A reader search asked, ‘why is Indianapolis Colts safety Matthias Farley
ranked so low?’
That’s right, everyone. Nate isn’t just watching us. Our awesome ring leader is watching you too, and I see you trying to get ahead of the fantasy game.
So let’s figure out why Matthias Farley is ranked so low in IDP. And I wonder if Mr. Farley himself found this amazingly informative site and ran a search on himself.
Farley came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2016 after playing college ball at Notre Dame. Pro Football Focus grades the safety’s 2017 play with a 74.9 percent rate. The rate scores Farley as an average player. However Farley does grade as a high-quality player in coverage, according to PFF, and that little nugget could be important because the Colts had a very vulnerable defense in 2017.
Clayton Geathers is the reason Farley is ranked low in IDP circles. Geathers is atop the Indy depth chart at strong safety. The former fourth-round pick consistently battled injury the past two seasons and played a combined 14 games in 2016 and 2017.
The Colts’ starting strong safety logged 45 plays on defense and played into the third quarter of the team’s all-important third preseason game against the 49ers. Geathers was limited to five games last year, started one and did not record a tackle, according to Pro Football Reference.
Which brings us back to Farley, who could elevate into a rosterable IDP position as a free safety if, or when, Geathers goes down with another injury. Neck injuries are serious stuff and former Buffalo Bills safety Aaron Williams comes to mind when thinking about players who never could get over the neck-injury hump.
Farley registered 55 tackles over 15 starts in 2017. The back up to Geathers is not ranked low because of production. Farley is only ranked low because currently his path to starting is blocked by a player seemingly having a difficult time staying healthy in the NFL.
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