutchinson is worthy of his recognition. The defensive end has enjoyed a dominant start to the year, compiling 6.5 sacks and leading the NFL with 40 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

But it is difficult to say his influence has been superior to that of Warner, who leads all defensive players through four weeks in Sports Info Solutions' total points metric.

Total points uses the Expected Points Added framework to give an individual value to every player on every scrimmage play.

Warner, having forced a fumble on the goal-line in Week 2 to save a certain Minnesota Vikings touchdown in the same game that saw him make an interception in the red zone, has 24 points, with Hutchinson close behind on 21.

That is a fair reflection of just how influential Warner has been so far this season. 

No defensive player has had more of an impact on their team's fortunes. Warner's red-hot start is worthy of celebration, and it's an egregious snub that the NFL decided not to do so in its first batch of monthly awards.

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