Its because people are to busy looking at the op people, to realize that the op people are just godly. Just because someone isnt on a godly power level doesnt mean they are fodder.
For example.
normal human<academy student<genin<chuunin<jonin<s rank<=kage rank<super s rank<god rank
Ramen guys daughter<academy student<Konohamaru<tenten/most of k11<neji/kakshi etc<mid tier akatsuki/ kinimaro(and maybe gaaras dad)<most of the kages and some akatsuki<the remaining kages/ itachi/naruto/sasuke(naruto and sasuke are inbetween super s rank and god rank)<hashi madara nagato <sage of six paths <ramen guy just kidding
about 60% of the ninjas are chuunin and below, and about 30% of ninjas are jonin, and about 7 percent are s rank, and about 2% are kage, and MAYBE 1% is super s rank/ god tier
typically for someone to be fodder, they must be at least in the lower 50%. They must be below average.
So basically someone must be lower tier chunnin(about 3/4 of the chunins) to be a true fodder. (k11 is an example of a upper chunnin, while iruka is a lower chunnin)
So basically someone must be weaker than k11 to be true fodder.(in the over view)
As hiruzen is far above this, he is not fodder.
Also fodders, are usually so nonsignifigant, that they would be better used as human body shields for the strong. As hiruzen is still useful, he doesnt fit this definition of fodder either.