It appeared as if though Atlanta was going to lose William Moore to free agency, but they were able to sign him to a five-year deal worth $32 million. It was a move they had to make, as he has been one of their defensive captains and really played well in Mike Nolan's defense. Now that he's set to stay with the Falcons, what does that mean for his IDP value going forward?
Moore was the Falcons second-round pick in the 2009 draft, which has proven to be rich in defensive players. Moore appeared in just two games his rookie year, but he was installed as a full-time starter at safety in 2010, appearing in 913 defensive snaps and compiling 71 tackles. Moore flashed big-play ability, picking off five passes and defending eight of the 45 passes thrown into his cover. That's a play on the ball 29 percent of the time.
In 2011, Moore played just 12 games and compiled 54 tackles. While it appears on the surface like a regression, his overall game improved, as he graded positively overall and in coverage and as a pass rusher. Teams avoided him through the air, and he saw just 25 targets. Moore still managed two picks and nine passes defensed.
Moore appeared to be poised for a breakout in 2012. While he graded positively overall, injuries cut his season short and he missed the last four games due to hamstring issues. Moore finished his season with 75 tackles in 774 snaps, resulting in a 9.8 percent tackle frequency. If you extrapolate these numbers over 16 games, he would've hit the 100-tackle mark. Moore also showed his ball hawk skills, picking off four passes and racking up eight passes defensed.
2013 Season
It's safe to question Moore's ability to stay healthy for a full season, but the IDP upside is too great to ignore. His numbers in coverage display a strong instinct to get to the football. Couple that with the fact that he's produced an 8.7 percent tackle frequency over his first three seasons, and Moore is a borderline DB1 candidate. If he can put together a full 16 games, triple-digit tackles is not out of the question.
Mike Woellert is a Senior Writer for Pro Football Focus Fantasy. Follow Mike on Twitter @PFF_MWoellert
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.