Three weeks into the season, a big tackle total can still hide a shrinking role. For IDP managers, the useful question is whether a linebacker stayed on the field all three downs and we investigate this with snap count exposure. This week’s review goes team by team through the full-time linebackers, the changing rotations and the players whose usage deserves a closer look before Week 4 waivers.
I’m treating “every down” as a role supported by defensive snap share, with particular attention to coverage work. An injury or an unusually short game can distort one week’s percentage, so the trend across all three games matters too.
Week 3 put that distinction under the microscope. Leo Chenal’s injury changed Washington’s plans during the game. Houston
had to test its linebacker depth again. Meanwhile, several healthy players logged major workloads without delivering the tackle totals managers expected. Box scores flirt. Snap counts commit. Now let’s see who kept the job.
Top Linebackers by Defensive Snaps Through Week 3
Arizona Cardinals
In news I did not have on my bingo card, Jack Gibbens has the better tackle rate in Arizona’s linebacker room. His 24 tackles on 173 defensive snaps produce a 13.9% rate. Mack Wilson Sr. has 21 tackles on 172 snaps, a 12.2% rate.
Both have played more than 96% of Arizona’s defensive snaps through three games. Gibbens has 136 box snaps and 85 coverage snaps, so this is more than a two-down tackle chase. He is worth pursuing outside shallow leagues.
Atlanta Falcons
Divine Deablo has played 187 defensive snaps with 155 box snaps and 135 coverage snaps. The role is there. The tackles have been another story: 11 on those 187 snaps for a 5.9% tackle rate.
Kendal Daniels remains well behind at 111 defensive snaps. Deablo is still the Atlanta linebacker whose playing time I trust, but managers expecting his workload to produce automatic LB1 tackle totals have been disappointed.
Baltimore Ravens
Roquan Smith remains the easy call. He has played 196 defensive snaps and made 28 tackles, a 14.3% tackle rate.
The LB2 spot is the mystery. Teddye Buchanan returned but was eased in with just three snaps. Trenton Simpson remains a deep-league play while the role sorts itself out. Either could emerge as Baltimore’s second useful linebacker, but my money is on Buchanan after his 2025 season. Three snaps are a return, not a takeover.
Buffalo Bills
Terrel Bernard continues to carry an every-down workload. His 208 defensive snaps include 194 box snaps and 121 coverage snaps, and he has made 22 tackles.
Dorian Williams has been productive when called upon, making 24 tackles on 142 defensive snaps. That 16.9% tackle rate is excellent. His 66.7% season snap share, however, leaves him much less secure than Bernard as a weekly starter. Williams is a useful deeper-league option whose efficiency is doing some work for his fantasy value.
Carolina Panthers
Bobby Okereke wore the green dot after Devin Lloyd’s injury. Okereke has played 186 defensive snaps through three games, with 171 box snaps and 96 coverage snaps. The communication role is another reason to watch his Week 4 usage.
Lloyd produced 22 tackles in his two games, a 17.9% tackle rate, before the injury interrupted his start. His absence changes both the Panthers’ linebacker deployment and Okereke’s outlook.
Chicago Bears
The Bears played Monday Night Football against Philadelphia and T.J. Edwards was on his way to a strong performance until a poor game. A lucky interception thrown directly to him helped pad his stats. Outside of this, he only had three tackles. Devin Bush has played 97.5% of Chicago’s defensive snaps across three games, although his 15 tackles total an 8.5% tackle rate.
Monday night told us enough about whether these two are IDP options. Despite the usage, I’d be looking to trade or replace Edwards. Bush has the playing time to matter in deeper leagues, but he needs more tackles to become a comfortable weekly start.
Cincinnati Bengals
My biggest takeaway from Cincinnati is that Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. are both playable in IDP leagues. Carter played 94% of the snaps in Week 3 while Knight played 85%.
The season totals show why Knight should not be overlooked. He has 28 tackles on 179 snaps, a 15.6% tackle rate. Carter has the larger overall workload at 199 snaps and has logged 135 coverage snaps. Both have roles close enough to every-down usage to matter, with Carter providing the cleaner playing-time profile.
Cleveland Browns
Carson Schwesinger has played 199 defensive snaps and made 26 tackles through three games. His 168 box snaps and 108 coverage snaps back up the every-down label. This is no longer just a rookie we hope will eventually earn a full-time role.
Quincy Williams has also played heavily, logging 188 defensive snaps and a 94.5% snap share. Schwesinger has been the better tackle-volume bet so far, but Cleveland has given IDP managers two linebackers with meaningful workloads.
Dallas Cowboys
Jaishawn Barham looks good. Hopefully this is not too hot a take, but he looked like an upgrade on DeMarvion Overshown, as crazy as that sounds. Dallas rotated Barham and Shemar James to a degree, so the job is not completely settled.
Barham has made 20 tackles on 129 defensive snaps through three games, a 15.5% tackle rate. His run defense has been particularly impressive. The next step for his fantasy value is securing the passing-down work every week. I would rather bet on Barham’s talent than assume this rotation will remain evenly divided.
Denver Broncos
Alex Singleton has 33 tackles on 213 defensive snaps. That 15.5% tackle rate, paired with 199 box snaps, is exactly why he remains such a reliable IDP starter.
Justin Strnad has played 167 defensive snaps, but his 78% snap share and 8.4% tackle rate give him a much thinner weekly floor. Singleton is the dependable play. Strnad remains more sensitive to game plan and big plays.
Detroit Lions
Jack Campbell leads the workbook with 230 defensive snaps and 201 box snaps. That is an enormous opportunity, even though his 19 tackles yield an 8.3% tackle rate so far.
Derrick Barnes has played 208 snaps with a 91.6% share. His 115 coverage snaps and five pressures show that Detroit is using him in more than one way. Campbell remains the preferred IDP starter, but Barnes has enough playing time to matter even when the tackles do not pile up.
Green Bay Packers
Zaire Franklin has logged 210 defensive snaps and 21 tackles. Edgerrin Cooper has also made 21 tackles, but an injury shortened his Week 3 work.
Isaiah McDuffie entered for Cooper and made three tackles despite playing only 25% of the snaps. Watch Cooper’s injury report throughout the week. McDuffie is an injury-dependent waiver option whose value would change quickly if Cooper misses time.
Houston Texans
Jake Hansen played 71% of the snaps against Indianapolis and has 12 tackles over the past two games while Henry To’oTo’o has been out. Hansen is a legitimate short-term LB2 in deeper leagues while To’oTo’o remains sidelined, with his return expected no earlier than Week 6.
Azeez Al-Shaair has produced 31 tackles on 172 defensive snaps, an 18% tackle rate, but his groin injury adds another question to Houston’s Week 4 linebacker picture. Hansen’s role and Al-Shaair’s practice status should both be checked before setting lineups. Wade Woodaz is a deeper name to monitor if Houston needs another replacement, although he needs a meaningful defensive role before becoming a waiver priority.
Indianapolis Colts
Akeem Davis-Gaither continues to justify IDP attention. He has 29 tackles on 193 defensive snaps for a 15% tackle rate, along with 172 box snaps and 101 coverage snaps.
The LB2 battle between Boettcher and Jaylon Carlies is not one I want to invest in right now. Neither is doing enough to make the rotation appealing. C.J. Allen’s five snaps show that a larger role for him remains a projection. The Colts played better defense against Houston, but the individual playing time is the deciding evidence for this review.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Foyesade Oluokun remains a useful IDP linebacker, but his 83% snap share through three games is worth noticing. He has made 17 tackles on 146 defensive snaps.
Ventrell Miller has made 23 tackles on only 126 snaps, an 18.3% tackle rate. That efficiency deserves attention, although his 71.6% snap share keeps him short of a dependable every-down designation. Miller is the interesting deeper-league bet. Oluokun still has the more established role.
Kansas City Chiefs
Nick Bolton has played every defensive snap through three games and made 28 tackles. No mystery there.
Drue Tranquill is the sneaky name. He has played 92.6% of the snaps with 22 tackles, 133 box snaps and 77 coverage snaps. He is nearly an every-down player, yet his role and production rarely get the attention they deserve. Tranquill also had seven tackles in Week 3.
Las Vegas Raiders
Nakobe Dean has played 98% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps and made 27 tackles. His 13.9% tackle rate, 167 box snaps and 108 coverage snaps put the playing time and production in the same place.
Quay Walker has played all 198 defensive snaps through three games and made 24 tackles. Both are weekly IDP options. Dean has supplied the more exciting early return, but Walker’s full-time role should not be ignored.
Los Angeles Chargers
Daiyan Henley remains the linebacker I trust. He has played 178 defensive snaps with 133 box snaps and 92 coverage snaps.
I would stay away from the LB2 spot. Del’Shawn Phillips played 30 snaps (47%) in Week 3 while Troy Dye played 22 (36%). That is too erratic for a weekly lineup. Guessing which one gets the extra series is a great way to lose a close IDP matchup.
Los Angeles Rams
Nate Landman has been coming off the field on third downs as the Rams use packages without a linebacker. His snap shares over the past two weeks were 84% and 88%. He has 18 tackles on 172 defensive snaps through three games, a 10.5% tackle rate.
I would explore trading him to a manager who remembers his LB8 season in 1-2-3 scoring. The name and past production still carry value, but losing passing-down work lowers the ceiling that made him so attractive. I would see what I can get now.
Miami Dolphins
Jacob Rodriguez is making an excellent early case. He has played 97.7% of Miami’s defensive snaps and made 28 tackles on 168 plays, a 16.7% tackle rate. His 157 box snaps show how often he has been placed near the action.
Jordyn Brooks remains heavily involved at a 94.8% snap share with 22 tackles. Rodriguez’s production has been the surprise, but the snap profiles support both players as IDP starters.
Minnesota Vikings
Blake Cashman has been rushing the passer more often than I expected. He has 10 pressures through three games and has still made 25 tackles on 198 defensive snaps. That additional route to a fantasy play is welcome.
DP fun (or odd) fact: After a three-tackle stinker in Week 1, Eric Wilson has produced 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks over the past two games. He has played 199 snaps with a 94.3% snap rate, putting him among the busiest linebackers in the league. Wilson has 52 edge snaps and eight pressures in the workbook. Being rostered in only 7% of leagues and started in 2% is wild. I did not have Wilson as an every-down waiver target on my bingo card.
New England Patriots
Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss continue to give New England two usable IDP linebackers. Spillane has played 98.4% of the snaps with 21 tackles, while Elliss has played 96.7% with 19.
Elliss also has 26 edge snaps and four pressures. That versatility matters, but his weekly value starts with the fact that New England keeps him on the field.
New Orleans Saints
Kaden Elliss has played every defensive snap and made 24 tackles through three games. He remains the safe New Orleans linebacker.
There is plenty of talk about Danny Stutsman as a waiver claim because of Pete Werner’s health. I would limit that move to super-deep leagues. Werner could return this to a rotation as he heals. If you are feeling frisky, check the injury report before submitting the claim rather than paying as though Stutsman already owns an every-down job.
New York Giants
Tremaine Edmunds has played every defensive snap through three games and made 23 tackles. Arvell Reese has played 98.3% of the snaps with 24 tackles.
That gives the Giants two linebackers we can start. Edmunds offers the straightforward tackle-volume profile. Reese has a little more variety to his usage with 18 edge snaps, though neither player’s fantasy case depends on an occasional pass rush.
New York Jets
Demario Davis has played every defensive snap and made 22 tackles. Jamien Sherwood has played 94.8% of the snaps with 18 tackles.
Sherwood’s workload remains strong, but his 10.9% tackle rate trails several linebackers drafted well after him. This is a good example of why I keep role and efficiency side by side. The snaps support starting him. They do not automatically guarantee the elite finish managers paid for.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have two startable linebackers. Through two games, Zack Baun has played every defensive snap. Jihaad Campbell has played 92.7% and made 28 tackles on an impressive 16.7% tackle rate.
Campbell’s Monday night deployment was encouraging. Both players stole the show with nine tackles. If the Eagles keep trusting both on passing downs, early production has a much stronger foundation.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Patrick Queen has played every defensive snap and made 23 tackles through three games.
Payton Wilson has also made 23 tackles, but on 140 snaps rather than Queen’s 172. That is a 16.4% tackle rate for Wilson. The efficiency is exactly why his role matters so much. His season snap share sits at 81.4%, leaving some room for the workload to grow before I call him a completely secure every-down linebacker.
San Francisco 49ers
Fred Warner has 33 tackles on 189 snaps, a 17.5% tackle rate. He remains the standard even without playing every single defensive snap.
Dre Greenlaw has made 22 tackles on 143 snaps, but his 69.1% season share makes him harder to trust as an every-week option. Jaden Dugger received LB3 usage at 38%. His preseason splash-play ability makes him worth monitoring in deep dynasty leagues. An injury ahead of him could create a role later, but 38% is not a redraft start.
Seattle Seahawks
Ernest Jones IV has made 29 tackles on 188 snaps while playing 98.9% of the defense’s snaps. That is a secure every-down profile.
Drake Thomas has made 25 tackles on 175 snaps with a 92.1% snap share. His 95 coverage snaps are especially encouraging for a second linebacker. Seattle is giving IDP managers two players with roles substantial enough to start.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Josiah Trotter was injured, leaving Christian Rozeboom and SirVocea Dennis to split the work. Rozeboom played 51% of the snaps with three tackles while Dennis played 47% with four.
Neither received enough of the role to be a comfortable pickup. The more interesting fantasy development is what happens when Trotter returns. Before the injury, he had made 21 tackles on 106 snaps, a 19.8% tackle rate. That is the talent and opportunity combination I want back on the field.
Tennessee Titans
Anthony Hill Jr. has played every defensive snap through three games and made 34 tackles. His 16.4% tackle rate and 196 box snaps make him one of the clearest winners on this sheet.
Cody Barton has played 81.2% of the snaps but made only 12 tackles on 168 plays, a 7.1% rate. The contrast is difficult to ignore. Hill is the Tennessee linebacker to build around in IDP lineups.
Washington Commanders
Washington entered Week 3 with extra responsibility on rookie Sonny Styles and Leo Chenal while Frankie Luvu was out. Chenal then suffered a neck injury against Seattle, adding another change to this linebacker room.
Styles’ usage looks fantastic: 170 defensive snaps, 151 box snaps, 93 coverage snaps and 26 edge snaps. He has played 96% of Washington’s defensive snaps. Sounds like an IDP manager’s dream until you reach the production: just 12 tackles. That is a 7.1% tackle rate. I am holding for the role, but the tackles need to catch up before I move him higher in my weekly rankings.
Waiver alert: Kain Medrano came in after Chenal’s injury and played more than 65% of the snaps. Much of that work came in coverage, yet he still made five tackles. Medrano is worth a look in deeper leagues while Chenal’s status remains uncertain. The injury report and Medrano’s passing-down role will decide whether this becomes a lasting pickup.
This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Week 3 Every-Down Linebacker Review
