In IDP leagues, no position is more important than linebacker—the reality is that in most leagues, if you don't have a strong group of linebackers, you're done. Roasted. All over but the crying. Linebackers are usually the highest-scoring and most consistent players in fantasy. By a wide margin.
The reason for that is tackles. Linebackers who rack up big-time tackle numbers have both a high fantasy ceiling and a high floor. And while talent is, of course, a factor in which linebackers pile up gaudy numbers of stops, there's another major consideration—opportunity.
The key to opportunity for most linebackers is simply being on the field. Snaps. It's hard to tackle a guy from the sideline—unless you are Mike Tomlin.
That joke stays in this column for eternity. Forever.
The problem is that in this day of nickel sets as the base defense, the age of three off-ball linebackers on the field most of the time is long since over. As a matter of fact, with many NFL teams playing either more dime or three-safety looks, there are quite a few situations in which just one off-ball linebacker is on the field for a team.
Often, that lone linebacker is wearing a sticker on his helmet—the green dot that signifies that the player is wearing the helmet communicator on defense and making the defensive play calls. That player very rarely leaves the field, and while teams sometimes use a safety in that capacity, the overwhelming majority of NFL teams give that assignment to a linebacker.
With the number of every-down linebackers decreasing by the year, knowing who those green dot linebackers are is valuable information for IDP managers. In order to provide those managers with that information, once again in 2024 at Footballguys, we'll be maintaining an updated list of both who is wearing the green dot for all 32 NFL teams and who the other three-down linebackers are.
There will also be notes to keep fantasy managers apprised as to why any changes to the list happened--whether due to injury or performance, the dot can (and will) change hands.
It’s been a wild ride so far this season. Players who weren’t expected to start in August rank among the top-five at the position. Sure-fire IDP stars have been duds from the jump. And it well and truly feels like an entire season worth on injuries was crammed into five weeks—and the hits keep coming.
All we can do is roll with the punches. Shift as the IDP landscape shifts around us. And hang on.
Table time.
WEEK 6 GREEN DOT AND THREE-DOWN LB
NOTES
Arizona Cardinals
Mack Wilson Sr.. is quietly becoming a full-time player for the Arizona Cardinals—his 84 percent snap share last week against the San Francisco 49ers last week was his third straight game north of 80 percent. His statistical production hasn’t been great—Wilson hasn’t topped eight total stops since the season opener. But snaps are snaps—and right now, Wilson is getting them.
Atlanta Falcons
With Troy Andersen (knee) out last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, rookie JD Bertrand was pressed into duty for the banged-up Falcons. Bertrand played 72 percent of the defensive snaps. Andersen has already been scratched for Week 6 as well, although Bertrand’s relatively low snap share and modest numbers make him something of a desperation option.
Buffalo Bills
The good news for the Buffalo Bills last week was that Terrel Bernard returned to his role as the defensive signal-caller against the Houston Texans, playing all 68 snaps. The bad news for IDP managers was modest tackle production, although an interception salvaged a decent stat line. At any rate, Bernard appears healthy and back in a full-time role. He’s back to being a LB1 moving forward.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have been decimated by injuries this season, with rookie Trevin Wallace and Claudin Cherelus functioning as the top two linebackers in Week 5. Wallace wore the green dot and had himself a day, tallying 15 total stops and 10 solos. Cherelus had a more modest debut—five total tackles in 65 percent of the defensive snaps. But with Josey Jewell (hamstring) ruled out for Week 6 already, Cherelus will draw at least one more start.
Cleveland Browns
Veteran Jordan Hicks has missed most of the last two games with a shoulder injury. In his stead, Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah has worn the green dot, while former first-round pick Devin Bush has slid into the role of No. 2 linebacker. Bush parlayed that role into 10 total tackles and 62 snaps (93 percent) last week against Washington and would make for a solid IDP fill-in if Hicks (who is officially questionable) sits again.
Dallas Cowboys
Frankly, we don’t know who will be wearing the green dot for the Dallas Cowboys Sunday—Eric Kendricks has been ruled out with calf and shoulder injuries, while reserve Nick Vigil missed practice Friday with a foot injury and is a game-time decision. Dallas could turn to a player like Damone Clark to wear the communicator or have veteran safety Donovan Wilson do it. We won’t know until pre-game warm-ups.
Green Bay Packers
There appears to be a changing of the guard underway in Titletown. After opening the season as a three-down player opposite Quay Walker, veteran Isaiah McDuffie has steadily lost snaps of late to rookie second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper. Cooper’s 38 percent snap share last week was a season-high, and he was productive, logging a season-best five stops with a sack. It’s fair to expect this ratio to continue leaning in Cooper’s favor moving forward.
Jacksonville Jaguars
With Devin Lloyd back from injury last week, the third-year veteran immediately assumed green dot duties and an every-down role, Lloyd’s six tackles weren’t especially impressive, but for IDP managers the rotation between Chad Muma and Ventrell Miller was even less so. Miller was efficient when he was on the field, but his snap share was south of 60 percent. That makes both Miller and Muma awfully difficult to trust in fantasy leagues.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have been hit hard by injuries all over the roster, and linebacker was no exception—rookie Tommy Eichenberg was forced into the starting lineup against the Denver Broncos. But after missing three games with an oblique injury, Divine Deablo is off the injury report and will start opposite Robert Spillane against Pittsburgh. In Deablo’s only full game this season, he played 42 of 57 snaps but managed just three total tackles.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are returning from their bye week, and with Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, and Denzel Perryman all healthy, it’s entirely possible we'll see the Bolts turn back to the three-headed rotation at linebacker that essentially robbed them all of any real IDP value. Any Chargers linebacker is a desperation play in Week 6 given that uncertainty—and they may well remain that moving forward.
New Orleans Saints
After injuring his hamstring in practice last week, Pete Werner was inactive for Monday night’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In his stead, second-year pro Anfernee Orji drew the start beside veteran Demario Davis, playing 87 percent of the defensive snaps and amassing 10 total tackles and seven solos. With Werner already ruled out for Week 6, Orji may be the best linebacker this week still available on many waiver wires.
New York Jets
Veteran C.J. Mosley has already missed three games this season, and he’s in real jeopardy of missing a fourth—despite limited practice participation for the first time since getting hurt, he’s a game-time decision for Monday’s home date with the Bills. Frankly, the best thing for IDP managers would probably be Mosley being ruled out—Jamien Sherwood has filled in admirably for Mosley, donning the green dot and averaging eight tackles a game.
Gary Davenport (“The Godfather of IDP”) is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter (Can’t make him call it X) at @IDPSharks.
