4 LBs on the All-Opportunity Team

Photo: Robert Scheer, USA Today Sports

I wrote this piece last year as my debut article after joining the Footballguys team, and I’m stoked to get a chance to write it again. This year, we're going to take a look at four linebackers who have the opportunity to take on their team's lead role and be fantasy values along the way. Two of the players are joining new teams, and the other two are young guns who are entering their pivotal third season. Alright, let’s dive in!

*This ADP is courtesy of The IDP Show and is pulled from paid best ball drafts (40 and counting) that began in January.

Azeez Al-Shaair, Tennessee Titans

Footballguys Consensus Rank - LB20
The IDP Show ADP - LB37

After spending his first four seasons in San Francisco, Azeez Al-Shaair finds himself a new home in Tennesee after signing a one-year $5 million deal during free agency. As a 49er, Al-Shaair mostly served as the team's third linebacker behind Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. However, during the 2021 season, when Greenlaw was limited to just three games, Al-Shaair stepped up admirably in his place. Al-Shaair started and played in 13 games during that 2021 season, holding an 89% snap share (730 snaps) and compiling 102 tackles (58 solos) and nine tackles for loss. Al-Shaair was a waiver wire wonder for IDP gamers that season and proved he could hold down a full-time role when tasked.

Now in Tennesee, Al-Shaair will have an opportunity to lead the Titan linebacker unit this season. David Long (740 snaps in 2022), the Titans' former lead linebacker when healthy, has moved onto Miami via free agency this offseason. Tennesee didn't address the linebacker position during the draft and also didn't bring in any other significant competition during free agency. Right now, Al-Shaair and Monty Rice are the projected starters, with Al-Shaair being the leader in the clubhouse to support the green dot. This season presents a massive opportunity for Al-Shaair to parlay his one-year prove-it deal into a more lucrative contract next offseason. Coming off the board as LB37, a motivated Al-Shaair is an excellent value in drafts with his new team and opportunity.

Divine Deablo, Las Vegas Raiders

Footballguys Consensus Rank - LB28
The IDP Show ADP - LB40

Divine Deablo was on his way to a breakout 2022 campaign before an arm injury during Week 8 ended his season. During his first seven games (Weeks 1-7), Deablo held a 99.1% snap share and averaged 10.4 tackles per game. The injury was unfortunate as Deablo was emerging as a promising young IDP asset during the start of his second season. After Deoblo went down, the Raiders dealt with a myriad of injuries at the linebacker position. Denzel Perryman was the next most relevant Raider linebacker, appearing in 12 games (555 snaps) and compiling 83 tackles (54 solos). Undrafted rookie Luke Masterson even ended up starting seven games and popped up on the IDP radar.

The Raiders let Perryman walk in free agency and only spent a sixth-round pick on Amari Burney in this year’s draft. However, they did bring in Robert Spillane on a two-year $7 million contract during free agency. Spillane had a nice finish to the end of last year with Pittsburgh, playing every snap in the final four games and compiling 36 tackles (26 solos) over that stretch. During Las Vegas’ minicamp in early June, Deablo was seen rocking the green dot, and Spillane was holding down the other starting spot next to him. Things are trending positively toward Deablo jumping back into the lead role he held before his injury. Entering the third year of his rookie deal, it’s a pivotal year for Deablo to prove he can anchor this defense. Deablo not only has the opportunity to take a big leap in year three but is a fantastic value in drafts (LB40 ADP) with his potential lead role paired with the productive sample size we saw last season.