In IDP leagues, no position is more important than linebacker—the simple fact is that in most leagues, if you don't have a strong cadre of linebackers, you're toast. Linebackers are usually the highest-scoring and most consistent players in IDP leagues.
The reason for that tackles. And while talent is of course a factor in which linebackers pile up the stops, there's another major consideration—opportunity.
And the key to opportunity for most linebackers is simply being on the field. Snaps.
The problem is that in this day of the nickel as the base defense, the age of three off-ball linebackers being on the field a majority of the time is over. As a matter of fact, with many NFL teams playing either more dime or three-safety looks, there are plenty of 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 player is wearing the helmet communicator on defense and making the defensive play calls. That guy very rarely leaves the field, and while some teams 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 dwindling by the season, knowing who those linebackers are is valuable information for IDP managers. In order to provide those managers with that information. This year 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.
With that said, as we head into Week 18 of the 2023 NFL season, here's a look at the three-down and green-dot linebackers for all 32 NFL teams.
Note: Players denoted with an asterisk (*) will play in some subpackages but are not true every-down linebackers. They will likely see a snap count south of 75 percent, which negatively impacts their IDP value.
Notes
Baltimore Ravens
Roquan Smith isn’t on this week’s injury report, but that doesn’t mean he’ll play against the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday in a game that means nothing for the Ravens. Patrick Queen has some experience making the defensive play-calls, but there’s no guarantee he’ll play a full compliment of snaps either. The Steelers need a win here (and help) to make the postseason, and they could be seeing a lot of the likes of Trenton Simpson and Del'Shawn Phillips this week.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns are locked into the fifth seed in the AFC regardless of what happens against the Cincinnati Bengals and players like edge-rusher Myles Garrett and wide receiver Amari Cooper have already been ruled out. Given that Cleveland recently lost Anthony Walker to a season-ending injury, it’s not hard to imagine that the team will play it safe with both Sione Takitaki and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah this week. A partial snap load in a terrible IDP matchup is not how fantasy championships are won.
Houston Texans
The Texans have plenty to play for in Week 18—beat the Indianapolis Colts and Houston is in the postseason, either as a Wild Card or the AFC South champions. And no team in the league has thrown more curveballs to IDP managers in 2023. Week 17 was no different—Blake Cashman returned, but he platooned with Denzel Perryman as the defensive play-caller, while Christian Harris was the lone full-time linebacker. In many respects, we’re back where we were at the beginning of the season, because life is a circle.
Kansas City Chiefs
For the first time since he returned from a wrist injury, IDP managers saw the Bolton they expected when they drafted him last week against the Cincinnati Bengals—13 total tackles. However, the Chiefs are the AFC’s No. 3 seed regardless of what happens against the Las Vegas Raiders, and Bolton is listed as questionable on the injury report. Bolton’s not going to play this week—and Willie Gay could see a reduced workload. Leo Chenal should be on the field a lot in Week 18.
Los Angeles Rams
Last week, Ernest Jones became the single-season franchise record-holder for the Rams in tackles, surpassing James Laurinaitis’ team record with 145 stops. That number isn’t increasing in Week 18, the team has already announced that the 24-year-old will be one of a multitude of Rams who will be taking Week 18’s tilt with the San Francisco 49ers off. Safety Jordan Fuller is a likely candidate to make the play-calls, While Christian Rozeboom and/or Troy Reeder (who has some experience calling the plays in the Rams’ defense as well) should see increased snaps.
San Francisco 49ers
Sunday’s contest between the Los Angeles Rams and 49ers is essentially a preseason game—the Rams have decided that they don’t care about the sixth seed in the NFC, and the Niners are locked into the top seed win or lose. Starters are resting all over the place, and San Francisco’s Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw aren’t likely to see many (if any) snaps. Oren Burks will likely spend most of the game wearing the helmet communicator, and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles who also has some starting experience) could play a larger role. this week as well.
Seattle Seahawks
With Jordyn Brooks sidelined for the Seahawks last week, Devin Bush was forced into a full-time role and delivered in a big way against his old team, exploding for 17 tackles against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, it appears that outburst will be a one-week deal—while Brooks is listed as questionable, he practiced fully on Friday and is expected to make his return in a must-win game against the Cardinals in Arizona Sunday.
Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on Twitter at @IDPSharks.