5 Late-Round Linebackers To Target

Photo: USA Today Sports

Draft strategies are changing in IDP formats. Where there used to be certain positional scarcities, an overflow of depth and defensive scheme changes have made these scarcities change. In order to combat these changes, this will be part one of a three-part article series on late-round IDP targets. What we will do is cover each position (DL, LB, DB), so whichever draft strategy you decide to go with, you can find value late in the draft to bolster your weaker positions. All of these linebackers currently have an ADP outside of the top 50 linebackers. This ADP is courtesy of The IDP Show and is pulled from paid best ball drafts (40 and counting) that began in January. Here are five late-round linebackers to target.

Monty Rice, Tennessee Titans - ADP of LB57

Rice was a pleasant surprise at the end of the 2022 season. He started the season behind Zach Cunningham and David Long, though was inserted into a high-volume role (70.67%) from Weeks 12-17. That 70% is skewed slightly too. Rice only saw 36% of the team's snaps in Week 12, but was the game that earned him time. In just 26 snaps, he recorded seven total tackles, with one going for a loss. During that Week 12-17 stretch, Rice totaled 54 total tackles, three for a loss, and a pass defended. That is an average of nine tackles per game.

Zach Cunningham is disappearing into oblivion, riding off into the sunset as he should. The Titans also let David Long go in free agency. This opened up two starting inside linebacker roles for the Titans. They did sign free agent Azeez Al-Shaair from the 49ers in free agency, so Rice will have to battle for the top linebacker role. The Titans only ran two or more linebackers on the field 74%; one of these guys will have a more limited role. Even if it is Rice, he proved that with a 70% snap share, he can rack up tackles. With an ADP of LB57, this still makes him a tremendous value.

Anthony Walker Jr., Cleveland Browns - ADP of LB64

Walker has been a steady tackle machine for his entire career and yet gets zero attention on a yearly basis. He was overshadowed by Shaq Leonard during his time in Indianapolis and has not played a full season yet in Cleveland. What he has done in both locations is average, with just under seven tackles per game as a starter. In his first season with Cleveland, 2021, he had 112 tackles in 14 games (eight per game). Walker, though, does not provide much other statistical output other than tackles, but he provides tackles in volume.

Due to injuries and inefficiency, the Browns did not have a single linebacker play more than 495 of the team's defensive snaps. Jacob Phillips provides decent box score numbers, but his on-field play was atrocious. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has not shown the ability to hold up health-wise for an entire season. Sione Takitaki and Tony Fields proved last year that they are nothing more than bench depth. Deion Jones is no longer on the team. You know what you get with Walker; an efficient tackling middle linebacker. With so much uncertainty, the Browns should be firing up Walker for a volume role. At LB64, you cannot go wrong.

Devin Bush, Seattle Seahawks - ADP of LB65

Devin Bush is generally not a name fantasy IDP managers are chomping at the bit for. His role within the Steelers' defense dwindled horribly since he was the 20th overall pick in 2019. Still, he played the second most linebacker snaps on the team in 2022 (62%). His 81 tackles were third-best on the team, and he had the best year of his career in regards to tackling efficiency. Bush's 3.5% missed tackle rate in 2022 was easily a career-best.

Bush looked much better in 2022 in a smaller role. His technique seemed polished as opposed to wild and out of control. The Seahawks had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL in 2022. They also used two linebackers on the field for 74% of their snaps in 2022. The Seahawks let Cody Barton walk in free agency, and Jordyn Brooks went down with a Week 17 ACL tear in 2022. The Seahawks did grab Bobby Wagner to run the defense, but Bush could easily see his 62% jump to around the 75% mark. Triple-digit tackles and a career resurgence could be in the cards as a solid LB3/4 at LB65.