Can Azeez Al-Shaair Rebound in 2023?

Photo: USA Today Sports

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Everyone has heard the expression big fish in a small pond. Have we ever thought about the small fish that may reside in the big pond? Fans of George Costanza know that Marine biology is no laughing matter! For these little fish to survive, they must allow for the big fish to feed first. Such is life in the vast ecosystem that is a pond. Some little fish just don’t have what it takes to compete with the largemouth bass or the huge catfish you once caught when no one was watching. Some fish just need a new spot and to mature. Enter Azeez Al-Shaair, the forgotten man formerly of the San Francisco 49ers linebacker corps. Make sure to practice pronunciation and spelling, this is a name you need to familiarize yourself with in IDP formats. It may sound fishy… but he could compete as a top dynasty asset in IDP!

What Have We Seen So Far?

Fans of IDP and the NFL alike have likely heard of the name Fred Warner, the star middle linebacker for the 49ers. He recently signed a five-year $95 million, the largest per year salary for a linebacker prior to Roquan Smith’s deal with the Ravens. Alongside him, an up-and-coming IDP star in Dre Greenlaw, who himself had just seven fewer tackles than Warner. With that much production and star power, there are going to be fewer opportunities for guys. Al-Shaair was a prime example of this. When he was given the opportunity to shine, he did just that! In 2021 at the age of 23, Al-Shaair had a career year of 104 total tackles, two sacks, and two turnovers created. Not too shabby for an undrafted man from Florida Atlantic. Last season we got about what his average would be for the 49ers, 40+ tackles, and not too much else to report. Things have changed, though. This past offseason, Al-Shaair signed to play for the Tennessee Titans, where he is slotted as an inside linebacker. With new opportunity comes new value!

What Do We Know About the Titans Defense?

When evaluating the rebound opportunity for Al-Shaair, we must first look at his team and coaching structure. To start, he will finally have an opportunity to start and play a high volume of snaps. A high volume of snaps will turn into points in a hurry. This opportunity pairs well with defensive head coach and former linebacker Mike Vrabel. There may be no better coach for an inside linebacker in the entire NFL. We have seen a track record of success for linebackers in Tennessee. Last season, David Long, in 12 games, compiled over 80 tackles, roughly seven per game! When Long went down with an injury, Monty Rice averaged nine tackles per game, with 54 from Week 12 forward. This shows us that there is a precedent set for the man in the middle to compile those precious tackles. This won’t go away just because we have new faces back there. Al-Shaair will get these points so long as he is the starter in this defense.