FL is an abbreviation that stands for Fumbles Lost in football statistics. It refers to the number of times a player fumbled the ball and the opposing team recovered it. Fumbles and fumbles lost are important stats for evaluating players, especially running backs, quarterbacks, and receivers who handle the ball frequently.
What is a Fumble in Football?
A fumble in football occurs when a player loses possession of the ball while attempting to advance it or make a play. This usually happens when the ball carrier is hit hard by a defensive player, drops the ball accidentally, or has it stripped out of their grasp. A fumbled ball is then free for either team to recover.
There are two potential outcomes when a player fumbles:
- The fumbling team recovers the ball – This is recorded as a fumble with no change of possession
- The opposing team recovers the ball – This is recorded as both a fumble and fumble lost
So a fumble lost or FL specifically refers to turnovers that occur when the opposing team gets possession of the loose ball.
Why are Fumbles and Fumbles Lost Important Stats?
Fumbles and fumbles lost are crucial for evaluating a player’s ball security and tendency to turn the ball over. Players who fumble more often hurt their team’s chances of maintaining possessions and scoring. Here are some reasons why they are key stats:
- They can lead directly to turnovers and swing momentum and field position in the opposing team’s favor.
- High fumble rates can indicate a player has trouble securing the ball while running or catching in traffic.
- Fumbles lost specifically signal a failure to recover the ball and costly turnover.
- They give coaches and fans a metric to compare players’ ball security abilities.
Running backs in particular are very closely evaluated on fumbles and fumbles lost, as they handle the ball on nearly every rushing play. Quarterbacks who scramble frequently also risk more fumbles. Receivers, return men, and defensive players are also evaluated on their ability to protect the ball.
Typical FL Rates for NFL Running Backs
To understand typical fumble and fumble lost rates, here are the 2019 season averages for NFL running backs:
| Rushing Attempts | Fumbles | Fumbles Lost |
|---|---|---|
| 160 | 1 | 1 |
Based on a sample of running backs with 160 carries, the average numbers show:
- 1 fumble
- 1 fumble lost
So an average FL rate is about 1 lost fumble for every 160 rushing attempts. However, this can vary significantly between more sure-handed and fumble-prone backs.
Examples of Low and High FL Rates
Here are some examples of running backs with very low and very high fumble lost rates to illustrate the range:
| Player | Attempts | Fumbles Lost | FL Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Gore | 166 | 0 | 0 FL in 166 att |
| James Conner | 145 | 4 | 1 FL in 36 att |
Frank Gore’s 0 fumbles lost on 166 attempts is elite. James Conner’s 4 fumbles lost on just 145 attempts is a poor fumble rate.
What is a Good FL Rate for a Running Back?
Because fumbles can vary heavily based on number of touches, judging a RB’s fumble rate usually involves these benchmarks:
- Excellent – No more than 1 FL per 200 carries
- Good – 1 FL per 150-200 carries
- Average – 1 FL per 100-150 carries
- Poor – 1 FL per less than 100 carries
Based on this, a good goal for a running back is to average 1 fumble lost every 150-200 carries. The very best backs may go full seasons with zero fumbles lost or just 1 in 250+ attempts. But anything worse than 1 FL per 100 attempts is considered too fumble-prone.
Example RB FL Rates
| Player | Attempts | Fumbles Lost | FL Rate | Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Henry | 303 | 0 | 0 FL in 303 att | Excellent |
| Nick Chubb | 298 | 2 | 1 FL in 149 att | Good |
| Josh Jacobs | 242 | 2 | 1 FL in 121 att | Average |
| Sony Michel | 247 | 4 | 1 FL in 62 att | Poor |
This shows how RBs are evaluated based on the rate of fumbles lost over total touches.
FL Rates for Quarterbacks
Quarterbacks are also evaluated closely on fumble rates, as they handle the ball on every passing play and many run plays. Here are 2019 fumble lost rates for qualified NFL quarterbacks:
| Player | Total Touches | Fumbles Lost | FL Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dak Prescott | 571 | 4 | 1 FL in 143 touches |
| Russell Wilson | 567 | 8 | 1 FL in 71 touches |
| Lamar Jackson | 408 | 5 | 1 FL in 82 touches |
For quarterbacks, a good benchmark is 1 FL per 100 touches. Anything worse than 1 per 80 touches is considered too fumble-prone.
Takeaways on QB Fumble Rates
- QBs should aim for 1 FL per 100 total touches as a reasonable goal.
- The very best maintain rates of 1 FL per 150+ touches.
- High-volume running QBs like Lamar Jackson are more prone to fumbling.
- Bad weather and sacks also increase fumble risk for QBs.
Fumble Rates for Receivers and Returners
For positions like wide receiver, tight end, and return specialists, fumble rates are evaluated based on total number of touches. This includes targets, carries, and returns. Here are 2019 benchmarks:
| Position | Good FL Rate | Average FL Rate | Poor FL Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide Receiver | 1 FL in 60 touches | 1 FL in 40 touches | 1 FL in 20 touches |
| Tight End | 1 FL in 40 touches | 1 FL in 30 touches | 1 FL in 20 touches |
| Returner | 1 FL in 30 returns | 1 FL in 20 returns | 1 FL in 10 returns |
These benchmarks account for fewer overall touches. Tight ends and return men tend to have higher fumble rates since they get hit harder on receptions/returns.
Conclusion
In summary, fumbles lost (FL) is an important football statistic that measures turnovers off fumbles recovered by opponents. It helps evaluate a player’s ball security.
Key takeaways on FL rates:
- RBs: 1 FL in 150-200 carries is good. 1 in 100 is poor.
- QBs: 1 FL in 100 touches is reasonable. 1 in 80 is too high.
- WRs: 1 FL in 60 touches is good. 1 in 20 is poor.
- TEs: 1 FL in 40 touches is good. 1 in 20 is poor.
- Returners: 1 FL in 30 returns is good. 1 in 10 is poor.
By understanding typical fumble lost rates, teams can evaluate a player’s tendency to turn over the ball. It impacts decisions on trades, depth charts, and play calling.