IDP Rookie LBs with the Best Landing Spots

IDP rookie LBs who landed in great spots for near and future success.

Matt Montgomery's IDP Rookie LBs with the Best Landing Spots Matt Montgomery Published 05/17/2024

The key to fantasy production is finding players who combine talent with opportunity. The 2024 NFL Draft brought the excitement of new talent into the league. But players need the opportunity to produce, and opportunity is all about landing spots.

Four IDP rookie LBs have landed in premiere spots for IDP managers, but which ones set themselves apart?

RELATED: See top IDP rookie edge rushers here >>>
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RELATED: See top IDP linebackers here >>> 
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The Top 2 IDP Rookie LBs

Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay

The first true IDP rookie linebacker taken in the draft, Cooper has an opportunity that many should be jealous of. We saw the deterioration of a star linebacker in De'Vondre Campbell, leaving much to be desired at the position alongside Quay Walker. The Packers saw this deficiency as well and chose to part ways with Campbell this offseason leaving a significant amount of points up for grabs in that position room. They also felt it was an important enough position to spend a second-round pick on. Cooper likely slots in this spot immediately from day one, making him my IDP1 in all formats. The formula for success at linebacker is simple. Get on the field, get snaps, get tackles! It appears that before the preseason, Cooper has checked off the first two boxes, and if he plays anything like he did in college, I expect box number three to be checked off as soon as Week 1.  We have a history of the Packers being able to support two top linebackers, so don’t worry about Quay Walker eating up all the points. Walker will get his, but not at the expense of Edgerrin Cooper.

Junior Colson, LA Chargers

Was anyone surprised that Harbaugh took a Wolverine? If Edgerrin Cooper was my IDP rookie LB1A, then Colson is 1B. He couldn’t have landed in a better spot to have success. To start, he lands with his college head coach, whom he played for the last three seasons. This scheme likely transfers over to the Chargers, giving him an edge on the competition at this level, and he’s slated to be a starter from day one! He was voted the MVP by his teammates at Michigan and has proven leadership and connection with his new head coach. Oh yeah, and there is this thing about him being pretty darn good at football! He won the Lott IMPACT Trophy and was second-team All-Big Ten. He also led the Wolverines in tackles this past season en route to their National Championship. All this being said, he’s being given a Porsche as his first car, and I don’t anticipate him wrecking it with the guidance of Jim Harbaugh. If you can't get Cooper, Colson is as good a silver medal as any you’ll find in IDP rookie drafts.

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 Sleeper IDP Rookie LBs

Ty'Ron Hopper, Green Bay

If you’re looking for a stash with some upside, look no further than Ty'Ron Hopper. Hopper was drafted in the third round, immediately after the team selected Edgerrin Cooper at the same position. The Packers identified a team need at the linebacker position and addressed it with some above-average capital investment. Keep in mind, Hopper was the second choice at the position in the draft, so he likely has an uphill battle, but like I said with Cooper, this team has lots of points available at the position with the loss of Campbell this offseason. While Cooper likely gets the first crack at it, keep your eye on Hopper to get opportunities as well. I don’t believe the Packers used a third-round pick on someone they don’t anticipate being a decent part of their defensive game plan. He will need time to develop as a player, specifically regarding diagnosing plays and his coverage ability, but he is a hard-hitting machine who can and will cause turnovers on the field. The problem may be, can he get on the field?   

Tommy Eichenberg, Las Vegas

A draft pick that may have gone unnoticed considering that it was a day three pick, Tommy Eichenberg may have gotten the best day three spot in the draft for his team’s situation. They need immediate help at the linebacker spot and may have stumbled on a future starter in the 5th round. Yes, there are a myriad of names at the position for the Raiders, but none of them have been big-name IDP assets. Divine Deablo seems to have availability issues, Robert Spillane is good, not great, and Luke Masterson leaves a lot to be desired at the position, although this may be his first year of significant playing time. Eichenberg posted an insane stat line in the 2022 season with 120 total tackles and, last season, he was the Big Ten linebacker of the year and was first-team All-Big Ten despite missing three games. There are sexier names at the position than Eichenberg, but if you're looking for a steal at the position and willing to wait on linebacker in your rookie drafts, you can do far worse than Tommy Eichenberg.

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