Linebacker is without question the most important position in the vast majority of IDP leagues—the key to a successful season. The position has also been blasted by injuries just one month into the season.
Alex Singleton of the Denver Broncos is out for the season with a torn ACL. Foyesade Oluokun of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who was the first IDP selected overall in many drafts, is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Terrel Bernard of the Buffalo Bills has missed several weeks with a pectoral strain. Shaq Thompson of the Carolina Panthers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury Sunday.
That is by no means a complete list, either. It seems that every week, multiple linebackers are going down with significant injuries. Many IDP managers have multiple holes to fill at the position.
Oh, and the bye weeks are here, too. So, players like Alex Anzalone of the Detroit Lions, Zack Baun of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Ernest Jones of the Tennessee Titans won’t be available this week, either.
This is a week where having a high waiver priority (or a fat wad of FAAB) is likely a good thing. Because IDP managers are going to be on the available linebackers like Walmart shoppers grabbing half-priced PlayStation games on Black Friday.
IDP PICKUP OF THE WEEK
LB Trevin Wallace, Carolina
A third-round rookie out of Kentucky, Wallace tallied 80 total tackles and added 5.5 sacks last year with the Wildcats. Not much was expected from the youngster as a rookie outside some special teams work, but Carolina head coach Dave Canales told reporters that he has confidence that Wallace has the potential to be a real difference-maker on defense.
“I think he’s just a natural football player, first and foremost,” Canales said. “And while he still has a ways to go, learning the scheme and doing all that, when he’s comfortable, he’s big and he’s fast and he’s got great hands. And that’s such a rare combination at the inside linebacker spot.”
The Panthers didn’t just lose Shaq Thompson last week—fellow starter Josey Jewell went down with groin and hamstring injuries and isn’t expected to be available in Week 5. That leaves Wallace as the team’s defensive play-caller essentially by default—and while there will no doubt be bumps in the road, there should be ample opportunities for IDP production as well.
WEEK 5 IDP WAIVER WIRE TARGETS
EDGE Dorance Armstrong, Washington
After being highly productive as a rotational pass-rusher the past two years in Dallas, Armstrong followed Dan Quinn to Washington, signing a three-year, $45 million contract. The 27-year-old told reporters that while the big payday was nice, the real draw in D.C. was the opportunity to continue playing for Quinn.
“Familiar with the coaches, familiar with the system that we run,” said Armstrong. “Literally that was it. He’s just a hell of a person, hell of a guy, hell of a teacher, hell of a man. He just really pushes you to be great at all times and that’s what he expects from you and it’s hard to get that. I appreciate who he is as a person and what he expects from us as players.”
Armstrong got off to a slow start this season, but he had his best game as a Commander last week against the Arizona Cardinals, logging five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. With the Cleveland Browns and their injury-ravaged offensive line next on the slate, Armstrong is a solid spot start for fantasy managers with Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson on a bye in Week 5.
EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo, Indianapolis
Despite quietly leading the Colts in sacks last season, Odeyingbo appeared to be headed for a rotational role in 2024 behind the likes of Samson Ebukam, Kwity Paye, and rookie Laiatu Latu in Indianapolis this year. However, over the summer Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire wrote that the Colts might be well-served to find the big man some snaps.
“The 6-foot-6, 286-pound Odeyingbo had already shown the ability to win with speed and power on the edge, and a real knack for bombing opposing blockers from inside the tackles,” Farrar wrote. “He was a bit of a late bloomer in the NFL, with just one sack and 12 total pressures in 2021, and six sacks and 25 total pressures in 2022. Then, as we say of a lot of players on this list, the proverbial light went on.”
Odeyingbo finished 2023 with eight sacks and 17 quarterback hits on 622 snaps, and with Ebukam out for the season and Paye banged up, Odeyingbo has been forced into essentially a full-time role. Last week, that role equated to 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two QB hits, and Sunday the Colts face a winless Jacksonville Jaguars team that isn’t doing much of anything right this season.
LB Chad Muma, Jacksonville
The Jaguars were without both starters at inside linebacker last week—in addition to Oluokun Devin Lloyd also sat out the contest. That left youngsters Chad Muma and Ventrell Miller as the team’s starters, with Muma making the defensive play-calls and playing every snap, Jacksonville defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen told reporters that the team’s depth defensively gave him confidence there wouldn’t be a huge drop-off.
“You feel really good at all positions, with our rotation,” Nielsen said. “We’ve got a good roster. We got a good roster. We got depth on our defense. That’s one of the things we do have, so regardless of who is out on the field, we’re confident in every single play that every player is going to do their job.”
Miller had a better stat line last week, logging 11 total tackles and eight solos. If it looks like Lloyd will miss another game, he’d likely be the better short-term add. But Muma wearing the green dot is indicative of a level of trust from the Jaguars staff, and his eight stops were nothing to sneeze at—especially if you’re desperate for a three-down starter at linebacker.
LB Anthony Walker, Miami
A Miami native, Walker joined the Dolphins in free agency after three injury-marred seasons in Cleveland. The 29-year-old was brought in to add some veteran stability defensively, and head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that Walker wasted no time making an impact on his new teammates.
“[It is] very rare that I get feedback so early in the offseason from so many people [saying], ‘I f-ing love this guy!’ ” McDaniel said. “He won his teammates over by how he goes about business in the offseason. He’s been able to execute some fundamentals and techniques at such a high level that he’s really helped the rest of the group in a couple situations.”
Walker started last week in place of the injured David Long Jr. who has a hamstring injury—a malady that has plagued Long throughout his NFL career. Walker wore the helmet communicator and played every snap, finishing with nine total stops. He doesn’t have the range he once did, but Walker does have three 100-tackle seasons on his professional resume.
S Vonn Bell, Cincinnati
After one season in Carolina, Bell re-joined the Bengals in free agency where he played alongside Jessie Bates for three seasons. For Cincinnati defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, the decision to bring Bell back was an easy one—and not just because the veteran played some of the best football of his NFL career in the Queen City.
“Vonn is such a critical piece, not only just being on the field, but in the locker room and his overall presence of the leadership that he brings,” Anarumo told reporters. “His value, as I said, you can’t just write it down on a piece of paper and say, ‘here’s what he brings,’ because it’s all the intangible things. He’ll be able to help all of our young DBs just because of all of his experiences, both on and off the field.”
Bell got a measure of revenge last week against the team that released him, logging six total tackles and adding an interception in Cincinnati’s win over the Panthers. Bell’s tackle numbers haven’t been jaw-dropping, but he’s quietly on pace for the second 100-tackle season of his career. The last time he played the Ravens in a game that mattered, Bell had seven stops and picked off Lamar Jackson. Just sayin’.
S DeShon Elliott, Pittsburgh
Elliott joined the Steelers on a two-year deal in the offseason after stints in Baltimore, Detroit, and Miami. The 27-year-old played well enough over the summer to earn a spot in the starting lineup, and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that while he hasn’t been surprised by what he’s seen from Elliott, he has been impressed.
“He’s done a really nice job,” Tomlin said. “He’s new to us but not unfamiliar to us. We saw a lot of tape on him when he was in the AFC North in Baltimore. Always appreciated (his contributions). He’s made quite a few plays, not to mention splash plays–interceptions, tackles for loss on third-and-1, those weighty plays that shape football games. I’m excited for him and really excited about continuing to utilize his talents as we get to know him more.”
Elliott had his best game as a Steeler in last week’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, racking up 12 total tackles. That fact he then put his own teammates on blast for not practicing hard enough shows what kind of old-school-style safety he is. It also goes a long way toward explaining why he is starting for Tomlin.
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 @IDPSharks
