Devin White getty min 1 Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers
Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers. Devin White

Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers in the 2021 Offseason

Here we are. We have reached the linebackers portion of the Dynasty Top 10 series for your Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers of the 2021 season. If you haven’t already, check out our many Top 10 Dynasty articles.

When it comes to IDP scoring, most of you probably know that there is not one specific scoring format, and IDP scoring is not as simple as non-PPR or half-PPR or full-PPR.

However, almost regardless of how IDP scoring is set up in your leagues, the standard of IDP is usually that your linebackers are the highest scoring IDP players every season, much like quarterbacks are on offense.

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As such, it is quite important to know which linebackers you should prioritize, especially in dynasty, where age does matter to an extent.

Look no further, because here are your Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers of the 2021 season!

1. Devin White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When you combine his ability to fly around the field with incredible speed, his instincts in run defense, his aggressiveness, and his blitzing when he sees the RB stay back to block, Devin White is like the whole package in terms of fantasy production.

White is just a stat sheet stuffer for your fantasy lineup. He gets tackles, solos and assisted, he gets sacks, and he will produce turnovers. He has the ability to turn in huge games for fantasy, and his floor is crazy high.

He just turned 23 and he is going to be scoring a lot of fantasy points for a lot of years to come, so get on board with Devin White as the #1 in your Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers rankings.

2. Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts

Another one of those high floor, high ceiling guys, that should be a priority in your Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers is Darius Leonard. The guy is always around the ball, and the motor is just ALWAYS on.

In 2020, he didn’t make it to the top of linebackers, mostly because he got injured early in Week 4 and missed 2 games after that. Despite missing almost 3 full games, he was still a Top 10 asset at LB. Depending on your scoring, of course, he had the third highest fantasy points per game among linebackers in 2020.

Leonard has shown the ability to produce at the very top level for fantasy, and that slots him in at #2.

He will be 26 years old by the start of next season, which means he still has a lot of good production left in him.

3. Roquan Smith, Chicago Bears

Another linebacker who makes plays all over the field, Roquan Smith makes it in as the third best linebacker on the Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers list.

Roquan had the second most solo tackles in 2020 which is obviously great for fantasy, but he was not near the top in assisted tackles.

Where Roquan Smith really makes a difference for fantasy is what he does outside of just getting tackles. 4 sacks, 7 passes defensed, and 2 interceptions are some of the stats that help put Roquan over the rest of the field.

On top of that, he is still a young linebacker at just 23 years old, making him a top dynasty asset for many years to come.

Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers
Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers. Jaylon Smith

4. Jaylon Smith, Dallas Cowboys

For the 4th best backer on the Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers list, we have another Smith! This time around it is Jaylon (no relation to Roquan).

After falling in the 2017 draft due to a horrific injury sustained in college, Jaylon Smith has solidified himself as one of the best linebackers in the NFL. Every year he has basically improved his production, collecting more tackles than the year before.

On top of that, Smith will also provide you with some ancillary stats, like a few sacks, a few turnovers, and some defensed passes, making him a very good fantasy linebacker. His value is primarily carried by his tackles, where he is in perennially in the conversation for the league lead.

He is a solid option as your LB1, and still will only be 26 when going into his fifth NFL-season in 2021.

5. TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Your first and only pass rushing linebacker makes the list at #5. In leagues without the EDGE position, TJ Watt is still the only rusher to actually make the list.

His reason for being on the list is quite different from everyone else on here because Watt does not get anywhere near the same number of tackles that everyone else on this Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers list does. What makes a huge difference for Watt is that he is locked in for 10+ sacks every season, barring injury, and a lot of his tackles are going to come behind the line of scrimmage in the form of tackles for Loss and QB hits which most IDP leagues reward (or should reward if they don’t!).

This still makes him very valuable despite not being a “pure” linebacker like the ILBs that generally make up a list like this.

TJ Watt is such an impressive defensive player at this point that he is rewarded with a spot on the Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers even though he does not fit your normal mold of fantasy linebacker.

6. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers

We continue the trend of young linebackers at #6, where Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers comes in on the Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers list.

Warner, who will still only be 24 when the 2021 season begins, has quickly developed into one of the best cover linebackers in the league. But that is not all, as he guarantees a lot of tackles too.

Overall, Warner is a very solid linebacker to have on your dynasty team as he provides a good level of consistency.

Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers
Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers. Zach Cunningham

7. Zack Cunningham, Houston Texans

Coming in at #8, we have Zach Cunningham of the Houston Texans.

Cunningham is an absolute tackling machine, resulting in him leading the NFL in tackles in 2020. He also added 3 sacks.

With the direction that the Houston franchise is heading, there is no reason to believe that Cunningham is going to see less opportunity to get his tackles. It’s a bad defense on a bad team, meaning they will be on the field a lot. That’s part of the recipe for prolonged fantasy success.

So, pencil Cunningham in on your Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers, because he is here to stay with the many opportunities he is going to get to repeat as the tackles leader in 2021.

8. Blake Martinez, New York Giants

Martinez is the first guy on the list that is older than 26 years old, but it is not by much, as Blake Martinez only just turned 27.

After a lackluster rookie season, Martinez has evolved into one of the most solid fantasy linebackers, as he is always making tackles all over the field and getting home on blitzes occasionally.

Like the guy just ahead of him on the list, Martinez is a tackling machine, which is exactly what your want for your fantasy lineup.

Was it not for his age, which is 2-4 years older than most of the guys ahead of him, he would be higher on this list.

9. Devin Bush, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bush is someone who compares quite favorably to some of the guys higher on this list like Devin White and Roquan Smith, as he is amongst the fastest linebackers in the league. The next-level speed these guys have for the linebacker position allows them to make plays all over the field and close gaps from sideline to sideline.

Bush was the catalyst for the Steelers defense, who declined when Bush went out for the season with an injury.

In 2021, look for the then 23-year old Devin Bush, who can do it all, to make a jump in his production and for your fantasy team.

10. Patrick Queen, Baltimore Ravens

The last player to make the Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers is another very speedy linebacker who has some similarities in his game to that of Roquan Smith.

Although Queen had a very decent rookie season, he still has room for improvement in multiple facets of his game, which is actually the reason he makes the list.

As a rookie, Patrick Queen was able to be an LB2, and if he can improve in the areas he was lacking as a rookie (run defense, finishing tackles and play better coverage), then Queen could quickly find himself climbing this list in the coming years as he becomes a better pro and is likely able to up his production in year 2, which is why he rounds out your Top 10 Dynasty Linebackers.

Alright. You made it to the end. I’m excited you’re still here and thank you for reading!

If you like the content we provide here at RotoHeat, feel free to check out the RotoHeat Youtube channel, with livestreams and rookie bios, or one of our Facebook communities – The RotoHeat Dynasty community or the RotoHeat Redraft community, where you can ask any questions you’d like answered. Or you can give me a follow on Twitter @MadsenThomas

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