What Does TOT Mean in Fantasy Football Stats?

Football stats confuse a lot of people. They look simple until you end up staring at a fantasy lineup full of random letters no one ever explains. One of those is TOT. If you came here wondering what does TOT mean in fantasy football, you’re not alone. I’ve played fantasy for more than ten years, and I still get messages from friends asking, “Bro, what does TOT even stand for? Total what?”

What TOT Actually Means

In fantasy football stats, TOT stands for “Total Tackles.”
It combines two types of tackles:

• Solo Tackles (SOLO): Player makes the tackle alone
• Assisted Tackles (AST): Player helps another defender finish a tackle

The fantasy platform often shows it like this:

Stat	Meaning
SOLO	Solo tackle
AST	Assisted tackle
TOT	SOLO + AST

So if a linebacker has 6 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles, his TOT = 8.

That’s it, nothing fancy. No hidden meaning, just a total number of tackles from a defensive player.

Where You’ll See “TOT” Used

Most fantasy platforms track TOT in IDP (Individual Defensive Player) scoring. If you play standard fantasy football, you won’t see TOT often because team defenses don’t break down tackles by player. But if you play IDP leagues, you’ll spot TOT everywhere:

• ESPN Fantasy: under Player Stats
• Yahoo Fantasy: under Def Stats
• Sleeper: breakdown under Defense
• NFL: used on player game logs

What Does TOT Mean in Fantasy Football

If you’re playing IDP formats, TOT is a core scoring stat. It decides how steady a defensive player is. Tackles are like receptions in PPR leagues. They build up slow but steady points.

Here’s a quick scoring example:

Stat Type	Fantasy Points
Solo Tackle	1.5 pts
Assisted Tackle	0.75 pts
Sack	3 pts
Forced Fumble	2 pts

A linebacker with 8 total tackles in a game = around 10–12 fantasy points. That’s a solid floor, especially in deeper leagues.

Which Positions Get the Most TOT?

Some players rack up TOT like crazy. That’s why you’ll notice some positions become fantasy gold.

Position	Average TOT per game	Fantasy Value
MLB (Middle Linebacker)	7–10	High
OLB (Outside Linebacker)	4–6	Medium
SS (Strong Safety)	5–7	High
FS (Free Safety)	3–5	Low
DE (Defensive End)	2–4	Situational
DT (Defensive Tackle)	1–3	Low

If you want safe scoring, draft middle linebackers. They eat tackles like breakfast.

Common Confusion: TOT vs Other Stats

Football is filled with abbreviations. No shame in getting mixed up. Here’s a quick table to keep it clean:

Abbreviation	Meaning	Used For
TOT	Total Tackles	Defense
TD	Touchdowns	Offense
TOT TD	Total Touchdowns	Offense (rare stat)
TFL	Tackles for Loss	Defense
TT	Total Tackles	Sometimes replaces TOT

Sometimes rookies mix TOT with Total Touchdowns. That’s wrong. Touchdowns always show TD, not TOT.

How TOT Scoring Works in IDP Leagues

If you’re used to standard fantasy, IDP scoring may feel wild at first. But TOT is simple, it rewards volume. Here’s how most leagues score it:

Default ESPN IDP Scoring

Stat	Points
Solo tackle	1
Assisted tackle	0.5
Sack	3
Interception	5
Forced fumble	2

Default Sleeper IDP Scoring

Stat	Points
Solo tackle	2
Assisted tackle	1
Sack	4
Pass deflection	2

In both formats, tackles = consistent points. That’s why TOT is trusted more than sacks or fumbles, those are too random.

How to Use TOT to Pick Better Players

If you want a good defensive roster, target:

• Players with high snap percentages
• Linebackers who roam the field
• Safeties who play inside the box
• Defenses facing run-heavy offenses

Example:

If Bobby Wagner had 10 TOT last week and played 97% of snaps, he’ll probably do it again next week. Volume matters more than hype.

Table: Best TOT Producers (Example Season)

Player	Position	Team	AVG TOT/Game
Foyesade Oluokun	MLB	JAX	12
Roquan Smith	MLB	BAL	11
Bobby Wagner	MLB	SEA	10
Zaire Franklin	MLB	IND	10
Logan Wilson	MLB	CIN	9

These guys rack up tackles like machines. Draft at least one reliable tackler like this if you’re serious about IDP formats.

Common Myths About TOT

Myth	Truth
TOT doesn’t matter	It drives consistent IDP scoring
Sacks > Tackles	Sacks are rare, but tackles win long term
Big-name defenders score more	Wrong, middle linebackers beat superstars
TOT is random	You can predict it using snap % and matchup

How to Track TOT Each Week

You can check TOT stats here:

• ESPN Player Stats Pages
• PFF (Paid but good)
• NFL Game Logs
• Sleeper Fantasy
• Yahoo Fantasy
• Rotowire
• Pro Football Reference (best free site)

TOT vs Other Defensive Stats (Quick Breakdown)

Stat	Reliable?	Fantasy Value
TOT	Yes	High floor
Sack	No	Hit or miss
INT	No	Hard to predict
Pass Deflection	No	Inconsistent
Forced Fumble	No	Rare

If you want safe fantasy points, chase TOT. It’s the PPR of defense.

Example Weekly Analysis Using TOT

Let’s say you need a waiver wire linebacker. Here’s how to pick smart:

Player	Snaps	TOT	Matchup Next Week	Target?
Cole Holcomb	92%	10	vs Titans (run heavy)	Yes
Divine Deablo	78%	6	vs Chiefs (pass heavy)	No

Look at matchups. Teams that run a lot, means more tackles.

TOT in NFL vs Fantasy

In real football, TOT shows hustle. In fantasy, it shows safety. A player with 9 tackles may not win games in real life, but in fantasy, he’s gold.

One More Thing: Team Stat Pages Lie Sometimes

Sometimes TOT doesn’t match solo and assisted numbers right away. It can change after stat corrections. Don’t freak out, it happens in IDP.

FAQs – People Also Ask

1. What does TOT mean in football stats?
It stands for Total Tackles. It’s solo + assisted tackles.

2. How is TOT used in fantasy football?
It gives consistent points in IDP leagues, mostly for linebackers and safeties.

3. Does TOT include sacks?
No. Sacks are scored separately.

4. Who gets the most TOT in football?
Middle linebackers. They stay near the ball.

5. Is TOT important in PPR leagues?
Only if your league uses IDP scoring. In standard leagues, TOT doesn’t matter.