In IDP leagues, no position is more important than linebacker—the reality is that in most leagues, if you don't have a strong group of linebackers, you're done. Roasted. All over but the crying. Linebackers are usually the highest-scoring and most consistent players in fantasy. By a wide margin.
The reason for that is tackles. Linebackers who rack up big-time tackle numbers have both a high fantasy ceiling and a high floor. And while talent is, of course, a factor in which linebackers pile up gaudy numbers of stops, there's another major consideration—opportunity.
The key to opportunity for most linebackers is simply being on the field. Snaps. It's hard to tackle a guy from the sideline—unless you are Mike Tomlin.
That joke stays in this column for eternity. Forever.
The problem is that in this day of nickel sets as the base defense, the age of three off-ball linebackers on the field most of the time is long since over. As a matter of fact, with many NFL teams playing either more dime or three-safety looks, there are quite a few situations in which just one off-ball linebacker is on the field for a team.
Often, that lone linebacker is wearing a sticker on his helmet—the green dot that signifies that the player is wearing the helmet communicator on defense and making the defensive play calls. That player very rarely leaves the field, and while teams sometimes use a safety in that capacity, the overwhelming majority of NFL teams give that assignment to a linebacker.
With the number of every-down linebackers decreasing by the year, knowing who those green dot linebackers are is valuable information for IDP managers. To provide that information to managers once again in 2025 at Footballguys, we'll maintain an updated list of both who is wearing the green dot for all 32 NFL teams and who the other three-down linebackers are.
There will also be notes to keep fantasy managers apprised as to why any changes to the list occur, whether due to injury or performance, the dot can (and will) change hands.
With this first edition of this column for 2025, there is one Godzilla-sized caveat. After an offseason of free agent moves and draft picks, we frankly don't know who the top two linebackers for some teams will be, let alone who is going to relay the defensive play-calls. Sure, IDP pundits can make educated guesses. But we haven't even had training camp yet. That's all they are: guesses. In many instances, we just don't know yet.
Don't ask me. I don't know.
And yet, IDP managers looking to get an early jump on the competition will take every piece of info they can get. So with that in mind, here's an early look at the presumptive three-down starters for all 32 NFL teams this season.
Table time.
Note: Here at Footballguys, we set the benchmark for three-down linebackers at a 75 percent snap share. Linebackers listed with an asterisk (*) may not hit that benchmark on a weekly basis this season.
Notes
Arizona Cardinals
Mack Wilson Sr. started 16 games for the Cardinals last year and played 75 percent of the defensive snaps, so he seems the early leader to assume green-dot duties for the Redbirds in 2025. Free-agent addition Akeem Davis-Gaither showed flashes in an expanded role a year ago in Cincinnati, but he has been primarily a special teams player over his NFL career. Rookie Cody Simon has impressed in OTAs, and it wouldn't be a stunner if the Ohio State standout is wearing the dot come September.
Atlanta Falcons
The presumption from most in IDP circles was that, following his LB3 finish in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring last year, veteran Kaden Elliss would once again be Atlanta's green dot LB in 2025. But recent comments from Falcons head coach Raheem Morris about fifth-year pro Divine Deablo, who joined the team in free agency, have muddied the waters a bit. Elliss is still the safest bet to relay the defensive calls this year, and he's the Falcons linebacker to roster in 2025. But if Deablo wins the No. 2 linebacker role, there could be some sleeper IDP appeal there.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns made rookie Carson Schwesinger the first pick of the 2025 draft's second round to be the team's future in the middle of the defense. It's entirely possible that Schwesinger will open his first season as the green dot LB. But for now at least, the reasonable assumption (if such a thing exists) is that when healthy, veteran Jordan Hicks will reprise that role again. Of course, "when healthy" is a robust caveat with Hicks--Schwesinger will be Cleveland's most valuable IDP LB in 2025.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have a lot of uncertainty at off-ball linebacker after DeMarvion Overshown suffered a major injury late in the 2024 season. The Cowboys acquired both Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Sanborn in the offseason. While the latter has long been a favorite of the IDP community (and has garnered significant buzz in OTAs), Murray is still the more experienced and talented linebacker. His previous relationship with Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus notwithstanding, Sanborn isn't holding off Murray all summer.
Houston Texans
There isn't a more confusing linebacker situation in the AFC than in Houston. Azeez Al-Shaair is a safe bet to be the green dot LB and an every-down player, but three players are vying for the spot beside him. E.J. Speed logged a career-high 141 tackles last year in Indianapolis, but his contract in Houston hardly screams "locked-in starter." Henry To'oTo'o has flashed but been inconsistent, and Christian Harris just can't stay on the field. For now, Speed is penciled in as the No. 2 linebacker here. But it is most assuredly in pencil.
Indianapolis Colts
With the aforementioned E.J. Speed now in Houston, the Colts need a second starter opposite IDP beefcake Zaire Franklin. Heading into training camp, the front-runner is second-year pro Jaylon Carlies, who started six games and played 242 snaps for the Colts as a rookie. The depth at linebacker in Indianapolis is, um, less than ideal, so barring a complete faceplant in camp, Carlies is going to start. We just saw Speed post top-15 fantasy numbers in Indy--and he's hardly an elite talent. Just saying.
Las Vegas Raiders
Elandon Roberts has started 105 games over nine years in the NFL. He has also never played even a 60 percent snap share over nine years in the NFL. But in OTAs at least, it was the 31-year-old who was the green dot LB for the Raiders. The recent arrival of free agent Germaine Pratt, who posted a career-best 143 stops last year with the Bengals, robs Roberts of a bit of his IDP sleeper thunder. But any every-down linebacker you can get late on draft day is a name to be filed away.
Los Angeles Rams
If the Houston Texans are the murkiest mess at linebacker in the AFC, then the Rams have probably earned that honor in the NFC. Omar Speights is a trendy breakout pick among some in the community, and he admittedly demonstrated some genuine potential as a rookie. But Nate Landman (who logged 110 tackles two years ago in Atlanta) and veteran Troy (shudder) Reeder are also in the mix--and both have more experience as a green dot LB than Speights. Never mind that in 2024, safety Quentin Lake relayed plays most of the year. Or that rookie Chris Paul Jr. could figure into the mix. This battle between three (or four) players vying for two spots could (and likely will) drag well into August.
Miami Dolphins
There's no question who the top IDP option in Miami is this season. Jordyn Brooks piled up over 140 total tackles last year and was sixth among linebackers in fantasy points. However, Brooks did that damage without wearing the helmet communicator, and indications are that this will be the case again this year. Sixth-year veteran Tyrel Dodson has continued his role as the Dolphins' green dot linebacker after joining the team midseason in 2024. Dodson's 107 tackles last year aren't blowing anyone's doors off, but it was a career-high--and could be closer to Dodson's floor than his ceiling in the campaign to come.
Philadelphia Eagles
The uncertainty hovering over the Eagles' linebacker corps has a name--Nakobe Dean. Philly's green dot linebacker most of last year tore his patellar tendon in the Wild Card Round, leaving his early-season availability in 2025 very much in doubt. Last year's biggest breakout in IDP (Zack Baun) wore the dot after Dean went down and should continue to do so this season, at least until Dean returns. But if Dean looks set to miss regular-season time, it could mean more snaps for rookie first-rounder Jihaad Campbell, provided he doesn't wind up a glorified edge rusher.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Patrick Queen was a disappointment both from a fantasy and NFL perspective in his first season in the Steel City, even if his 129 total tackles and LB24 fantasy finish don't appear terrible at first glance. But Queen's role as Pittsburgh's No. 1 linebacker and defensive signal-caller remains safe. The larger question is whether the departure of Elandon Roberts and the other defensive changes in Pittsburgh (including this week's big trade) mean that second-year pro Payton Wilson (another darling of IDP dorks--don't judge us) sees a fantasy-significant bump in snap share.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lavonte David is one of the great weak-side linebackers of his generation. He should be a Hall of Famer when all is said and done. And he wore the green dot for the Buccaneers most of last season. Fun fact--David doesn't like wearing the dot--like so many WILL linebackers, he just wants to flow to the ball and make a play without having to overthink things. With veteran Anthony Walker (who has years of experience as a green dot LB) now in Tampa, David may not have to in 2025. And we're talking about a player who was fifth among all linebackers in fantasy points in 2024--at 34. Doing what he didn't wanna.
Tennessee Titans
There are IDP pundits (you know who you are) who have been waiting for Cody Barton season since approximately 1252. And by golly (gee willikers), they may just get it in 2025. Barton is easily Tennessee's most proven commodity at linebacker. It's hard to envision a scenario where he isn't the green-dot linebacker for a team that shouldn't hurt for tackle opportunities in 2025. The more interesting situation to merit as training camp opens may be the fight for the No. 2 spot, with youngsters Cedric Gray and Otis Reese IV the front-runners.
Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter (Can't make him call it X) at @IDPGodfather.
