An accurate database is used to study optical model fits to total neutron cross sections of 56Fe in the resolved and unresolved resonance regions. Averages over resolved resonances are calculated from resonance parameters in a Reich-Moore (reduced R matrix) approximation with Lorentzian weighting. Optical potential parameters are obtained for the s, p, and d waves that reproduce the smoothed cross sections in the resolved resonance region. The p-wave optical potential is found to differ from the s-wave potential. When the appropriate higher angular momentum contributions are added, the average total cross sections can be fitted quite well, from the resolved resonance region all the way up to 20 MeV.