Fred Warner was a terror against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. His dominant showing earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
The 49ers needed a big game from their linebacker, and the second-year budding star delivered. He finished the contest with 11 tackles, 1.0 sacks, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble.
It’s been a breakout second season for the former third-round pick, and his play has elevated since fellow linebacker Kwon Alexander tore his pec and went down for the season. Warner’s taken on a more visible leadership role without Alexander on the field, and he’s backing it up with elite productivity.
According to a release from the 49ers, Warner is one of two NFL linebackers with at least 75 tackles (81), 4 pass breakups (4), 2.0 sacks (3.0) and 2 forced fumbles (3). Warner leads the team in tackles, and his 3.0 sacks and three forced fumbles are career highs.
There are several reasons the 49ers defense has been among the league’s best this season, but Warner’s rise to an All-Pro-caliber linebacker is near the top of the list.