[DB RANKINGS 1-15
Auction...............$6
Bye Week.............5
As a first-round draft pick in 2015, Stephone Anthony was expected to come in and contribute right away on a struggling Saints defense. While he didn't fix everything on his own, he proved to be a smart acquisition and worthy of his first-round draft price as his 70 solo tackles were second on the team behind Kenny Vaccaro's 71. Looking ahead to 2016, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will be relying on the likes of Anthony to help solidify what was one of the shakiest defensive units in the league last year. The addition of Sheldon Rankins up front could help open up some more lanes for Anthony to rack up tackles too, which makes him an enticing option as a high-end LB2.
Auction...............$6
Bye Week.............8
Entering his 10th NFL season, Timmons likely has his sights set on another championship run before hanging up the cleats, and he's still playing at a high enough level to help Pittsburgh get there. Timmons recorded 119 combined tackles in 2015, his fourth straight year with 105 or more, while also adding in five sacks. Timmons is in the final year of his contract and carries a heavy cap hit, but seems to remain in the Steelers' plans for this year. Even in what will be his age-30 season, the former Seminole should have plenty to offer in fantasy and should be drafted as an LB2 with upside.
Auction...............$5
Bye Week.............9
Jerrell Freeman went from CFL star to a stud linebacker for the Colts, and will now take his talents to the Windy City after receiving a fat new contract from the Bears. While his path to NFL and fantasy stardom was a bit unorthodox, Freeman's play on the field is anything but. He's been a wrecking ball in the middle of the field for the last four years, wracking up 95-plus tackles in each season despite missing four games in 2014 and three games in 2015. Freeman will be splitting opportunities with Danny Trevathan in the middle of Vic Fangio's Bears defense, but his scheme did allow both NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis to be studs back in San Francisco. Freeman carries a bit more risk given his age (30) and recent injury history, but his talent on a rising defense makes him worthy of being a flex starter or strong LB2.
Auction...............$5
Bye Week.............7
Sean Lee returned to form a bit in 2015, playing in 14 games and setting career highs in several statistical categories -- solo tackles (76), assisted tackles (52) and sacks (2.5). However, in some ways, Lee didn't change at all, as he still missed two games, extending his streak of missing time with injury to, well, every season of his career. When healthy and on the field, Lee is a dynamic linebacker and a tremendous fantasy asset. But in just the last four years he's only played in 31 of a possible 64 games. That injury risk slides him into the LB2 tier, though if he does stay mostly healthy in 2016 he could represent a tremendous value.
Auction...............$5
Bye Week.............5
Yes, Myles Jack is the third Jaguars linebacker to appear in our top 30 rankings, but his talent and situation are just too enticing not to take a shot on as a later-round LB2. Many believed Jack to be among the most talented players in the 2016 NFL Draft (if not the most talented player), and he landed on a defense already bulked up with surrounding talent. As long as his knee injury doesn't hold him back with a slow start, Jack could have tremendous upside roaming the field alongside Paul Posluszny and Telvin Smith.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............11
A second-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Denzel Perryman was selected by the Chargers to come in and pair with Manti Te'o, though in one short season it appears the team may have found a new leader in their linebacking corps. Perryman brought the same physicality and tackle-finishing ability he showed at Miami to San Diego, with 64 solo tackles in just nine starts over 14 games. He still needs to improve in the passing game, but that could develop with more experience and recognition ability. Perryman should be an opening day starter for the Bolts and is about as high-upside of a later-round linebacker as there is in fantasy for 2016.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............9
An IDP stud in his first two seasons, injuries derailed Vontaze Burfict's ascent to the truly elite fantasy linebacker tier over the last two years. Making matters worse, is he must serve a three-game suspension to start the 2016 season for his unsportsmanlike plays in the Bengals' Wild Card playoff game. If Burfict can keep his head on straight and avoid the trainer's room, he should represent a nice value as many drafters may shy away from him given the suspension. Looking to recapture his early-career form, Burfict will be an LB2 to start the season, but wouldn't surprise anyone if he finished back in the top 20 or so fantasy scoring linebackers.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............8
Mark Barron spent his first three years in the league as a safety, but underperformed on expectations. After joining the Rams in 2014, he morphed into a hybrid linebacker-safety, before sliding into the weakside linebacker role fulltime in 2014 when Alec Ogletree was lost for the year with an ankle injury. With James Lauranitis a salary cap casualty, Barron will remain the starting outside linebacker in 2016, which is great news for his fantasy outlook. Barron racked up 116 combined tackles in just 12 starts, a number he should build upon this coming season. If Barron can add in a few more turnover-type plays (zero interceptions over the last two years), his fantasy star will be rising even higher. For now, he's worth targeting in the later rounds as an LB2 with plenty of upside.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............8
Alec Ogletree landed on the IDP scene with a splash, finishing as a fringe LB1 in each of his first two seasons. Expectations were high for him to take the next step on the talented Rams defense in 2015, but a season-ending ankle injury in Week 4 smashed those hopes into smithereens. Now, with James Laurinaitis in New Orleans, Ogletree must bounce back from his injury while transitioning to a new position -- middle linebacker. He certainly has the talent and athleticism to thrive in the middle of the field, but the mental transition could take time. If Ogletree hits the ground running, he's a good bet to finish among the top scoring fantasy linebackers. However, the combination of his ankle injury in 2015 and moving to a new position in 2016 saddles him with plenty of risk, but makes him a great later-round target.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............10
Long one of the more underrated players in the league, DeAndre Levy had emerged as a true fantasy star over the past few seasons, but a hip injury he suffered in training camp derailed his 2015 campaign from the start. Levy suited up in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, but quickly aggravated the injury and eventually landed on IR. All reports are that he's progressing well as he works back to full strength, but his status will need to be monitored before investing a mid- to late-round draft pick in him. Levy has the talent to return to the top of the fantasy linebacker mountain, but his health will be critical in that quest.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............9
Karlos Dansby has had a storied NFL and fantasy career, with nine straight seasons where he's recorded at least 90-plus combined tackles, including an impressive 108 last year with the Browns. While Dansby may be nearing the end of his career, he still has plenty to offer the Bengals on his current one-year deal -- especially with Vontaze Burfict serving a three-game suspension to start the season. Those who choose to wait before drafting a linebacker in IDP formats could double down in the jungle and grab both Dansby and Burfict, allowing for a stop-gap and the potential to have two solid IDP linebackers rostered for the whole season. Either way, don't sleep on Dansby just because of his age and situation. He's likely to keep Father Time at bay for at least one more year.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............8
Despite a first-round draft pick pedigree and immense physical talent, Ryan Shazier has yet to deliver on expectations for the Steelers or in fantasy. Injuries have largely been to blame, as Shazier has only played in in 21 of a possible 32 games thus far in his young career. Still, when he's on the field his playmaking potential is evident, as he logged 3.5 sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles last season. For now though, Shazier is best left as a late-round flier in IDP formats until he actually takes the next step in his development and performs on the field for a whole season.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
Kevin Minter slimmed down last offseason to earn an every-down role with the Cardinals, and it proved to be a worthy endeavor as he started all 16 games and finished third on the team with 72 solo tackles (behind Deone Bucannon and Tyrann Mathieu). Minter is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and will be playing for a new, lucrative long-term deal in 2015. With Tyrann Mathieu possible sidelined for a small portion of the season, more tackles and opportunities could land on Minter's plate, setting him up for a nice statistical season.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
Jamie Collins is coming off a disappointing 2015 season where he missed four games, but could be in line for a big rebound as he tries to secure a long-term extension with the Patriots. Collins has an excellent combination of size and athleticism that allows him to fill the stat sheet with everything from blocked kicks to sacks to passes defensed. Given his slide from 2014 to 2015, Collins can likely be drafted as a bargain in IDP formats, and will bring tons of upside to those lucky enough to get him on their teams.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............4
Typically, pass-rushing linebackers aren't worth grabbing in IDP leagues as their tackle numbers are too low to really rack up points, but it wouldn't be crazy to take a late-round flier on Clay Matthews in 2016. He's sliding back over to his full-time role as an outside, pass-rushing specialist, but even early in his career Matthews was able to rack up solid enough tackle numbers to support a solid fantasy outing in addition to his sack totals. Matthews is also likely chomping at the bit to get back to getting after quarterbacks on a regular basis, so he could be on the cusp of a big season for the green and gold.
[DB RANKINGS 1-15
