2024 Full-Time and Green Dot Linebackers: Week 12

Through 11 weeks, what have learned about full-time and green dot LBs for 2024?

With Week 12 and a huge bye week looming, plus a few significant injuries that will impact playing time, the linebacker picture is muddier than ever.

I’m here to help clarify things for you. Here’s a look at the full-time/green dot linebackers from Week 11, as we head into Week 12.

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*-Injured

Arizona Cardinals

Bye week.

Week 11 Green Dot: Bye Week

Atlanta Falcons

I have no idea when Troy Andersen will return, as he was inactive once again this week. Nate Landman was on the field for all but 2 snaps and recorded 8 tackles. Kaden Elliss saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. Elliss’s double-digit tackle stream came to an end, but he still had 5 straight games of 9+ tackles. The Falcons have been primarily a nickel defense and keep playing Landman as long as Andersen is still out.

Week 11 Green Dot: Kaden Elliss

Baltimore Ravens

Roquan Smith tallied 13 tackles in just 55 defensive before a hamstring injury knocked him out early in the 4th. Kyle Hamilton took over the green dot when Smith left the game. Trenton Simpson maintained a full-time role this week, as he appeared in 84% of the snaps. Malik Harrison saw a few more snaps than normal (36), but he may not see a full-time role if Roquan should miss any time. Harrison saw 19 snaps at off-ball LB and 16 on the edge and he played the majority of the snaps in the 4th quarter.

Week 11 Green Dot: Roquan Smith. Kyle Hamilton took over the green dot after Smith left.

Buffalo Bills

Terrel Bernard saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot in Week 11. Not only that, he had the game-sealing INT to preserve the win over the Chiefs. Bernard also added a sack to his 8 tackle game. Dorian Williams saw all but 2 snaps but had just 4 tackles. Williams’ managers might want to keep an eye on Matt Milano, as he looks set to return in the next week or two. Of course — just in time for the fantasy playoffs.

Week 11 Green Dot: Terrel Bernard

Carolina Panthers

Bye week.

Week 11 Green Dot: Bye Week

Chicago Bears

There were no major changes to Chicago’s defense. They were on the field for just 46 snaps, so not many tackle opportunities. The Bears were in nickel for the majority of the game and TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds each saw 100% of the snaps with Edmunds wearing the dot.

Week 11 Green Dot: Tremaine Edmunds

Cincinnati Bengals

There were also no major changes in the LB usage for the Bengals this week. The Bengals did run a modified dime with Germaine Pratt deployed on the edge, as he saw 9 total edge snaps. Pratt was on the field for all but 2 snaps in Week 11. Logan Wilson saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot in Week 11.

Week 11 Green Dot: Logan Wilson

Cleveland Browns

Jordan Hicks returned in Week 11 after missing the last two games. Hicks saw 100% of the snaps and was the primary green dot, as I did see Mohamoud Diabate with it, but it was Hicks who got the majority of the snaps with it. Diabate saw a full-time role with 80% of the snaps. Devin Bush saw a healthy snap rate, as he saw 72% of the snaps.

Week 11 Green Dot: Jordan Hicks

Dallas Cowboys

It looks like the Dallas LB situation has settled. Eric Kendricks and Demarvion Overshown are the three-down LBs. Marist Liufau saw snaps in their base defense. The Cowboys had one dime snap, but Overshown and Kendricks were on the field, and Dallas went with three linemen.

Week 11 Green Dot: Eric Kendricks

Denver Broncos

Cody Barton was the lone full-time LB for Denver in Week 11, as he saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. An INT saved him from a “meh” fantasy day. An old friend, Zach Cunningham, saw defensive snaps (11) and Justin Strnad saw just 28 snaps in nickel this week. Barton is the only Denver off-ball LB worth rostering right now.

Week 11 Green Dot: Cody Barton

Detroit Lions

We had a major injury in this game. Alex Anzalone’s forearm got caught in friendly fire and you could see him mouth, “It’s broken.” Malcolm Rodriguez ended up seeing close to a three-down role and saw all but 5 snaps alongside Jack Campbell. Campbell saw 45 snaps and wore the dot once Anzalone left the game. Rodriguez will be worth the add this week as Detroit is primarily deploying two off-ball LBs.

Week 11 Green Dot: Alex Anzalone. Jack Campbell wore it post-Anzalone injury.

Green Bay Packers

If you were on Twitter and searched “Quay Walker,” you would have thought Walker was on his way to getting benched. He was better in coverage, but his run defense and tackling were not pleasant. He was juked several times and ended up missing on 2 tackles. Eric Wilson might be their best linebacker and he saw just 13 snaps.

Edgerrin Cooper outsnapped Isaiah McDuffie 51-21, so there appears to be a changing of the guard at the LB2 spot in their nickel defense. Cooper graded poorly, so there could be a bit of caution if considering him for waivers. Walker still saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. But, for how long? Walker’s managers should take note and be prepared for potential changes.

Week 11 Green Dot: Quay Walker

Houston Texans

Looks like we have a bit of a shift in the LB2 here. Henry To’oTo’o saw 21 snaps in the first half, then saw just 5 total in the second-half. Devin White appeared in nearly 70% of the snaps in the second-half. I didn’t see anything about an injury. The PFF grades weren't kind to Toto, as he had a 45 overall grade and 33.5 coverage. So it begs the question, has White jumped Toto on the depth chart? White out snapped Toto significantly 50-26. Azeez Al-Shaair saw all but 9 snaps, as he was taken out near the end of the 4th quarter.

Week 11 Green Dot: Azeez Al-Shaair

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts didn’t show anything different on defense in Week 11. Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed were three-down LBs as the Colts were in nickel defense for the majority of the game.

Week 11 Green Dot: Zaire Franklin

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are a mess and got blown out in Week 11. Foyesade Oluokun wore the dot when he was on the field, but looked to have some of his snaps limited near the end of the first half and sat for just under half of the 4th quarter with the game out of hand. Devin Lloyd wore the dot when Foye was off the field. Lloyd played nearly 90% of the snaps in Week 11.

Week 11 Green Dot: Foyesade Oluokun

Kansas City Chiefs

Nick Bolton saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot in Week 11. Drue Tranquill saw a full-time as the LB2 in KC’s nickel defense. Bolton has just one game of 10+ tackles and just two other games of 8+ tackles. Bolton is a weekly start in most leagues, however, if you have more productive three-down options, if you haven’t already, it’s time to consider those options.

Week 11 Green Dot: Nick Bolton

Las Vegas Raiders

Robert Spillane was the lone full-time LB for the Raiders in Week 11. Spillane saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. The Raiders went single-LB more often in Week 11 and Divine Deablo saw just 68% of the snaps. Not a good sign for Deablo coming out of the bye week as the Raiders went with different looks on defense.

Week 11 Green Dot: Robert Spillane

Los Angeles Chargers

Daiyan Henley was the lone full-time off-ball LB for the Chargers in Week 11. Henley saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. Denzel Perryman saw just 28% of the snaps and was mainly on the field for first downs, although those snaps made up just 50% of his total snaps. Troy Dye rotated with Perryman in nickel as the LB2, and out snapped him 27-23. The Chargers were in dime for 32 snaps and Derwin James was deployed as an off-ball LB on 19 of his snaps, but mostly played as the nickel corner.

Week 11 Green Dot: Daiyan Henley

Los Angeles Rams

Since Troy Reeder went on the shelf, the off-ball LB rotations and deployment have not been IDP-friendly. Rozeboom has seen fewer than 70% of the snaps in consecutive games since playing a full-time role in Weeks 7 and 8. Rozeboom saw just 64% of the snaps and Omar Speights was on the field for 55%. It looked like the Rams went dime-heavy (27 snaps) and their dime defense didn’t feature a true off-ball LB.

Jaylen McCollough saw 29 snaps, including 16 at off-ball LB, and was the dime ‘backer. Rozeboom produced elite efficiency, recording a 22.4% tackle rate, resulting in 11 tackles. However, with similar usage last week, he recorded just 2 tackles. Inconsistency is a killer at this point of the season.

Week 11 Green Dot: Quentin Lake

Miami Dolphins

This might be Anthony Walker’s last week of IDP use-fullness. The Dolphins claimed Tyrel Dodson off waivers earlier in the week but he didn’t play this week, despite being active. Walker ended up playing all but one snap and wore the dot when he was on the field. Jordyn Brooks saw 100% of the snaps alongside Walker. The Dolphins are primarily a nickel defense, so we’ll see this week how Dodson fits into the defense.

Week 11 Green Dot: Anthony Walker

Minnesota Vikings

Blake Cashman returned to his role and saw 100% of the snaps in Week 11 wearing the dot. Unfortunately for Ivan Pace Jr., that means he went back to his normal role in the defense, which is typically early downs and run situations. Pace saw just 2 snaps on 3rd downs and was off the field on all dime snaps, which resulted in him seeing just 64% of the snaps. Pace has proved to be efficient, but his usage will lead to inconsistent weeks, like this one.

Week 11 Green Dot: Blake Cashman

New England Patriots

Marte Mapu was inactive and Kyle Dugger returned, but it was Jahlani Tavai who was the primary green dot. I say “primary” because it looked like in dime/single-LB packages, Christian Elliss was wearing the dot. Tavai ended up with the higher usage, as he saw 81% of the snaps while Elliss was on for 69% of the snaps.

Week 11 Green Dot: Jahlani Tavai. Christian Elliss in their dime packages.

New Orleans Saints

Demario Davis was the lone full-time LB for the Saints, as he saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. It was a bit of a revenge game for Davis against Cleveland, where he spent a season. Davis recorded 13 tackles, though just 3 were solos. Pete Werner suffered a hand injury last week, so that might have been the reason for his usage, as he was on the field for just 66% of the snaps.

Week 11 Green Dot: Demario Davis

New York Giants

Bye week.

Week 11 Green Dot: Bye Week

New York Jets

Well, I thought Jamien Sherwood was matchup-proof, as he was on his way to a pretty big game. He had 6 tackles with most of the 3rd quarter and all of the 4th play, and that’s where he’d finish. Sherwood saw all but one snap and wore the dot. Quincy Williams was on the field for 100% of the snaps. CJ Mosley was inactive once again, but we’ll see how his neck responds after the bye week.

Week 11 Green Dot: Jamien Sherwood

Philadelphia Eagles

Zack Baun became one of three defenders (Budda Baker and Zaire Franklin being the others) to reach the 100-tackle mark in Week 11 and has been one of the true IDP surprises this season. He’s fit like a glove in Vic Fangio’s defense and is making plays all over the field. Nakobe Dean saw all but 3 snaps in Week 11 and snapped a two-game skid of fewer than 9 tackles. Dean wore the dot when he was on the field. The Eagles were in their nickel defense for all but a handful of snaps and Dean and Baun are the featured off-ball LBs of the defense.

Week 11 Green Dot: Nakobe Dean

Pittsburgh Steelers

Patrick Queen was the lone full-time LB for the Steelers in Week 11, as Elandon Roberts and Payton Wilson continued their rotation in nickel. Roberts outsnapped Wilson 31-21, but Wilson graded as Pittsburgh’s best defender with a 92 grade. Queen saw 100% of the snaps and recorded 10 tackles, though just 3 were solos.

Week 11 Green Dot: Patrick Queen

San Francisco 49ers

There were no major changes for the 49ers this week. Fred Warner and De’Vondre Campbell each saw 100% of the snaps with Warner wearing the dot. After recording 8+ tackles in five straight, Warner turned in a bit of a dud for his managers this week.

Week 11 Green Dot: Fred Warner

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks, shockingly, waived Tyrel Dodson earlier in the week. Dodson had played 98% of the snaps and was their green dot defender. That role has now shifted to Ernest Jones. Jones has 37 tackles in three games since coming over from the Titans. Tyrice Knight had a full-time role as the LB2 opposite Jones, as he saw 81% of the snaps and recorded 9 of his own tackles. I wrote up Knight as a waiver pick last week and he’s still worth picking up this week.

Week 11 Green Dot: Ernest Jones

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bye week.

Week 11 Green Dot: Bye Week

Tennessee Titans

We had another big injury here, but the big development even before the injury was Jack Gibbens’ usage. Gibbens was on the field for the first two series, then Jerome Baker took over. However, Gibbens suffered a brutal leg injury that required the cart. I’d imagine his season is over. Baker would appear in 85% of the snaps and looks to be the LB2 going forward in Tennessee’s nickel defense.

Week 11 Green Dot: Kenneth Murray

Washington Commanders

There were no changes in Dan Quinn’s defense in Week 11. Washington was in their nickel defense for the majority of the game while their dime package featured Frankie Luvu on the edge. Luvu now has sacks in consecutive games and has recorded 17 tackles over the last two weeks. Bobby Wagner was in on 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. He’s been steady all season.

Week 11 Green Dot: Bobby Wagner

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