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Every Down Linebackers for 2024 Week 2

Steve Hungarter
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Identifying Each Team’s Everydown Linebackers is crucial to success in IDP Leagues.

Every Down Linebackers 2024

Name Team Snap % (2) Tackles (2) Fantasy Points (2) Snap % (1) Tackles (1) Fantasy Points (1)
Kyzir White ARI 84.6% 7 6.8 100.0% 11 14.5
Mack Wilson ARI 44.2% 4 3.0 62.1% 9 16.8
Kaden Elliss ATL 100.0% 11 12.8 100.0% 9 9.8
Troy Andersen ATL 94.1% 8 9.0 43.9% 5 6.8
Roquan Smith BAL 100.0% 11 12.8 100.0% 7 17.3
Trenton Simpson BAL 100.0% 5 6.0 68.0% 5 8.8
Baylon Spector BUF 81.3% 10 15.3
Dorian Williams BUF 69.3% 10 13.8 85.0% 8 13.8
Terrel Bernard BUF 18.7% 2 3.0 100.0% 11 15.8
Josey Jewell CAR 100.0% 11 18.3 93.5% 7 9.0
Shaq Thompson CAR 100.0% 14 16.5 100.0% 10 15.5
T.J. Edwards CHI 100.0% 8 11.3 100.0% 15 27.8
Tremaine Edmunds CHI 100.0% 11 20.8 100.0% 4 4.5
Germaine Pratt CIN 96.6% 16 25.3 96.9% 8 12.3
Logan Wilson CIN 100.0% 12 14.3 100.0% 13 21.5
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah CLE 98.2% 7 14.8 100.0% 9 12.8
Jordan Hicks CLE 89.1% 3 14.0 70.0% 7 7.5
Damone Clark DAL 69.6% 7 9.0 35.7% 4 4.5
Eric Kendricks DAL 94.6% 8 8.3 67.1% 9 28.3
Marist Liufau DAL 66.1% 3 3.8 12.9% 1 1.5
Alex Singleton DEN 100.0% 11 13.5 100.0% 9 20.3
Cody Barton DEN 69.0% 6 6.8 35.0% 2 5.5
Alex Anzalone DET 83.0% 4 5.3 100.0% 13 24.8
Derrick Barnes DET 93.6% 5 8.3 82.4% 4 5.3
Jack Campbell DET 72.3% 6 12.5 58.1% 7 9.3
Isaiah McDuffie GB 88.7% 4 6.8 97.3% 6 6.8
Quay Walker GB 100.0% 6 9.0 100.0% 11 16.0
Azeez Al-Shaair HST 100.0% 10 18.5 100.0% 5 6.8
Henry To'oTo'o HST 74.2% 13 23.0 88.4% 7 11.5
E.J. Speed IND 98.5% 11 14.3 97.4% 10 13.5
Zaire Franklin IND 100.0% 10 15.3 100.0% 8 9.0
Devin Lloyd JAX 70.8% 8 16.8 75.4% 9 14.5
Foye Oluokun JAX 84.6% 8 14.8 86.2% 11 18.3
Drue Tranquill KC 78.7% 7 7.5 83.8% 4 5.3
Leo Chenal KC 50.8% 6 12.3 60.8% 7 13.0
Nick Bolton KC 95.1% 7 13.0 100.0% 7 9.0
Daiyan Henley LAC 89.1% 9 13.0 67.8% 6 7.5
Denzel Perryman LAC 63.0% 7 15.5 50.8% 5 7.5
Christian Rozeboom LAR 77.4% 4 6.0 73.8% 8 9.0
Troy Reeder LAR 98.4% 8 9.0 100.0% 8 11.3
Divine Deablo LV 68.3% 6 8.3 74.1% 3 3.0
Robert Spillane LV 100.0% 10 21.5 100.0% 10 15.3
David Long MIA 100.0% 11 20.0 100.0% 8 11.3
Jordyn Brooks MIA 100.0% 6 9.0 100.0% 4 3.8
Blake Cashman MIN 98.5% 13 24.5 88.2% 6 7.5
Ivan Pace Jr. MIN 67.2% 8 13.0 54.4% 5 6.0
Jahlani Tavai NE 98.5% 4 5.3 75.0% 4 8.5
Ja'Whaun Bentley NE 15.2% 0 - 100.0% 12 16.3
Demario Davis NO 95.5% 8 9.8 69.1% 4 8.5
Pete Werner NO 71.2% 8 9.8 70.9% 2 2.3
Bobby Okereke NYG 100.0% 8 18.0 100.0% 3 7.8
Darius Muasau NYG - 82.4% 6 16.5
Micah McFadden NYG 81.2% 12 19.0
C.J. Mosley NYJ 21.7% 3 3.8 87.1% 9 12.8
Jamien Sherwood NYJ 83.3% 9 15.3 44.3% 3 3.8
Quincy Williams NYJ 100.0% 9 16.8 100.0% 6 9.8
Nakobe Dean PHI 98.3% 7 9.0 94.8% 4 9.3
Zack Baun PHI 98.3% 9 12.0 100.0% 15 30.0
Patrick Queen PIT 100.0% 4 6.8 100.0% 2 3.0
Jerome Baker SEA 31.8% 4 6.0 98.6% 5 12.5
Tyrel Dodson SEA 100.0% 8 13.0 100.0% 10 18.3
Tyrice Knight SEA 63.6% 7 7.5
De'Vondre Campbell SF 94.4% 5 7.8 100.0% 5 5.3
Fred Warner SF 100.0% 9 34.5 100.0% 7 13.0
K.J. Britt TB 47.0% 4 4.5 67.9% 5 6.0
Lavonte David TB 98.8% 6 8.3 98.2% 6 7.5
Ernest Jones TEN 100.0% 9 16.3 47.2% 3 4.5
Kenneth Murray, Jr. TEN 94.6% 8 12.3 100.0% 6 6.8
Bobby Wagner WAS 100.0% 9 14.5 100.0% 10 18.8
Frankie Luvu WAS 98.0% 11 12.8 91.8% 5 4.5
Generated by wpDataTables

Here are my thoughts on some of the latest Linebacker storylines:

Baltimore Ravens

All you need to know here is Trenton Simpson logged 100 percent of the snaps. Next!

Buffalo Bills

Terrel Bernard suffered a pectoral strain during Thursday’s game and was placed on IR. While he’ll likely miss the next 4-6 games, the silver lining is that the injury isn’t season-ending.

“Always look on the bright side of life.” — Monty Python

https://twitter.com/NickSabatoGNN/status/1835731882731827338

Dorian Williams continues as the LB2 with the role locked in, though surprisingly he still isn’t playing every down. The waiver wire pickup to watch is Baylon Spector, who played 62 snaps (81.6%) in an every-down role. This could be a valuable opportunity over the next 4-6 weeks.

Cleveland Browns

Congrats if you placed your bets on the right player! We’ve been saying over at RPO that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (JOK) was likely to take the lead over Jordan Hicks based on preseason usage, and we were right. JOK is now the every-down linebacker. One thing to note: don’t let the 98.3% snap share fool you—he only missed one play. Last week, he was on the field for 100% of the snaps, while Jordan Hicks continues to get between 70-88% usage.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Browns have essentially been running a two-linebacker rotation, which is a big shift from what they do historically in linebacker usage. I’m excited to see how these two continue to thrive in these roles moving forward!

Dallas Cowboys

There’s a competition brewing for the LB2 spot, and I’m steering clear of it. Damone Clark is competing with DeMarvion Overshown, but I’m avoiding anyone who isn’t named Eric Kendricks—the only every-down linebacker in this situation.

Detroit Lions

So don’t be fooled by Derrick Barnes‘s 93.8% snap usage. He plays a tech-7 position, which is essentially the edge. This is not a premium spot for tackle-favor leagues.

Jacksonville Jaguars

I save it for the end because what I am about to tell you is absolutely zany. I’ve been hesitant to bring this up, as diving too deep into analytics can sometimes lead to chasing conspiracy theories. But hear me out.

In the preseason, Devin Lloyd was wearing the green dot, and Foyesade Oluokun was mixing in. Seemed fine, right? But in Week 1, Lloyd played 75% of the snaps and Oluokun 85%, a significant drop from Oluokun’s 100% snap count last season. Still, nothing to worry about, right? The narrative was that the Miami Heat caused players to rest.

Then came Week 2, and things didn’t improve. Oluokun’s snap count dropped further to 81.9%, and Lloyd’s dipped to 66.7%. What’s going on? This has largely been overlooked because Oluokun is still producing despite the reduced snaps. But the fact remains: there’s a shift happening, and we need to pay attention.

I hate reporting stuff like this because if it holds true, the snap share won’t be enough to support the production we’re used to seeing. I’m not chasing Bigfoot or looking for Donnie Darko wormholes just yet, but I’m close. This is a developing trend that isn’t being talked about enough. As the Tool song goes, “I know the pieces fit,” and there’s a pattern emerging, and its Bonkers.

Also worth noting: the defensive coordinator doesn’t have a history of rotating his linebackers—he allowed Nate Landman to be a 100% snap guy in Atlanta. So, as the X-Files taught us, “the truth is out there.” Stay tuned.

Kansas City Chiefs

Just a thought: Leo Chenal has been incredibly efficient despite a low snap share, whereas Nick Bolton has become less effective with a high snap share. Next!

Los Angeles Chargers

Okay, stop me if you’ve heard this one before. So, there was this injury…

With limited practice time and a shortened preseason, we’re seeing a growing trend across the NFL. Unfortunately, when it comes to this linebacker corps, I’m not particularly interested. It seems that whenever Perryman or Colson miss time, the main beneficiary is Daiyan Henley, who’s seen 89.6% snap usage. If there’s one player to roster here, it’s Henley. While it’s not overly exciting, it’s a deeper role worth noting.

Los Angeles Rams

Troy Reeder keeps getting all the snaps and continues to be the guy to own here, however, for how long? Only time will tell until the coaching staff has enough of him with his poor tackle grade of 65.8 in week 2. To be fair, he does better in coverage with a mark of 71.1 but is still allowing 11 yards on two targets. Ouch. That will get you yanked.

It’s only a matter of time until he loses that role. Consider using him until he’s no longer available or trade him before the Rams get tired of him and go to another promising player like Speights.

https://twitter.com/IDPHunter/status/1835838465847480492

Minnesota Vikings

Not to repeat ourselves here, but Blake Cashman continues to be the guy and is eating into Ivan Pace‘s snap and playmaking time. Trade him now. Time is an endless circle. Next!

New England Patriots

Are you noticing a trend here? Here’s another one to consider.

Ja’Whaun Bentley exited early in the first quarter with a shoulder injury, allowing Jahlani Tavai to step into an every-down role, playing 98.6% of the snaps. It’s still unclear whether Bentley will miss time, but it’s something to monitor closely, especially with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Jets on the horizon.

If you’ve followed our podcast or read our articles, you’ll know we’ve been high on Tavai, who was PFF’s fourth highest graded linebacker In 2023 with 111 tackles. While McMillan logged 58.6% of snaps, he’s more of a deep-league target for me.

New York Giants

The key takeaway here is that Micah McFadden returned and played a solid 80%+ of snaps. In Week 1, rookie linebacker Darius Muasau had a similar workload but suffered a knee injury. Before we can determine which player will assume the LB2 role moving forward, we need to evaluate Muasau’s knee injury. What is clear is that this coaching staff plans to use a stable two-linebacker system (unlike the previous one), potentially providing consistent volume for the LB2 spot.

New York Jets

C.J. Mosley played only 24% of the snaps before leaving the game with a toe injury. There’s no clear timetable for his return yet. In his absence, Jamien Sherwood stepped up, logging 81.8% of the snaps. However, it’s worth being cautious here since the total game script only included 54 snaps and Mosley’s timeline for recovery is still unclear.

Like Baylon Spector, Sherwood is likely to be a popular waiver wire target this week, especially with the Jets playing on a short week (Thursday vs New England). Sherwood recorded nine tackles and a pass deflection, and historically, he has been Mosley’s direct replacement whenever he’s out.

Seattle Seahawks

I previously wrote an article for F6P about coaching changes and their impact on team schemes. In it, I discussed how this coaching staff would utilize two-linebacker sets, featuring Dodson and Baker. Baker, already dealing with a hamstring injury, aggravated it, which gave Tyrice Knight an opportunity. Knight stepped up with 44 snaps, playing 64.7% of the game, and delivered seven tackles with a 16% tackle rate. Regardless of Baker’s status, I believe Knight will outperform him, making him a strong waiver wire target in all league sizes due to the consistent two-linebacker system.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Something worth noting is that SirVocea Dennis has been playing on all the potential passing downs,

The Bucs have been rotating SirVocea Dennis and K.J. Britt this season, with Britt handling early down work in run-heavy situations while Dennis primarily covers obvious passing downs. With Lions quarterback Jared Goff throwing 55 times in the game, Dennis saw plenty of action and took full advantage. He ended the day with nine combined tackles and performed well as a zone defender in coverage.

Dennis also made a crucial stop late in the game as Detroit sought to take the lead. With 1:08 remaining and the Lions facing a 3rd and 9 at the Bucs’ 12-yard line, Goff attempted a swing pass to running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the left flat. Dennis quickly closed in to limit Gibbs to just a 1-yard gain, forcing a fourth down that Detroit ultimately failed to convert.


John Macri’s tweet sums this up perfectly: 100% of the 3rd and 4th down snaps (up from 73% last week), while KJ Britt didn’t see any (compared to 36% last week).

Tennessee Titans

It’s time to talk about Ernest Jones. He’s back after just one game, logging all 57 snaps. He led the defense with nine tackles (six solos and three assists) and tied for the team lead with two tackles for loss. Late in the second quarter, he teamed up with Jeffery Simmons to stop a Jets drive, making a two-yard tackle for loss on Breece Hall on a crucial third-and-one.

If anyone was unwise enough to drop him, you’ll want to pick him up quickly. Also, take note of Kenneth Murray, who played 94.7% of snaps. Though he briefly exited with an injury, he returned to finish the game. Speaking of injuries be prepared to take notes—brace yourself for the next updates!
https://twitter.com/AllenSales/status/1835486358955327880

Thank you for reading!  Follow me on X at @IDPHunter

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