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 Week 17. And that means that in most leagues, this is the end of the road. Two teams remain, and soon there will be only one—the champion. It's a week unlike any other—truly a one-game season.
The pressure to win has never been higher. Points equal victory. Snaps for linebackers mean the opportunity to score said points.
Can't argue with math.
Table Time.
Note: Here at Footballguys, we set the benchmark for three-down linebackers at a 75 percent snap share. Linebackers listed with an asterisk (*) may not hit that benchmark on a weekly basis this season.
NOTES
Baltimore Ravens
The beginning of this week's chart is incredibly depressing, and it may sadly be a sign of things to come in IDP leagues. After a 79 percent snap share as recently as Week 15, Malik Harrison was off the field more than he was on it against the Houston Texans. Chris Board barely cracked 30 percent. Roquan Smith was Baltimore's only full-time linebacker on Christmas Day, and even he took snaps off late in a blowout win.
Buffalo Bills
After playing three games in his return from injured reserve, Matt Milano suffered a setback that caused the veteran to miss Week 16 with a groin injury. That opened the door for Dorian Williams to again see some playing time—he logged eight total tackles while playing 66 percent of the snaps against the New England Patriots. However, Milano is off the injury report for Week 17, so he should play. The question for IDP managers is how much.
Carolina Panthers
Have aspirations of being a professional linebacker? If so, give the Panthers a call—they could use the help. With green dot linebacker Josey Jewell joining the ever-growing list of injured linebackers in Charlotte, the team's starters this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a pair of practice squaders in Chandler Wooten and Jacoby Windmon. Wooten, who has more familiarity with the team's defensive scheme, is expected to wear the green dot and call the defensive signals.
Dallas Cowboys
With Eric Kendricks sidelined last week by a calf injury, veteran journeyman Nick Vigil took his place in the lineup, but it was rookie Marist Liufau who wore the green dot, logging seven total tackles in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kendricks and Vigil (foot) are still questionable for Week 17. Kendricks' status will determine who slots where—if he plays, it's him and Liufau. If he doesn't, it's the rookie who will line up with either Vigil or perhaps Damone Clark.
Green Bay Packers
Green dot linebacker Quay Walker has already been ruled out for Week 17 with an injury, so it appears that veteran Eric Wilson will once again make the defensive signal calls for the Packers against the Minnesota Vikings. However, rookie Edgerrin Cooper may be the more important discussion. Despite playing no more than 70 percent of the snaps the past two games, Cooper has 17 total tackles—including eight solos and two assists last week against the New Orleans Saints.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts did an excellent job of sticking it to IDP managers last week—with E.J. Speed (knee) out, it was post-kickoff before we knew that rookie Jaylon Carlies, who would take over as the team's No. 2 linebacker, playing a full-time role and finishing with 10 total tackles. Now there are more shenanigans—both Speed and Carlies (shoulder) are questionable entering the weekend. We may not know who is lining up opposite Zaire Franklin until inactives are announced Sunday morning.
Miami Dolphins
Entering Week 17, the health of Jordyn Brooks was the big concern for the Dolphins at linebacker. But while Brooks appears good to go for Sunday's trip to Cleveland, green dot linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. has been ruled out with a knee injury that flared up in practice. When Walker was sidelined a few weeks ago, Tyrel Dodson took over green dot duties, posting 10 total tackles in a Thanksgiving Night loss to the Green Bay Packers.
New England Patriots
There was a change defensively for the Patriots last week against the Buffalo Bills—as he has in the past, safety Kyle Dugger assumed green dot duties for the Patriots. With Dugger making the calls, there were no three-down linebackers for the Pats—Jahlani Tavai (71 percent) and Christian Elliss (64 percent) both came off the field for significant stretches. Neither linebacker had more than seven total tackles or more than four solos.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles already had major injury issues with quarterback Jalen Hurts sitting out Week 17. Now it appears that the team will be without its defensive signal-caller as well—the second-year pro is expected to be sidelined by an abdominal injury. Per Eagles beat writer Zach Berman, 2024 breakout Zack Baun will take over green dot duties, while Oren Burks is the leading candidate to be the second linebacker--although rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. could also see snaps.
San Francisco 49ers
It was good to see Dre Greenlaw back on the field after the sixth-year veteran tore his Achilles tendon in Super Bowl LVIII. But the good times were short-lived—Greenlaw injured his calf in his first game back and will miss the last two games of the 2024 season. Last week against the Miami Dolphins, Dee Winters stepped into the No. 2 linebacker role for the Niners, playing 76 percent of the snaps and logging eight tackles.
Tennessee Titans
The linebackers in Nashville have been a revolving door of late, and it's going to keep right on spinning in Week 17—green dot linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. will miss the last two games after landing on injured reserve with a wrist injury. Rookie Cedric Gray wore the green dot last week after Murray left the game, but Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky tweeted that Luke Gifford will call the defensive signals in Week 17 now that he's off the injury report.
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.