There are a variety of ways to define success. Some people dominate their industry, leaving no doubts of their greatness. Aerosmith is a good example of this. We all know that some musicians have been successful (maybe not to that level) without the catalog of songs that a band like Aerosmith has. I’d like to hone in on one subsection of the music world, the one-hit wonder. Some of the most iconic songs could be considered one-hit wonders, which doesn’t diminish the talent of the person or band associated with it. It also means that the person or group couldn’t replicate that magic for more than a fleeting moment. Frankie Luvu and his career-high season last year is the latest in a long line of NFL and IDP one-hit wonders. Here is why you need to make sure he isn’t a focal point of your roster.
Who is Frankie Luvu?
Frankie Luvu is a former undrafted free agent out of Washington State who has made a career being a survivor in the NFL. After starting his career with three less-than-stellar seasons with the New York Jets, he finally popped in 2022 for the Carolina Panthers. He achieved more total tackles than his career totals this season, as well as setting career highs in most categories defensively, mostly due to an uptick in playing time. It is great to see a player get some positive marks while overcoming the obstacles of being an undrafted player from a smaller school. Last season, he again achieved a career-high in tackles while being consistent with his big play averages from the previous seasons. So, we have a 27-year-old player ascending and has found his footing in the NFL. What are we worried about? The NFL landscape changes quickly. With these changes, we see significant trajectory volatility in players. I believe that Luvu may be one of the players who will be the unfortunate recipient of a bad change of scenery.
A Man Among Boys
The Luvu we have seen throughout his NFL career has been a linebacker for the Panthers, a franchise that appears to be poverty-stricken. While the team mindset and results don’t affect fantasy football in IDP too often, it does allow for players to emerge who wouldn’t be focal points on more successful teams. Luvu fits this criterion more than one would think. When Luvu first broke into the NFL, he was a backup player for the New York Jets behind players like Darron Lee, Jordan Jenkins, and others of that same caliber. When he arrived in Carolina, his competition wasn’t exactly any better with players Shaq Thompson (who should be judged as an edge rusher) and Jermaine Carter Jr. It was only a matter of time before Luvu would get snaps considering Carter Jr. was the inside linebacker for the team. This isn’t a hit piece on Carter Jr., but the reality is that Luvu rarely had anyone he had to prove himself against that would be viewed within the league as a good player. This will change this season because Luvu was on the move this offseason.
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New Team, New Luvu
Luvu was signed to Washington this past March. The Commanders are amid a franchise-wide rebuild that includes a change of coaching, management, and ownership. With this change comes a new vision for the team. and Luvu was part of the vision. In most cases, this would excite me. The problem is, he wasn’t the only free agent brought in to potentially fill this linebacker void. The team also brought in future hall-of-fame linebacker Bobby Wagner. The signing speaks for itself. Wagner will undoubtedly be the man in the middle here. While some teams have shown us an ability to field two IDP-worthy linebackers, the Commanders have consistently shown us that they cannot. The team will likely run a 4-3 scheme, leaving Luvu to fend on the weak side, a disadvantage to any linebacker. At the same time, Wagner is one of the most elite players the position has ever seen and rarely misses tackles, even at his age. Luvu is likely to be focused on pass coverage and tackle cleanup duties, which doesn’t instill confidence in the tackle floor that all linebackers need for fantasy viability. I do not trust either linebacker here in this defense. I love and appreciate the greatness of Wagner. But we are on the downslope of his career, and I just don’t trust that Luvu hasn’t already hit his ceiling, which is a low-end LB2 to high LB3, and players in that tier don’t win you leagues. Get out from Luvu while he still holds some value.
Conclusion
Frankie Luvu is the IDP Fantasy Football version of the one-hit wonder, and while that sounds like a bad thing, it shouldn’t be. Some of music’s most catchy lyrics or choruses came from musicians who produced just one hit. Luvu has far exceeded any expectations of him in the NFL, and because of this, we have seen him get to the depth tier of linebackers, which isn’t bad.
I am cautiously pessimistic that he will be able to flourish in Washington with such stiff competition for stats. This is also team 3, and players you build around in IDP Fantasy Football don’t usually team hop. The reason he can't stick to a team is that he hasn’t yet found a culture that believes in him, and that, for me, is enough to withhold any shares of him on my teams.
Whether it is a redraft or a dynasty, he should be avoided this season unless you're prepared for disappointment. So make sure you listen to your favorite one-hit wonder today (mine is A-ha’s Take On Me).
And also don’t forget to follow me on X @mattmontyff and make sure you’re following @Footballguys to save time, worry less, and win more!