When Should You Invest in Minkah Fitzpatrick?

Johnny Kinsley

After two games into the 2019 regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed an answer to help elevate a talented but frustrating defense to the next level. The team had allowed 30.5 points per game against the Patriots and Seahawks, but trading for a star talent would patch things up and make their defense one of the league’s absolute best.

Enter Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The second-year safety and former first-round pick spent one-eighth of the season with the Dolphins before they traded him to Pittsburgh for three draft picks (including the Steelers’ first-rounder from 2020), and the price was well worth it. In the 14 games following the trade, the Steelers defense only allowed 17.29 points per game, as the unit was finally recognized once more as one of the league’s best.

Fitzpatrick’s high-quality play not only elevated Pittsburgh but also earned him his first Pro Bowl nod and First-Team All-Pro honors. While the team just missed out on the playoffs with an 8-8 record, the addition of the safety makes it clear that this is a defense with a ton of talent and I’m really looking forward to watching them next season.

From a fantasy perspective, however, Fitzpatrick wasn’t as prominent as you might expect.

Fitzpatrick finished with 44 tackles, five interceptions, two forced fumbles, a pick-six, and nine pass disruptions in all of 2019, but only put up 109.5 fantasy points on FantasyData, making him 72nd among all defenders for the season and 14th among all defensive backs. This is surprising considering the player of his quality, and I’d be lying if I didn’t expect him to rank so much higher than he did.

Let’s not twist things, though. I still recommend drafting or trading for Fitzpatrick in your dynasty leagues, at the right price mind you. He was a fantastic addition to the Steel Curtain in 2019, and hopefully his dynasty stats will look significantly better in 2020. For more on that, let’s look at the tape to determine what makes him so good.

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Fitzpatrick and Derwin James were the two most coveted safeties in the 2018 draft class due to their elite coverage and athleticism in college. Fitzpatrick stands out among the middle-of-the-pack safety thanks to his sharp footwork and lock on vision.

Here, the safety keeps a watchful eye on Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews, who’s running a shallow crossing route. The Ravens use play-action off the pistol formation, and Fitzpatrick goes after Andrews as soon as Lamar Jackson pulls the ball back. He’s able to meet the tight end in time, delivering a strong enough blow to disrupt the pass and knock the ball to the ground.

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As made visible by the five interceptions he collected in 2019, Fitzpatrick was a major ballhawk. A couple of lucky bounces landed in his hands, but he also showed off superb coverage skills on these turnovers.

Lined up in zone, Fitzpatrick finds Keenan Allen running a slant route as he’s about to cross to the middle of the field. The DB’s movement to his right gives Philip Rivers the impression that he can fit this pass into a tight window to throw Allen open, but Fitzpatrick’s quick hip turn prevents that from becoming a reality.

This is outstanding coverage, and the only thing missing is the interception, as the ball slipped through Fitzpatrick’s hands as he was hitting the ground.

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This was a much more successful play for Fitzpatrick, against his former team in the Dolphins as well. That’s right, we have Fitzpatrick intercepting Fitzpatrick! Here he runs the receiver’s route for him in zone, guarding the soft spot and then breaking off once Ryan Fitzpatrick slings the ball downfield.

This time, Minkah hangs onto the interception. He wound up picking off his former teammate twice in this game, a career-high for him.

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Fitzpatrick is as much of a lockdown safety as you can find in the NFL. Colts quarterback Brian Hoyer uses play action off the shotgun formation on this snap, and his eyes are immediately fixated on the tight end Jack Doyle. What Hoyer doesn’t know, however, is that Fitzpatrick’s eyes are fixated on him.

The safety gravitates toward Doyle right off the play action, catching the Colts by surprise as he snatches a potential touchdown and takes it all the way to the opposing end zone for the first pick-six and defensive touchdown of his career.

With all this accounted for, where should you draft Minkah Fitzpatrick? Well, consider that safeties can fluctuate from season to season, varying in statistical production. Therefore, if you are looking to draft him, I’d look well past rounds 10-12. That would be the right situation to draft him whether his stats improve or not.

Regardless, Fitzpatrick is a smart defensive back with elite coverage and could potentially become as much of a game-changer to your IDP leagues as he’s been with the Steelers defense.

johnny kinsley