2024 Full-Time and Green Dot Linebackers: Week 15
Through 14 weeks, what have learned about full-time and green dot LBs for 2024?
We’re through the last of the bye weeks, but injuries continue to take their toll on the LB position. We’ll have to wait on how Azeez Al-Shaair’s suspension impacts the Texans’ LB room.
Until then, let’s look at the state of the linebacker position as we head into Week 15 and the start of the fantasy playoffs.
*-Injured
Arizona Cardinals
It looked like the Cardinals were in nickel for most of the game with Mack Wilson and Kyzir White on the field for most of the snaps. Wilson was off the field for 10 dime snaps. White wore the dot playing 100% of the snaps and having a productive game in a tough matchup for LBs. Mack’s production has been up and down, with just one game of 7+ tackles in his last seven.
Week 14 Green Dot: Kyzir White
Atlanta Falcons
It looks like Troy Andersen is starting to take over the LB2 spot in Atlanta’s nickel defense. It didn’t lead to much production, as he recorded just 2 tackles in his 29 snaps. Nate Landman saw 33% of the snaps as he was out-snapped by Andersen 29-20. I still don’t think Andersen will hold much value as he’s seeing 48% of the snaps with the Falcons going more dime/single-LB packages.
Week 14 Green Dot: Kaden Elliss
Baltimore Ravens
Bye week.
Week 14 Green Dot: Bye Week
Buffalo Bills
The Bills continue to mix in some dime with their nickel defense. Matt Milano had a full-time role this week after seeing 77% of the snaps in his first game. Milano saw 84% of the snaps, but it didn’t translate to production with just 3 tackles. Terrell Bernard was on the field for 100% of the snaps and wore the dot.
Week 14 Green Dot: Terrel Bernard
Carolina Panthers
Josey Jewell appeared on the injury report with a hamstring injury but ended up active in Week 14. You wouldn’t know he was hampered by the injury. He played 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. He also saw 5 pass-rush snaps and recorded 1.5 sacks to go along with his 10 tackles. Trevin Wallace saw 66% of the snaps and is off the chart as a full-time LB. The Panthers are running a modified nickel and Wallace has been off the field in those packages.
Week 14 Green Dot: Josey Jewell
Chicago Bears
Nothing major with the Bears this week. Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards were the three-down LBs and each saw 100% of the snaps with Edmunds wearing the dot. Guys like Jack Sanborn won’t have value outside of an injury.
Week 14 Green Dot: Tremaine Edmunds
Cincinnati Bengals
No major changes to Cincinnati’s defense this week. They did deploy a few more dime snaps than usual, but nothing jumped out at me. Germaine Pratt was on the field for 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. Akeem Davis-Gaither saw all but 7 snaps and was off the field when the Bengals were in dime. ADG looks entrenched in the Pratt-role with Logan Wilson out for the year.
Week 14 Green Dot: Germaine Pratt
Cleveland Browns
Jordan Hicks saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot in Week 14. Mohamoud Diabate was the primary LB2 in Cleveland’s nickel, as he was on the field for 83% of the snaps. Devin Bush continues to get snaps in their base defense, but he’s not consistent enough to warrant any IDP consideration.
Week 14 Green Dot: Jordan Hicks
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys appeared to have lost Demarvion Overshown for the year with a devastating knee injury. Hearing the term “ruptured” when describing the ligaments is never a good thing. Overshown had done so much to overcome last year’s torn ACL and was a break-out LB for the Cowboys this season. It looked like Marist Liufau was the off-ball LB to replace Overshown in the 4th quarter. Eric Kendricks saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. The Cowboys remain a nickel-heavy defense, as they only had 3 dime snaps in Week 14.
Week 14 Green Dot: Eric Kendricks
Denver Broncos
Bye week.
Week 14 Green Dot: Bye Week
Detroit Lions
So, the answer to the question, “Zeke Turner or Kwon Alexander?” was neither. Ahead of the game, observers noted Alexander was working with first-team defense. However, there ended up being a three-man rotation at the LB2 spot opposite Jack Campbell in their nickel and base defense. Alexander and Turner each 17 snaps. David Long saw 16 snaps in Detroit’s base packages. Detroit deployed a modified nickel at times featuring three off-ball LBs. Campbell was the lone full-time LB and wore the dot. Turner and Alexander each saw 34% of the snaps. Green Bay didn’t run many plays, so tackle production was sparse throughout the game.
Week 14 Green Dot: Jack Campbell
Green Bay Packers
Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie were three-down linebackers in Week 14 with Walker wearing the dot. The Packers were mostly in nickel/base and had 0 dime snaps this week. Eric Wilson continues to see snaps mostly in base packages.
Week 14 Green Dot: Quay Walker
Houston Texans
Bye week.
Week 14 Green Dot: Bye Week
Indianapolis Colts
Bye week.
Week 14 Green Dot: Bye Week
Jacksonville Jaguars
Foyesade Oluokun saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot in Week 14. Foye shows why he’s an elite LB and matchup-proof. The Titans had a poor matchup for LBs over the last few weeks and he still managed to record double-digit tackles. Devin Lloyd saw 78% of the snaps and recorded 8 tackles, though just 1 solo. The Jaguars weren’t in their base for many snaps, as Ventrell Miller saw 18 snaps this week. Miller is droppable in most formats.
Week 14 Green Dot: Foyesade Oluokun
Kansas City Chiefs
Nick Bolton was on the field for 92% of the snaps and wore the dot in Week 14. Bolton was off the field near the end of the first half. Bolton’s sack saved his otherwise “meh” night in what was a good matchup. Drue Tranquill saw all but 8 snaps in Week 14 and finished with 7 tackles. Although Leo Chenal was seeing snaps in KC’s nickel, he still only saw 38% of the snaps.
Week 14 Green Dot: Nick Bolton
Las Vegas Raiders
I’ve removed Divine Deablo as his snaps have been on the decline over the last few weeks. He’s been below a 75% usage rate in 3 of the last 4 and saw just 61% of the snaps in Week 14. Robert Spillane was the lone full-time LB, as he was on the field for 100% of the snaps with the green dot. Spillane’s tackle production has been on quite the roller coaster. He had 9+ tackles in three of his last five games but managed just 7 in Week 14. Spillane is still a weekly starter.
Week 14 Green Dot: Robert Spillane
Los Angeles Chargers
A week after seeing a full-time role, Troy Dye saw just 48% of the snaps, even with Denzel Perryman inactive. Junior Colson returned and that impacted Dye’s usage, as he saw 13 snaps. The Chargers were in their dime defense for 28% of their defensive plays. Daiyan Henley was the lone full-time off-ball LB, as he was on the field for 100% of the snaps with the green dot. Dye and Colson rotated snaps in their nickel and base defense.
Week 14 Green Dot: Daiyan Henley
Los Angeles Rams
Christian Rozeboom was the lone full-time off-ball LB for the Rams in Week 14. Rozeboom saw 80% of the snaps. The Rams were in their dime defense for 20 snaps and were in 0-LB for around 60% of those plays. Omar Speights saw 60% of the snaps. Speights was off the field on most 3rd downs.
Week 14 Green Dot: Quentin Lake
Miami Dolphins
After being inactive last week, Anthony Walker returned to the field, saw all but a handful of snaps, and took over the dot. Unfortunately for Tyrel Dodson, he went back to the bench and saw just 6 snaps. The initial grades for Walker in this game are pretty ugly, as they look like my high school research papers: lots of red. Jordyn Brooks was on for 100% of the snaps and had a solid game, though he was credited with 3 missed tackles. Miami was primarily in nickel and featured Walker and Brooks. Dodson’s doesn’t have much value in redraft outside as an injury replacement.
Week 14 Green Dot: Anthony Walker
Minnesota Vikings
Blake Cashman is the lone full-time LB in Minnesota’s defense, but it’s getting tough to trust him on a weekly basis. He had a good game last week but managed just 7 tackles in a decent matchup. The Vikings are typically deploying 5/6 DBs as the Vikings were in dime/single-LB for most of the game. Kamu Grugier-Hill saw just 9 snaps and Brian Asamoah made an appearance with 3 snaps.
Week 14 Green Dot: Blake Cashman
New England Patriots
Bye week.
Week 14 Green Dot: Bye Week
New Orleans Saints
I’m not sure if I’m ready to remove Pete Werner from the chart, but after seeing 88% of the snaps last week, he was on for just 63% of the snaps. His initial grades aren’t horrible, but the Saints went with more dime/single-LB looks this week. Demario Davis was the lone full-time LB, as he wore the dot while seeing 100% of the snaps.
Week 14 Green Dot: Demario Davis
New York Giants
Bobby Okereke was inactive in Week 14. He was close to playing, but the Giants just wanted to air on the side of caution. This opened the door for Micah McFadden to see a three-down role. He saw 100% of the snaps and wore the dot in Week 14. I bumped my rank on McFadden to LB9 based on the matchup, and he didn’t disappoint.
Darius Mausau got the majority of the snaps, as he filled in the McFadden role, was on the field for 76% of the snaps, and recorded 7 solo tackles (8 total). The Giants were primarily in nickel and single-LB packages this week. I do think Okereke returns next week, so Mausau won’t have much IDP value going forward. McFadden remains a decent LB3 with a safe tackle floor.
Week 14 Green Dot: Micah McFadden
New York Jets
CJ Mosley will miss the remainder of the season, so Jamien Sherwood managers need not worry about him getting the snaps pulled from under him. Sherwood was on the field for 100% of the snaps and wore the dot. I had Sherwood as my LB2 this week and did he ever deliver. He finished with 18 tackles (13 solos). Quincy Williams? Not so much. Sherwood ate so much, he left no scraps for Williams. The Jets were primarily in nickel this week and featured Sherwood/Williams as usual. It looked like the Jets were in their base for just 6 snaps.
Week 14 Green Dot: Jamien Sherwood
Philadelphia Eagles
Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun were both three-down LBs for the Eagles in Week 14. Dean and Baun combined for 23 tackles, while Baun was sent in on 9 pass-rush snaps. Baun delivered a sack and QB hit. Dean and Baun are weekly starters.
Week 14 Green Dot: Nakobe Dean
Pittsburgh Steelers
Payton Wilson and Elandon Roberts continued to rotate snaps at LB2 and Roberts made big plays in run defense and was a menace near the line of scrimmage. However, Roberts saw 39% of the snaps while Wilson saw 49%. Patrick Queen was the lone full-time LB, as he wore the dot and saw 100% of the snaps.
Week 14 Green Dot: Patrick Queen
San Francisco 49ers
It seems like we might have to make difficult decisions regarding Fred Warner over the next few weeks. It’s becoming harder to start him and I’m not sure I can recommend him in the playoff weeks even with him being the green dot linebacker. Once again, he saw all but 3 of the defensive snaps and recorded just 3 tackles. Granted, the Bears ran just 49 plays. Unfortunately, I don’t see the 49ers shutting him down. If you’re in the game of speculation, Jalen Graham would probably get Warner’s role with the dot if they do shut him down. Dee Winters could also factor into De’Vondre Campbell’s usage over the next few weeks, as well.
Week 14 Green Dot: Fred Warner
Seattle Seahawks
Tyrice Knight had a full-time role in Week 14, as he saw 87% of the snaps. Knight led the way in tackles (12), though just 3 were solo. Ernest Jones saw 100% of the snaps with the dot and recorded an INT to go along with his 8 tackles. The Seahawks remained a nickel-heavy defense, so Knight continues to have LB3 value with his current usage.
Week 14 Green Dot: Ernest Jones
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa was another LB group bit by the injury bug this week. The Bucs were down JJ Russell and KJ Britt. Tampa went single-LB in their dime/nickel defense with Lavonte David as the lone full-time off-ball LB. Their nickel featured David and 5 defensive linemen. Vi Jones saw most of the snaps as the LB2 opposite David, as he saw 62% of the snaps in their base and nickel defense. Now that bye weeks are over, Jones might be an afterthought in IDP formats.
Week 14 Green Dot: Lavonte David
Tennessee Titans
Kenneth Murray and Jerome Baker with both inactive in Week 14 which opened the door for a few sleeper LBs to get some snaps. It was announced ahead of the game that Luke Gifford would wear the dot, which is how it shook out. Gifford saw 100% of the snaps with the dot. Otis Reese was the LB2 in Tennessee’s nickel defense and was on the field for all but one snap. Reese was serviceable with 5 tackles and an INT off Mac Jones. Neither Cedric Gray nor James Williams saw a snap, as the Titans were primarily in nickel for the entire game. Depending on the nature and severity of Murray and Baker’s injuries, Gifford and Reese will be worth a look from the wire.
Week 14 Green Dot: Luke Gifford
Washington Commanders
Bye week.
Week 14 Green Dot: Bye Week
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