IDP Deep Dive: Nate Landman
Who is the LB2 in Atlanta opposite Kaden Elliss? Jase Abbey investigates.
Earlier this week, we posted a poll on X asking IDP managers which of four players to feature in a new deep-dive article. The people have spoken, and the player nominated for our second feature is Atlanta Falcons linebacker Nate Landman!
In this article, we’ll look at Landman’s performance in 2023, his outlook for 2024, and any concerns we have for his future as an IDP asset.
2023 Review
As a relatively unknown UDFA in 2022, Landman came from nowhere to establish himself as a viable IDP asset last season. Initially, it was assumed he would contribute on special teams only, much as he did for the majority of the first half of his rookie season. However, early-season injuries to Troy Andersen thrust Landman into contention for a significant role alongside Kaden Ellis.
Landman never looked back once he found his way into the starting lineup. If we ignore week 13 vs. the New York Jets when he departed with a knee injury, he averaged 81.5% of the available defensive snaps from week four onwards. Granted, Landman rarely achieved the holy grail of playing every down, but his 13.6% tackle efficiency, which ranked 30th out of 91 linebackers, mitigated his handful of missed snaps compared to the full-time players at the position.
He quickly became a valuable waiver wire addition for IDP managers - especially those who had initially rostered Andersen. Landman finished the year with 110 combined tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception, and two pass breakups. Impressive numbers for a guy on nobody’s radar heading into 2023.
Despite his impressive production, Landman struggled in certain respects as the season unfolded. He missed only two of his first 44 tackle attempts at a rate of 4.5% through week seven. He missed 16 of his next 53 attempts at a rate of 30.2%. The sophomore linebacker also deteriorated in pass coverage during the second half of the season, and that’s a problem considering the pass-centric nature of the NFL.
Despite his obvious deficiencies, Landman was the 17th-best linebacker in points per game from Weeks 8-18, providing an excellent example of how snap volume is an extremely important factor in determining the production of off-ball linebackers.
2024 Outlook
Kaden Ellis remains atop the linebacker depth chart heading into the 2024 season. Many assumed Troy Andersen — a player with the prototypical athleticism required of modern linebackers — to occupy the role next to Elliss. Andersen had, after all, “won” that role heading into 2023 and only lost it due to injury.
It’s too early to say for sure, but there were some early signs that those assumptions may have been hasty. However, apparently, Andersen saw more time with the first-team unit on day five, the first full padded day of practice.
Missed tackles aside, Landman’s obvious strength is when playing the run. For that reason, it’s tempting to suggest he could play on early downs while the more athletic Andersen contributes on obvious passing downs. However, this assumption would overlook the fact that Andersen was a liability in pass coverage during his rookie year. It’s entirely possible he will improve in this area, as he, unlike Landman, demonstrated proficiency in this area at the college level. Still, from an IDP perspective, we don’t want a division of duties. If that happened, neither would become startable options outside of the very deepest of leagues.
There is also the introduction of Jimmy Lake as the new defensive coordinator to consider. Last year, under Ryan Nielsen, the Falcons utilized two linebackers at a rate 11% higher than the average NFL team. There’s no guarantee they will continue to do so under Lake, and the presence of Raheem Morris as head coach adds fuel to that fire. Morris was the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, and under him, the team utilized a single linebacker at a rate 31% higher than the league average.
Conclusion
Considering Landman and Andersen are clearly in competition, it may come as a surprise that the ADP of the two players is vastly different. Landman is currently the LB62 as the 185th player taken, while Andersen is the LB34 as the 96th player selected. Andersen is the player with the most upside, but roster both players if you can, and hope that one emerges as the clear second option behind Ellis. Until that happens, tread carefully with both and monitor the situation carefully over the next few weeks. As always, The IDP Show will keep you updated as events unfold!
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