- Joe Allen jumps into the top spot at EDGE: With Maxx Crosby on a bye week, Allen gets a matchup against a Colts team that has shuffled their offensive line multiple times this season to disastrous results.
- Chicago’s bizarro safety situation: Should IDP managers trust Eddie Jackson to out-produce Jaquan Brisker despite the sub-optimal alignments?
- More than a run-stuffer?: Can Christian Wilkins prove that he has added some pass-rush prowess to his repertoire?
Estimated Reading Time: 12 mins
With injuries and bye weeks beginning to consume fantasy rosters, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to the trends and key matchups that can give fantasy managers the edges needed to pull out crucial wins.
Check the PFF.com rankings page for any updates closer to game time.
JUMP TO A POSITION:
LB | ED | DI | S | CB
LINEBACKERS
| RANK | TIER | NAME | TEAM | OPP | NOTES |
| 1 | 1A | Roquan Smith | CHI | WAS | TNF |
| 2 | 1A | Devin White | TB | @ PIT | |
| 3 | 1A | Bobby Wagner | LAR | CAR | |
| 4 | 1A | Jordyn Brooks | SEA | ARZ | |
| 5 | 1B | Micah Parsons | DAL | @ PHI | SNF |
| 6 | 1B | Devin Lloyd | JAX | @ IND | |
| 7 | 1B | De’Vondre Campbell | GB | NYJ | |
| 8 | 1B | Nick Bolton | KC | BUF | |
| 9 | 1C | Cole Holcomb | WAS | @ CHI | TNF |
| 10 | 1C | Fred Warner | SF | @ ATL | |
| 11 | 1C | Shaquille Leonard | IND | JAX | Q |
| 12 | 1C | Alex Singleton | DEN | @ LAC | MNF |
| 13 | 2A | Mykal Walker | ATL | SF | Q |
| 14 | 2A | T.J. Edwards | PHI | DAL | SNF |
| 15 | 2A | C.J. Mosley | NYJ | @ GB | |
| 16 | 2A | Zaire Franklin | IND | JAX | |
| 17 | 2B | Drue Tranquill | LAC | DEN | MNF |
| 18 | 2B | Eric Kendricks | MIN | @ MIA | |
| 19 | 2B | Pete Werner | NO | CIN | |
| 20 | 2B | Foyesade Oluokun | JAX | @ IND | |
| 21 | 2C | Dre Greenlaw | SF | @ ATL | |
| 22 | 2C | Logan Wilson | CIN | @ NO | |
| 23 | 2C | Tremaine Edmunds | BUF | @ KC | Q |
| 24 | 2C | Frankie Luvu | CAR | @ LAR | Q |
| 25 | 3A | Matt Milano | BUF | @ KC | |
| 26 | 3A | Jacob Phillips | CLV | NE | |
| 27 | 3A | Jordan Hicks | MIN | @ MIA | |
| 28 | 3A | Myles Jack | PIT | TB | |
| 29 | 3B | Nicholas Morrow | CHI | WAS | TNF |
| 30 | 3B | Lavonte David | TB | @ PIT | |
| 31 | 3B | Demario Davis | NO | CIN | |
| 32 | 3B | Rashaan Evans | ATL | SF | |
| 33 | 3C | Zaven Collins | ARZ | @ SEA | |
| 34 | 3C | Kwon Alexander | NYJ | @ GB | |
| 35 | 3C | Shaq Thompson | CAR | @ LAR | |
| 36 | 3C | Cody Barton | SEA | ARZ | |
| 37 | 4A | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | CLV | NE | |
| 38 | 4A | Germaine Pratt | CIN | @ NO | |
| 39 | 4A | Isaiah Simmons | ARZ | @ SEA | |
| 40 | 4A | Cory Littleton | CAR | @ LAR | |
| 41 | 4B | Leighton Vander Esch | DAL | @ PHI | SNF |
| 42 | 4B | Jerome Baker | MIA | MIN | |
| 43 | 4B | Quay Walker | GB | NYJ | |
| 44 | 4B | Ernest Jones | LAR | CAR | |
| 45 | 4C | Patrick Queen | BLT | @ NYG | |
| 46 | 4C | Ja’Whaun Bentley | NE | @ CLV | |
| 47 | 4C | Kyzir White | PHI | DAL | SNF |
| 48 | 4C | Tae Crowder | NYG | BLT | |
| 49 | 5A | Jamin Davis | WAS | @ CHI | TNF |
| 50 | 5A | Anthony Barr | DAL | @ PHI | SNF |
| 51 | 5A | Jaylon Smith | NYG | BLT | |
| 52 | 5A | Bobby Okereke | IND | JAX | |
| 53 | 5B | Devin Bush | PIT | TB | |
| 54 | 5B | Jonas Griffith | DEN | @ LAC | MNF |
| 55 | 5B | Kenneth Murray | LAC | DEN | MNF |
| 56 | 5B | Darius Harris | KC | BUF | |
| 57 | 5C | Elandon Roberts | MIA | MIN | |
| 58 | 5C | Akeem Davis-Gaither | CIN | @ NO | |
| 59 | 5C | Troy Andersen | ATL | SF | |
| 60 | 5C | Tyrel Dodson | BUF | @ KC |
Shaquille Leonard (LB11) has been a frustrating IDP asset so far this season, playing just 16 total snaps through the first five weeks. However, he should be back this week with a chance to regain his every-down role. The Colts played on Thursday night in Week 5, giving Leonard more time to recover from the concussion that took him out of the team’s Week 4 game. It seems unlikely that he’ll be limited with the back injury that kept him out the first three weeks of the season. If Leonard is active, he should be started, and it seems like Zaire Franklin (LB16) may be playing the bulk of the snaps alongside him considering the team’s usage patterns in prior weeks.
Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton (LB12) is going to be a hot waiver-wire target coming off of the injury to Josey Jewell last Thursday night, and rightfully so. Singleton should step back into an IDP-friendly every-down role with the Broncos, who rank among the top five teams in zone coverage rate (76.8%). Even more in Singleton’s favor: They are top-five in Cover-6 rate (19.4%), which has been the most efficient defensive scheme in producing linebacker tackles so far this season. He should be considered to have a strong chance at a big fantasy performance in Week 6.
Jacob Phillips (LB26) has seemingly taken over as the Browns’ every-down linebacker, which has pushed Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB37) down the ranks a fair bit. Things could change quickly in Cleveland, but for now IDP managers can feel comfortable with Phillips for another week, especially as the wait to see how Deion Jones factors into the lineup. Phillips has a positive matchup against the Patriots, who are among the more run-heavy offenses in the league so far this season.
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