• Foyeshade Oluokun and Roquan Smith Continue to lead the way: These two elite production histories provide a level of consistency and reliability that is rare in IDP.
• Prediction and use can improve your rank. In such a volume-dependent position, every advantage we have, e.g. Planning and Forecasting and, Best/worst grades Players at this position help break down the hierarchy of linebackers this year.
• Get an early start on fantasy football: use PFF Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator Get ready for your live draft by creating a real live mock draft simulation.
Estimated reading time: Ten Minutes
Dividing fantasy football rankings into tiers helps fantasy managers understand the differences between each group and how to evaluate players heading into the upcoming season.
The scoring referenced uses the following settings: For all point leaders in 2022 and 2023, click here (minimum 100 defensive snaps).
PFF Recommended IDP Scoring
| position | Solo TKL | assist | Saxophone | TFL | QB hit |
| download | 2.5 | 1.25 | Five | 1 | 2 |
| lb | 1.5 | 0.75 | Four | 1 | 2 |
| David | 2 | 1 | Four | 1 | 2 |
Tier 1: The best teams with the best results in the league
Team LB1 combined Defense strategies and usage-based predictions The performance of each player, especially Tackles and expected numbersThese six players clearly form the first tier of potential top 2024 performers.
Each player averaged over 15 points per game last year, but that was mainly due to their full-time roles and their ability to rack up over 150 tackles in a season. Ernest Jonesthese linebackers have cleared their records for at least the past two seasons, making them some of the most consistent and stable options at the position. And with the exception of Jones' Rams, the LB1 role for each team is projected to be a position that produces above-average tackles based solely on the projected defensive scheme. These five linebackers also ranked in the 80th percentile in tackles vs. expectations last season.
Jones became a full-time starter last season and had a breakout year averaging 9.7 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks per game. He missed two games and fell just short of 150 total tackles, but was on pace to reach that mark. His better-than-expected 15.6 tackles for loss was in the 97th percentile for his position, giving him optimism that he could be the team's lone full-time linebacker in 2024.
Tier 2: A long list of safe bets for a full-time snap.
At positions where volume matters above all else, the tiers are significantly larger when considering full-time roles for players who have historically excelled at that position. Because there is less question about playing time for players in this tier, they are ranked by considering a combination of projected defensive strategy and past performance.
Aziz Al Shair, Nick Bolton, Lavonte David and Fred Warner They will start as the first tier of this second tier. They had a solid performance last season and there is no need to worry about a drop in performance in 2024.
CJ Mosley, Bobby Okereke, Kizily White and Eric Kendricks They are all projected to be strong producers based on their LB1 status on their respective defenses, but each of these players ranked in the 36th percentile or lower in tackles expected last season, and they have a chance to overcome that in 2024 thanks to their overall positive role on defense.
Bobby Wagner and Terrell Bernard Their tackling grades in 2024 are projected to be less than ideal due to the coaching staff's man-to-man tendencies. Both players overcame circumstances in 2023 to finish in the 84th percentile or better in tackles than expected. For Wagner specifically, Dan Quinn's defense is projected to be one of the worst tackling schemes at the position, leading to a significant drop in their 2024 projections.
Robert Spillane, Quincy Williams, Tremaine Edmunds, Jerome Baker, Alex Anzalone, Logan Wilson, Patrick Queen, Jordyn Brooks and Demario Davis All should be full-time players in 2024, but were among the least tackling efficient players at their position in 2023. This trait tends to carry over from year to year. All 10 players ranked in the 25th percentile in tackles expected last season. Anzalone, Wilson, Queen, Brooks and Davis in particular fall at the bottom of this tier because they are projected to be in a below-average defensive scheme when it comes to tackling linebackers as well.
Level 3: Start the role with reasons to temper your expectations
Question marks are beginning to appear around players in this tier, mainly due to injury history and uncertainty as to whether they will be able to sustain full-time playing time. There are some strong betting opportunities in this tier, but IDP managers need to understand that these players are less likely to perform consistently than players in the higher tiers.
Blake Cashman Cashman may be the best representative of this tier, having flourished as a waiver wire addition for IDP managers last season and ranking in the 95th percentile in tackles expected (+11.4). Cashman is heading to a new team this season with a chance to step into Brian Flores' full-time role. Minnesota Vikings.
It's unclear how well Cashman will perform in his new defense, especially against a very talented Ivan Pace Jr. He's looking backwards, but if he's fit and can hold down the pace to secure the lone full-time spot, he'll be ranked much higher week in and week out.
Damone Clark, Denzel Perryman, EJ Speed and Trenton Simpson While it's possible that anyone could move into a full-time position this season, and if so, could be ranked higher than this position based on week-to-week results, no one in this tier is guaranteed a full-time position, or even a starting position for a player like Simpson who has to beat a veteran. Malik HarrisonSimpson certainly seems well-positioned to get the job, but it would take him up a notch.
Jordan Hicks and Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah The Browns defense falls into this tier because it is projected to be the most unfavorable tackle scheme for the tackle position, and Cleveland has a history of not using multiple full-time starters every week, limiting the opportunities for either team to improve their position this offseason.
At the bottom of this tier are some of the least effective tacklers at their position. Cayden Ellis, Kenneth Murray and Devin White Those three should see plenty of opportunities on the field this season with no other options in the depth charts, but all finished in the 25th percentile in 2022, meaning they rank three of the bottom four in tackles for loss relative to projected tackles in 2023.
Tier 4: NFL starters who are not guaranteed a full-time role.
Full-time roles are less prevalent in this tier, and even those who do have a set role in the tier don't get as many snaps as players higher up the tier.
Junior Colson and KJ Britt They're likely the front-runners in that range to assume full-time roles in 2024, but given their lack of NFL starting experience, it wouldn't be surprising to see their snap share fall below 90% this season.
Jack Campbell and Jermaine Pratt Neither player has played more than 90% of the defensive snaps in a season, but they are established as the team's linebacker No. 2. Campbell was a rookie last year and is expected to take on a larger role in Year 2, though it's unlikely he'll have the same full-time workload that Anzalone has.
Pratt is a solid LB2 for the team, but not quite there as an IDP. He topped 100 total tackles for the first time in his career last season, but failed to average above average in that metric over the past three seasons, finishing in the 12th percentile (-18.5) in tackles against expectations.
Ja Horne Bentley He's the team's only LB1 in that tier. He's questionable because he's never been a full-time player despite leading the team in snaps. It's unclear if the Patriots' new coaching staff will maintain a similar arrangement, but either way, Bentley has proven to be one of the worst tacklers at the position in recent years, ranking in the 37th percentile against projections for tackles in 2022 and 11th percentile (-18.6) in 2023.
of Green Bay Packers' The LB2 position could also become a full-time role under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, but we don't know for sure, and we also don't know who will fill that role next to the starter. Key WalkerThe team will receive a second-round pick Edgar Lynn Cooper This is the off-season Isaiah McDuffie He performed well as a spot starter in 2023 and is unlikely to leave in training camp competing for a starting position again. Targeting the Packers LB2 is risky until they know who the starter will be. Miami Dolphins' The LB2 situation should be approached similarly, but with less room for upside based on team projections.
Tier 5: Reserved for a starting role
This final layer is for those who wish to join, did it If circumstances work in their favor, they will emerge at some point this season. As it stands, this tier of players is third (at best) in the team's depth chart and unlikely to contribute to the IDP. But the offseason is long and things could well change. Injuries can happen and camp battles can go in different directions.
There are several young players on the short roster who either didn't get a chance to play last season or are new to the league, and while it may seem unlikely right now, there's a good chance they could emerge as starters. Malik Harrison, Diane HenryDeMarvion Obershon, Trevin Wallace, Cedric Gray and Servosia Dennis Both of them fit that criteria and shouldn't be ruled out completely just yet.
The others are essentially the guys who would be the next batters if something were to happen to one of the two starting pitchers ranked high in their respective depth categories.
Dre Greenlaw He's the outlier of the group, having ruptured his Achilles in the Super Bowl and likely missing the start of the new year. Devondre Campbell He is currently ranked LB37. If Greenlaw recovers well enough to return this season, he will likely see Campbell's minutes reduced as the starter, even if he doesn't regain a full role this season.
