Versatile Fullbacks: The Most Overlooked Position

In football, a team cannot succeed without having good players at all positions. Every position is important, and without them, a team would fail. However, certain positions receive more attention than others. QBs and WRs—"skill positions"—generally are more talked about than Tackles and Punters. In the NFL, the most overlooked position is the Fullback.

Fullbacks are important. Without them, most halfbacks wouldn't be what they are today. They are the players who face up with tough linebackers and are expected to keep them away from the runner. 

Often, the defenders they face are a couple dozen pounds heavier than they. A 250 pound fullback is told to block a 290 pound linebacker who has his sights on the running back. 

Needless to say, fullback blocking is not easy.

Besides opening holes for the halfbacks, they are expected to keep blitzing players from drilling the quarterback.  If not for fullbacks, passers would get sacked much more often. Keeping the prized franchise QB from getting hit by a defender running full-speed from the blind side is nothing to overlook.

In addition to blocking, fullbacks are a valuable asset in receiving. They often run the flats and act as a dump off for a QB who is under pressure and can't find anyone long.  They can pick up big yards receiving, as they are big and can do some power running once they catch the ball.

Fullbacks can also be a good weapon running the ball. When a team needs that yard or two and the defense is blitzing eight, giving it to the fullback and letting him drive and power his way to the first down is often better than giving it to the halfback.

In some situations, the halfback just doesn't have the power needed to push the pile of linemen and linebackers. Generally slower but stronger, giving the ball to the fullback has helped many teams get big yards by catching the defense off guard.

For all the things that Fullbacks are asked to do, they are seen as unimportant. You will never see them being drafted before the third round, as they usually are taken in the fourth or fifth rounds. That's odd when you think that fullbacks are more versatile and do more things than any other position.

No other position, with the possible exception of tight ends block and receive the way fullbacks do. And no other position blocks, receives, and runs the same way.

Fullbacks are valuable and needed for the success of a team. However, they are often overlooked. When people talk about great players, how many mention the fullback?  Even after all they do, they are still seen as lesser players.

Regardless of whether you think fullbacks are more important than some other position, they are the most overlooked and underrated players in the NFL.