Under the Radar: Rookie Linebackers

Tyler Huggins Posted On August 11, 2015

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Editor’s Note: This article is written by Tyler Huggins, one of the newest writers at DLF. We welcome Tyler to the crew and look forward to his insights all season long.

We are finally in the waning hours of the off-season grind. Training camps are open and football is just around the corner. By this point, the IDP community is fully aware of the rookie headliners, but there are many players still flying under the radar. The linebacker situations in Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Oakland and Cleveland all show promise for a quintet of rookies who could potentially seize an early opportunity. The best part about this particular group is the cost of acquisition, which is practically FREE. Remember, these players are not cut out for shallow leagues and patience is key with regard to IDP breakouts. Spare roster space is an absolute must when mining the depths; if your roster is too small, players such as these often end up being dropped before their impact can be felt.

Kwon Alexander, LB TB

Alexander finds himself in a very juicy spot with the Buccaneers. The Tampa Bay linebacker corps is headlined by the electric Lavonte David, but is otherwise quite uninspiring. Veteran journeyman Danny Lansanah appears to have the lead in the middle after signing a rather modest one-year contract. Lansanah is a fine player who actually performed quite well in spurts during the 2014 season, but let’s be honest, a 30-year old player who has bounced around the CFL and several NFL teams will rarely be the long term solution. Bruce Carter has also been added into the linebacker mix. The early buzz indicated he would play in the middle (and he very well may), but my money is on him settling in on the strong side. I’m not going to say a bunch of awful things about Carter, but I’m not going to give him a glowing review either. He is who he is – a middle of the road NFL linebacker.

Enter Mr. Alexander, a fourth round selection out of LSU. A plus athlete who shredded the NFL combine, he has the physical profile and playing style within the Lovie Smith defense to force his way into the lineup. With a strong showing in camp, he could easily find himself the primary backup on the weak side and middle. Another scenario I could foresee playing out is Carter falling flat on his face, Lansanah sliding over to the strong side, leaving Alexander manning the middle. Opportunity often dictates breakouts on the defensive side of the ball and he is in prime position to capitalize on a weak depth chart and linebacker friendly defensive scheme.

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Ramik Wilson and D.J. Alexander, LBs KC

These two have also landed in situations ripe with potential. The Chiefs’ inside linebacker group sports one of my favorite players of all time in Derrick Johnson. He has long been a fixture amongst the best in the game, but is entering his age 32 season and is coming off an Achilles tendon tear. If healthy, he will still be a baller, but the end is near. The other inside job is manned by the duo of James-Michael Johnson and Josh Mauga, neither of whom are #good.

Again we find a depth chart that is screaming “WHO ARE THE BACKUPS?” Wilson owns the draft pedigree edge as he was selected in the fourth round while Alexander was a somewhat surprising selection in the fifth. Neither player is a finished product by any means, but the fact the Cheifs chose to spend not one, but two picks on inside linebacker is quite telling in and of itself. Wilson is a bit stiff, but is a solid downhill linebacker who laid some nasty hits during his time at the University of Georgia. Alexander has the edge in athleticism and speed, but spent much of his Oregon State career injured. I recommend pairing the two and taking a ‘wait and see’ approach throughout the early going. One or both may emerge due to injury or poor play of those ahead of them.

Ben Heeney, LB OAK

Heeney will step in immediately as the primary backup to aging veteran Curtis Lofton, a longtime presence on the IDP scene who in all reality has been a better fantasy play than on field linebacker. Oakland boasts two of the better young outside linebackers in the game in Khalil Mack and Sio Moore, but Lofton looks every bit the part of a stop gap solution in the middle. Heeney is a high motor player who attacks at all times. His aggression also lends itself to mistakes, but over the course of his collegiate career, he rarely left the field and jumped out as the clear leader of the Kansas defense. The Raiders spent an early fourth rounder on him for a reason – they clearly have identified the middle linebacker position as one of need. It may take him a season or two to really get his chance, but all it will take is one slip-up ahead of him to be thrust into a significant role.

Hayes Pullard, LB CLE

A four year starter at USC, Pullard doesn’t exactly fit the profile of ‘only one break away,’ but I felt I would be remiss to leave him off this list. The Browns off ball linebacker crew is led by stalwart Karlos Dansby, but is otherwise littered with a bunch of un-sexy in Craig Robertson, 2011 Rose Bowl hero Tank Carder and 2014 third round rookie Christian Kirksey. I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but Dansby is old. There, I said it. It matters not how good a player is, father time always wins – he is not long for the NFL. Robertson has performed admirably during his time in Cleveland and Kirksey definitely has a future, but just brushing Pullard aside as yet just another late round selection would be a mistake, especially one who was a two time team captain and who led his team in tackles for three seasons. He definitely has a chance to make a splash. This season may not be his time, but he is definitely one to watch.

If you have ever listened to me wax philosophical via podcast or play in leagues with me, you know I am not one to habitually spend precious capital on the “brand names” at linebacker. Paying attention to direct competition, keeping an ear to the ground for chatter from coaches and beat reporters, and closely monitoring snap counts are all tools that a deep league IDPer needs to have in their arsenal. Be the owner who is in the know and has the breakouts rostered long before your league mates are even aware of what hit them.

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